LOCATION CIANCIO CO
Established Series
PRR
03/2026
CIANCIO SERIES
Depth class: Very deep
Drainage class: Well drained
Saturated hydraulic conductivity: High
Parent material: Thin human-transported material over eolian sands
Geomorphic location: Fills on sand sheets on strath terraces
Slope range: 0 to 5 percent
Mean annual temperature: 11.0 degrees C
Mean annual precipitation: 406 millimeters
Taxonomic Class:
Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Aridic Haplustepts
Typical Pedon:
Ciancio loam in urban, park. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
^A--0 to 12 cm; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; moderate fine granular structure; soft, friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic, many fine roots throughout; noneffervescent, neutral (pH 7.2); clear smooth boundary.
^C--12 to 42 cm; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; massive, soft, very friable, non-sticky, non-plastic; common fine roots throughout; noneffervescent; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); clear smooth boundary.
^2Bwb--42 to 80 cm; brown (10YR 5/3) sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3); moderate medium subangular block structure; slightly hard, friable, non-sticky, non-plastic; few fine roots throughout; noneffervescent; neutral (pH 7.0); gradual wavy boundary.
^2C--80 to 200 cm; pale brown (10YR 6/3) sandy loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4); massive; soft, very friable, non-sticky, non-plastic; few fine roots throughout; noneffervescent; neutral (pH 6.8).
Type Location:
Denver County, CO
USGS Quadrangle: Arvada
Latitude: 39.7817417
Longitude: -105.0445750
Datum: WGS84
Coordinates sources: Hand-held GPS
Range in Characteristics:
Depth to free carbonates-greater than 50 centimeters
Thickness of human-transported material-less than 50 centimeters
Particle-size control section (weighted average):
Clay content--12 to 22 percent
Sand content--25 to 75 percent
Total rock fragments--0 to 8 percent
^A or ^Au horizon(s):
Hue--10YR
Value--3 or 4 dry; 1 to 3 moist
Chroma-2 or 3 dry or moist
Texture (less than 2 mm fraction)--Clay loam, loam, sandy loam
Clay content--10 to 27 percent
Rock fragments--0 to 5 percent gravel
Reaction--pH 6.8 to 7.5
Thickness--5 to 30 centimeters
^C or Cu horizon(s) (where present):
Hue--10YR
Value--3 to 5 dry; 3 or 4 moist
Chroma-2 to 4 dry; 3 or 4 moist
Texture (less than 2 mm fraction)--Loam, sandy clay loam, sandy loam
Clay content--12 to 25 percent
Rock fragments--0 to 14 percent gravel
Artifacts--1 to 3 percent
Reaction--pH 7.2 to 7.8
Thickness--10 to 30 centimeters
^2Bwb horizon(s):
Hue--10YR
Value--4 or 5 dry; 3 or 4 moist
Chroma--3 to 5 dry or moist
Texture (less than 2 mm fraction)-Sandy clay loam, sandy loam
Clay content-8 to 27 percent
Rock fragments--0 to 5 percent gravel
Reaction--pH 6.8 to 7.6
Thickness--15 to 50 centimeters
2C horizon (when present):
Hue--10YR
Value--5 or 6 dry; 4 or 5 moist
Chroma--3 to 5 dry or moist
Texture (less than 2 mm fraction)--Sandy loam, loamy sand
Clay content--1 to 15 percent
Rock fragments--0 to 5 percent gravels
Reaction--pH 6.8 to 8.2
Thickness--25 to 150 centimeters
Competing Series:
These are the Plumasano and Skutumpah series. Both the Plumanso and Skutumpah series lack an ^A horizon.
Geographic Settings:
Parent material--Thin human-transported material over eolian sands
Landform--Fills on sand sheets on strath terraces
Slope ranges--0 to 5 percent
Mean annual air temperature--10.0 to 12.0 degrees C
Mean annual precipitation range--356 to 432 millimeters
Frost-free period--135 to 165 days
Elevation--1,595 to 1,675 meters
Climate--continental, temperate, semi-arid; very cold and snowy winters; cool, moist springs, hot summers, with North American monsoon precipitation from July through August.
Geographically Associated Soils:
Denvurb soils: in similar landscape positions but formed in loess rather than sandy eolian materials; also has a fine particle size control section.
Drainage and Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity:
Drainage class: Well drained
Saturated hydraulic conductivity: High (5 to 15 mm/sec)
Flooding: Ciancio soils are not typically subject to flooding
Ponding: Ciancio soils are not typically subject to ponding
Use and Vegetation:
Most areas are primarily used for urban development. The potential native vegetation is fourwing saltbush, winterfat, western wheatgrass, and blue grama.
Distribution and Extent:
Eolian sand-mantled Pleistocene strath terraces along the western bank of South Platte River in Denver County, CO; small extent in north-central Colorado; MLRA 67B.
Soil Survey Region (SSR) Responsible:
Bozeman, Montana
Series Proposed:
Denver County, CO 2025. Ciancio series is the name of a park located in the city and county of Denver.
Remarks:
Typical Pedon Taxonomic Features:
Ochric epipedon--0 to 12 centimeters (^A horizon)
Human-transported materials--0 to 42 centimeters (^A, ^C horizons)
Cambic horizon--42 to 80 centimeters (2Bwb horizon)
Particle-size control section--25 to 100 centimeters
Taxonomic version: Keys to Soil Taxonomy, 13th edition, (2022)
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.