LOCATION CLERGERN COEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive Ustic Haplocryolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Clergern fine sandy loam - rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A11--0 to 6 inches; reddish brown (5YR 5/3) fine sandy loam, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/3) moist; weak to moderate fine granular structure; soft, very friable, calcareous; mildly alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (4 to 8 inches thick)
A12--6 to 12 inches; reddish brown (5YR 5/3) fine sandy loam, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable; calcareous; mildly alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (4 to 7 inches thick)
C1--12 to 30 inches; reddish brown (5YR 5/4) fine sandy loam, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/4) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable; calcareous; mildly alkaline; clear wavy boundary. (15 to 30 inches thick)
C2--30 to 60 inches; light reddish brown (5YR 6/4) fine sandy loam, reddish brown (5YR 4/4) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable; calcareous; mildly alkaline. (20 to 30 inches thick)
TYPE LOCATION: Larimer County, Colorado; about 800 feet south and 1,500 feet west of the NE corner of Sec. 27, T. 12 N., R. 75 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Thickness of the mollic epipedon ranges from 7 to 15 inches. Typically depth to bedrock is more than 60 inches. Rock fragments range from 0 to 15 percent. The control section is usually fine sandy loam of about 15 percent clay, but clay ranges from 5 to 18 percent. Mean annual soil temperature ranges from 42 to 46 degrees F, and mean summer temperature ranges from 54 to 57 degrees F. The soil is calcareous but lacks consistent zones of secondary calcium carbonate accumulation. The soils are mildly or moderately alkaline.
The A horizon has hue of 5YR through 2.5YR, value of 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist, and chroma of 2 or 3.
The C horizon has hue of 5YR through 2.5YR, value of 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist, and chroma of 3 or 4.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Burnt Lake, Coski, Dinnen, Sawcreek, Sula, and Teoculli series. Burnt Lake, Coski, and Dinnen soils have 15 to 35 percent rock fragments in the control section. Sawcreek soils have a paralithic contact at depths of 20 to 40 inches. Sula and Teoculli soils have 7.5YR or yellower hue.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Clergern soils are on valley filling side slopes or toe slopes. Slopes range from 0 to 10 percent. The soils formed in moderately coarse textured parent materials weathered from reddish brown sandstone. Elevation ranges from about 7,500 to 8,500 feet. At the type location the average annual precipitation is about 12 to 14 inches, most of which falls during the spring and summer.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Miracle and Pendergrass soils. Miracle soils have B horizons and have a paralithic contact at depths of 20 to 40 inches. Pendergrass soils have bedrock at depths of less than 20 inches.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow runoff; moderately rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used as rangeland. Native vegetation is mainly western wheatgrass, muttongrass, needlegrasses, and sagebrush.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Mountainous areas of north-central Colorado. This series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Larimer County Area, Colorado, 1975.
REMARKS: Last updated by the state 5/75.