LOCATION COWD CO

Established Series
Rev. LLC/TWH
10/2010

COWD SERIES

The Cowd series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in alluvium. Cowd soils are on remnant terraces. Slopes range from 8 to 25 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 19 inches and the mean annual air temperature is about 40 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic Ustic Glossocryalfs

TYPICAL PEDON: Cowd loam, on a north facing, 9 percent slope in coniferous forest at an elevation of 9,000 feet. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.) Described on June 6, 1989.

Oi--0 to 2 inches; slightly decomposed needles and twigs. (1 to 3 inches thick)

E--2 to 9 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; weak fine granular structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; few very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine pores; 10 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.2); abrupt smooth boundary. (5 to 8 inches thick)

B/E--9 to 14 inches; 70 percent pale brown (10YR 6/3) clay (Bt), brown (10YR 5/3) moist; strong medium angular blocky structure; common faint clay films on faces of peds; extremely hard, firm, very sticky, very plastic; 30 percent light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) loam (E), dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; many very fine and fine pores; 10 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.1); clear wavy boundary. (4 to 8 inches thick)

Bt1--14 to 20 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/4) clay, brown (7.5YR 4/3) moist; strong medium angular blocky structure; extremely hard, firm, very sticky, very plastic; common very fine and fine pores; common faint clay films on faces of peds; 10 percent gravel; moderately acid (pH 6.0); clear wavy boundary.

Bt2--20 to 31 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) clay, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; strong medium angular blocky structure; extremely hard, firm, very sticky, very plastic; few very fine and fine pores; common faint clay films on faces of peds; 4 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.1); clear wavy boundary.

Bt3--31 to 40 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) clay, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; moderate medium angular blocky structure; very hard, firm, very sticky, very plastic; few very fine and fine pores; many faint clay films on faces of peds; 5 percent gravel; moderately acid (pH 6.0); clear wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of Bt horizons is 30 to 40 inches)

BC--40 to 50 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) clay loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; very hard, firm, very sticky, very plastic; few very fine and fine pores; 10 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.4); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 12 inches thick)

C--50 to 60 inches; light gray (10YR 7/2) clay loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) moist; massive; very hard, firm, very sticky, very plastic; few very fine and fine pores; 5 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.4)

TYPE LOCATION: Teller County, Colorado; located about one mile north of Divide, about 1900 feet W. and 800 feet N. of the SE corner of sec. 31, T. 12 S., R. 69 W.; Divide USGS quad; lat. 38 degrees 57 minutes 34 seconds and long. 105 degrees 9 minutes 01 seconds, NAD 83.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: (Depths are measured from the mineral soil surface)
Soil moisture: The soil moisture control section is usually dry in some part in early summer, moist in some or all parts in late July and August, and intermittently dry in fall; udic regime bordering on ustic.
Mean annual soil temperature: 39 to 42 degrees F.
Mean summer soil temperature: 43 to 46 degrees F.
Thickness of the ochric horizon and albic epipedon: 5 to 8 inches
Depth to glossic horizon and argillic horizon: 9 to 15 inches

Particle-size control section (weighted average):
Clay content: 35 to 40 percent
Rock fragments: 5 to 14 percent

E and E part of B/E horizons:
Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR
Clay content: 18 to 27 percent
Gravel content: 5 to 14 percent

Bt and Bt part of B/E horizons:
Hue: 10YR, 7.5YR
Value: 4 through 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 2 through 4, dry or moist
Texture: clay loam, clay
Clay content: 35 to 50 percent
Gravel content: 5 to 14 percent
Base saturation: 60 to 85 percent (estimated)
Reaction: strongly acid through slightly acid

BC and C horizons (a BC is not in all pedons):
Hue: 10YR, 7.5YR
Value: 4 through 7 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 2 through 4, dry or moist
Clay content: 27 to 40 percent
Gravel content: 0 to 14 percent

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Dell, Graneros, and Tercio series.
Dell soils have a lithic contact between 40 to 60 inches
Graneros soils have a paralithic contact between 20 and 40 inches
Tercio soils have 20 to 30 percent rock fragments in the particle-size control section

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: alluvium
Landform: remnant terraces
Slopes: 8 to 25 percent
Elevation: 9,000 to 9,400 feet
Mean annual air temperature: 37 to 40 degrees F.
Mean annual precipitation: 15 to 23 inches
Precipitation pattern: Monthly precipitation is lowest in winter and greatest in July and August.
Frost-free period: 50 to 80 days

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Altman, Seitz, and Tellura series. The Altman soils have a mollic epipedon and are on south and west aspects. . The Seitz and Tellura soils have greater than 35 percent rock fragments.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained, slow permeability

USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used mainly for woodland and wildlife habitat. Potential native vegetation is Rocky Mountain Douglas fir and Engelmann spruce, with an understory of common juniper, kinnikinnick, Arizona fescue, mountain muhly, nodding brome, Oregongrape, and mountain snowberry.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Central Colorado; LRR E, MLRA 48A; small extent

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Teller County, Colorado, Teller-Park soil survey area, Colorado, 2010. The name is coined.

REMARKS:
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Series control section: The zone from 0 to 60 inches.
Particle-size control section: The zone from 9 to 29 inches (B/E, Bt1, and part of Bt2 horizons).
Ochric epipedon: The zone from 2 to 9 inches. (E horizon)
Albic horizon: The zone from 2 to 9 inches. (E horizon)
Glossic horizon: The zone from 9 to 14 inches. (B/E horizon)
Argillic horizon: The zone from 9 to 40 inches. (B/E, Bt1, Bt2, Bt3 horizons)
Cryic soil temperature regime.

Taxonomic Version: Eleventh edition Keys to Soil Taxonomy, 2010.

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.