LOCATION CRYSTOLA           CO
Tentative Series
Rev. LC/TWH
07/2010

CRYSTOLA SERIES


The Crystola series consists of very shallow and shallow, well drained soils that formed in slope alluvium derived from monzonite. Crystola soils are on mountain slopes. Slopes range from 10 to 70 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 15 inches and the mean annual temperature is about 43 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, micaceous, frigid Aridic Lithic Haplustolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Crystola very gravelly sandy loam, on a south facing, 50 percent slope in woodland at an elevation of 8,300 feet. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.) Described on September 13, 1983.

A--0 to 4 inches; brown (10YR 4/3), very gravelly sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2), moist; weak fine granular structure; very friable, soft, nonsticky, nonplastic; 2 percent stones and 15 percent cobbles and 40 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.4); abrupt smooth boundary. (4 to 10 inches thick)

Bw--4 to 7 inches; brown (7.5YR 4/2), very gravelly sandy loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/2), moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; very friable, soft, nonsticky, nonplastic; 5 percent cobbles and 45 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.8); abrupt irregular boundary. (3 to 10 inches thick)

R--7 to 60 inches; indurated monzonite

TYPE LOCATION: Teller County, Colorado; about 5 miles southwest of Cripple Creek; located about 2,200 feet north and 1,300 feet east of the southwest corner of sec. 28, T. 15 S., R. 70 W.; Cripple Creek South USGS quad; lat. 38 degrees 43 minutes 4 seconds N. and long. 105 degrees 14 minutes 8 seconds W., NAD 1983.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:

Soil moisture: The soil moisture control section is usually dry in late spring and early summer, moist in some part in late July and August, and intermittently dry in fall; ustic regime bordering on aridic.
Mean annual soil temperature: 44 to 46 degrees F.
Mean summer soil temperature: 59 to 65 degrees F.
Depth to lithic contact: 7 to 20 inches to monzonite
Thickness of the mollic epipedon: 7 to 10 inches
A cambic horizon is immediately above the lithic contact in some pedons
Lithology of rock fragments: monzonite

Particle-size control section (weighted average):
Clay content: 7 to 18 percent
Rock fragment content: 40 to 59 percent
Mica content (grain count): 45 to 55 percent (estimated)

A horizon:
Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR
Value: 4 or 5 dry; 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 1 through 3
Clay content: 7 to 18 percent
Rock fragment content: 40 to 59 percent
Reaction: slightly acid or neutral (pH 6.1 to 7.3)
Organic matter content: 2.0 to 4.0 percent

Bw horizon:
Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR
Value: 4 or 5 dry; 2 through 4 moist
Chroma: 1 through 3
Clay content: 7 to 18 percent
Rock fragment content: 40 to 59 percent
Reaction: slightly acid or neutral (pH 6.1 to 7.3)
Organic matter content: 1.0 to 3.0 percent

COMPETING SERIES: There are currently no competing series. A series in a closely related family is the Cathedral series. Cathedral soils are not bordering an aridic moisture regime.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: slope alluvium derived from monzonite
Landform: mountain slopes
Slopes: 10 to 70 percent
Elevation: 6,600 to 9,400 feet
Mean annual temperature: 42 to 44 degrees F.
Mean annual precipitation: 14 to 18 inches
Precipitation pattern: Monthly precipitation is lowest in winter and greatest in July and August.
Frost-free period: 80 to 100 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the High and Corpen series. The High soils are very deep and have secondary carbonates. The Corpen soils are derived from gneiss and have secondary carbonates.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained, moderately rapid permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. Native vegetation consists mainly of twoneedle pinyon, Rocky Mountain juniper, Gambel oak, true mountain mahogany, blue grama, Indian ricegrass, and mountain muhly.

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

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

SERIES PROPOSED: Teller County, Colorado, Teller-Park soil survey area, Colorado, 2010. The name is taken from a small unincorporated town in Teller County.

REMARKS:
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Series control section: The zone from 0 to 7 inches.
Particle-size control section: The zone from 0 to 7 inches. (A, Bw horizons)
Mollic epipedon: from 0 to 7 inches. (A, Bw horizons)
Lithic contact: The contact with monzonite at 7 inches. (R layer)

This soil was previously included with the Cathedral series.

Taxonomic Version: Classified according to Keys to Soil Taxonomy, 10th Edition, 2006

The mineralogy class was changed from paramicaceous to micaceous in 07/2010 by the National Soil Survey Center on request of the responsible MLRA regional office. The change was necessary based on the eleventh edition of the Keys to Soil Taxonomy, 2010.


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.