LOCATION DEARJOSH COEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Mixed, frigid Aridic Ustipsamments
TYPICAL PEDON: Dearjosh loamy sand, on a northwest facing, linear, 5 percent slope in rangeland at an elevation of 6,500 feet. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.) When described on July 1, 1994 the soil was dry throughout.
A--0 to 5 inches; brown (7.5YR 4/3) loamy sand, dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) moist; single grained; loose; many fine roots; very few fine vesicular and tubular pores; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); clear wavy boundary. (4 to 9 inches thick)
AC--5 to 21 inches; brown (7.5YR 4/4) loamy sand, dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) moist; single grained; loose; common fine roots; very few fine vesicular and tubular pores; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 20 inches thick)
C1--21 to 48 inches; strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) loamy sand, brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine roots; very few fine vesicular and tubular pores; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); gradual wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the C horizon ranges from 36 to 54 inches.)
C2--48 to 54 inches; strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) loamy sand, brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine roots; very few fine vesicular and tubular pores; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear wavy boundary.
C3--54 to 60 inches; strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) loamy sand, brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; very few fine vesicular and tubular pores; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8).
TYPE LOCATION: Moffat County, Colorado; located about 2,150 feet west and 800 feet south of the northeast corner of sec. 20, T. 6 N., R. 103 W.; Hells Canyon USGS quad; lat. 40 degrees 27 minutes 45 seconds N. and long. 108 degrees 59 minutes 35 seconds W., NAD 1927
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture regime: Ustic moisture regime bordering on Aridic.
Soil temperature regime: frigid
Mean annual soil temperature: 42 to 45 degrees F.
Mean annual summer soil temperature: 63 to 68 degrees F.
Particle-size control section: 1 to 9 percent clay
A horizon:
Value: 3 to 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3, dry or moist
Texture: loamy sand or loamy fine sand
Reaction: neutral or slightly alkaline
AC horizon (if present):
Value: 3 to 5, dry or moist
Chroma: 4 to 6, dry or moist
Texture: loamy sand or loamy fine sand
Reaction: neutral or slightly alkaline
C horizon:
Value: 3 to 7, dry or moist
Chroma: 3 to 6, dry or moist
Texture: sand, fine sand, loamy sand, or loamy fine sand
Reaction: neutral to moderately alkaline
COMPETING SERIES: These are the
Marthaspeak,
Trey,
Tusler, and
Zeona series.
Marthaspeak soils are moderately deep to hard bedrock
Trey and Tusler soils are moderately deep to soft bedrock
Zeona soils are derived from eolian material and have peak precipitation in the spring and early summer.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Dearjosh soils.
Parent material: residuum and alluvium derived from sandstone.
Landform: cuestas and mesas.
Slopes: 3 to 15 percent
Elevation: 6,200 to 6,800 feet
Mean annual air temperature: 42 to 45 degrees F.
Mean annual precipitation: 12 to 14 inches.
Wettest months: Precipitation is relatively evenly distributed throughout the year.
Frost-free period: 75 to 95 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the
Lakebench (T), and
Mantlemine (T) series.
Lakebench: Have a calcic horizon and are coarse-loamy.
Mantlemine: Have argillic and calcic horizons and are fine-loamy.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: excessively drained, low runoff, rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. Native vegetation is needleandthread, Indian ricegrass, western wheatgrass, antelelope bitterbrush, and Wyoming big sagebrush.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northwestern Colorado. LRR D, MLRA 34. This series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Moffat County (Dinosaur National Monument), Colorado, 1997. The name Dearjosh is coined.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon: The zone from 0 to 21 inches. (A and AC horizons)
This soil would classify as a mollic integrade of Aridic Ustipsamments if such a placement were availible in Soil Taxonomy.
Keys to Soil Taxonomy: Seventh Edition, 1996