LOCATION DEBEQUE COEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, frigid Entic Haplustolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Debeque very channery loam - rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A--0 to 4 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) very channery loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; weak very fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; 40 percent channers, 2 percent flagstones and 1 percent stones; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear wavy boundary. (4 to 9 inches thick)
AC--4 to 7 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) very channery sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate medium granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; 45 percent channers; strongly effervescent, slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); gradual wavy boundary. (3 to 10 inches thick)
C--7 to 60 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) extremely channery sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; 60 percent channers, 7 percent flagstones; strongly effervescent, moderately alkaline (pH 8.2).
TYPE LOCATION: Garfield County, Colorado, 1,500 feet east and 2,500 feet south of the northwest corner of Sec. 16, T. 5 S., R. 99 W. U.S.G.S. Henderson Ridge quad.; Lat. 39 degrees, 36 minutes, 50 seconds N., and Long. 108 degrees, 31 minutes, 08 seconds W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Mean annual soil temperature is 42 to 47 degrees F., and mean summer soil temperature ranges from 62 to 67 degrees F. Debeque soils are usually dry in all parts of the moisture control section for 15 consecutive days during the month of June. The particle-size control section has 40 to 70 percent rock fragments and is very channery sandy loam or very channery loam. Clay content ranges from 10 to 25 percent. Lime is at a depth of 0 to 4 inches. The mollic epipedon is 7 to 15 inches thick. Bk horizons are present in some pedons. Hue is 10YR or 2.5Y.
The A and AC horizons have value of 3 through 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist, and chroma of 2 or 3. Rock fragments range from 40 to 50 percent by volume. Reaction is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline.
The C horizon has value of 5 through 7 dry, 4 through 6 moist, and chroma of 2 or 3. Rock fragments range from 40 to 70 percent by volume.
COMPETING SERIES: Competing series are the Baahish (ND), Kutler (CO), and Syrett (UT) series. The Syrett soils have limestone bedrock at 20 to 40 inches. The Kutler soils have a paralithic contact of grus at 20 to 40 inches. The Baahish soils have a calcic horizon. In addition, the Baahish soils have a Bw horizon.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Debeque soils are on toe slopes, alluvial fans, low stream terraces and in narrow valleys. Slopes range from 5 to 30 percent. These soils formed in colluvium and alluvium derived dominantly from the Green River shale formation. The mean annual precipitation is 12 to 18 inches. The mean annual temperature is 40 to 46 degrees F. Frost-free period is 85 to 110 days. Elevation is 5,800 to 7,500 feet. Peak precipitation occurs once during March and April and again in September and October with June being the driest period of time.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Grotte, Happle, and Tosca soils. The Grotte soils have ochric epipedons and are on similar positions. The Happle soils have ochric epipedons and are on foot slopes and fans. The Tosca soils have calcic horizons and are on foot slopes.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; rapid runoff; moderately rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: This soil is used mainly for livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. Native vegetation is mainly serviceberry, snowberry, grasses, forbs and scattered Douglas-fir.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: This series is of small extent on the Douglas Plateau of west central Colorado with over 6,000 acres mapped.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Garfield County (Douglas-Plateau Soil Survey Area), Colorado, 1988.
REMARKS: The diagnostic horizon recognized in this pedon is: Mollic epipedon - the zone from the surface to a depth of 7 inches; more than 35 percent rock fragments in the particle-size control section; lack of a cambic horizon. Also, they have an ustic moisture regime and a frigid temperature regime. Last updated by the state 6/95.