LOCATION DREAMSCAPE COTentative Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive Pachic Argicryolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Dreamscape fine sandy loam, on a northeast facing, convex, 12 percent slope in a subalpine fir-aspen forest at an elevation of 9420 feet. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A1--0 to 6 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) fine sandy loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) moist; weak medium granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; 12.0 percent clay; noneffervescent; 3 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.2); abrupt smooth boundary. (5 to 15 inches thick)
A2--6 to 11 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) fine sandy loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/3) moist; moderate medium granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; 13.0 percent clay; noneffervescent; 5 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.2); gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 10 inches thick)
A3--11 to 19 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/3) fine sandy loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure parting to moderate medium granular; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; 15.0 percent clay; noneffervescent; 5 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.6); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 15 inches thick)
A4--19 to 25 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/3) fine sandy loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; 13.0 percent clay; noneffervescent; neutral (pH 6.6); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 10 inches thick)
AE--25 to 33 inches; light brown (7.5YR 6/3) fine sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; single grain; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; 11.0 percent clay; noneffervescent; neutral (pH 6.6); gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 10 inches thick)
E--33 to 44 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) cobbly loamy sand, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; 12.0 percent clay; noneffervescent; 10 percent gravel and 15 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 6.8); clear smooth boundary. (5 to 20 inches thick)
Bt/E1--44 to 56 inches; 70 percent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6), broken face, sandy clay loam, strong brown (7.5YR 5/6), crushed, moist (Bt); 30 percent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6), broken face, loamy sand, strong brown (7.5YR 5/6), crushed, moist (E1); massive; hard, firm, sticky and plastic; 34.0 percent clay; noneffervescent; 5 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.6); gradual wavy boundary. (10 to 20 inches thick)
Bt/E2--56 to 64 inches; 70 percent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6), broken face, sandy clay loam, strong brown (7.5YR 4/6), crushed, moist (Bt); 30 percent pink (7.5YR 7/3), broken face, loamy sand, strong brown (7.5YR 4/6), crushed, moist (E2); weak medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, sticky and plastic; 33.0 percent clay; noneffervescent; 5 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.6). (10 to 20 inches thick)
TYPE LOCATION: Mesa County, Colorado; about 20 miles southwest of Grand Junction; located about 2600 feet west and 1500 feet north of the southeast corner of sec. 16, T. 14 S., R. 102 W.; Fish Creek USGS quad; lat. 38 degrees 50 minutes 2 seconds N. and long. 108 degrees 47 minutes 58 seconds W., NAD 1927
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture regime: Udic moisture regime.
Soil temperature regime: Cryic
Mean annual soil temperature: 40 to 44 degrees F
Surface rock fragments: 0 to 5 percent cobbles
Particle-size control section: 10 to 18 percent clay
Thickness of the Mollic epipedon: 15 to 35 inches
A horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR to 10YR
Value: 3 to 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: FSL
Rock fragments: 0 to 5 percent sandstone gravels
Reaction: neutral to moderately acid
E horizon:
Hue: 10YR
Value: 7 dry, 5 to 7 moist
Chroma: 3 or 4
Texture: CB-LS
Rock fragments: Total range is 15 to 35 percent sandstone fragments; 5 to 15 percent gravel, 10 to 20 percent cobbles
Reaction: neutral
Bt/E horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR
Value: 5 to 7 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 3 to 6
Texture: SCL
Rock fragments: 0 to 15 percent sandstone gravel
Reaction: neutral
COMPETING SERIES: These are the
McIntyre series.
McIntyre soils are moderately deep to sandstone.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Dreamscape soils.
Parent material: Slope alluvium derived from sandstone.
Landform: Mountain summits and side slopes.
Slopes: 3 to 65 percent
Elevation: 8500 to 9800 feet
Mean annual air temperature: 43 to 45 degrees F
Mean annual precipitation: 18 to 22 inches with generally uniform distribution throughout the year.
Frost-free period: 50 to 75 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Yeljack and Enochlake series. Yeljack soils are fine loamy. Enochlake soils are loamy-skeletal.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained, rapid runoff, moderately rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used as native pastureland, for recreational purposes, and have a limited value for forestry. Native vegetation is mainly a widely spaced cover of fir or aspen with an understory of Thurber fescue, columbine, lupine, and peavine.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Dreamscape soils occur in western Colorado. LRR E, MLRA 48A. This series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES PROPOSED/ESTABLISHED: Mesa county, Colorado. Mesa County Soil Survey Area. The name is coined.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon: The zone from 0 to 33 inches.
Albic horizon: The zone from 33 to 44 inches.
Argillic horizon: The zone from 44 to 64+ inches.
Taxonomy Version: 7th Edition, 1996