LOCATION ECHOLAKE                CO

Established Series
Rev. JPP/TWH/KLS
04/2018

ECHOLAKE SERIES

The Echolake series consists of moderately deep, well drained soils formed in slope alluvium or colluvium derived from shale. Echolake soils are on hillslopes and mountain slopes. Slopes range from 3 to 25 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 508 mm and the mean annual temperature is about 6.1 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, mixed, superactive, frigid Typic Haplustalfs

TYPICAL PEDON: Echolake clay loam, on a south facing, simple, 5 percent slope in Ponderosa pine woodland at an elevation of 2,316 meters. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.) When described on June 22, 1987 the soil was moist throughout.

A1--0 to 3 cm; gray (10YR 5/1) clay loam, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) moist; weak fine granular structure; soft, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic, many fine and very fine roots throughout; few fine tubular pores; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); clear smooth boundary.

A2--3 to 15 cm; gray (10YR 5/1) clay loam, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; soft, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common fine and very fine roots throughout; few fine tubular pores; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear irregular boundary. (combined thickness of A1, A2 is 3 to 30 cm)

Bt--15 to 66 cm; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) clay, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; moderate medium angular blocky structure; hard, friable, very sticky and very plastic; few fine roots throughout; few fine tubular pores; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear smooth boundary. (38 to 64 cm thick)

C--66 to 74 cm; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) clay loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) moist; massive; hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few fine roots throughout; few fine tubular pores; 10 percent parachanners; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); gradual smooth boundary. (5 to 25 cm thick)

Cr--74 to 99 cm; weakly cemented shale bedrock.

TYPE LOCATION: Archuleta County, Colorado; About 5 miles southwest of Pagosa Springs. Located about 427 meters west and 701 meters north of the southeast corner of Sec. 32, T. 35 N., R. 2 W., 46 meters northeast of the intersection of Meadow Drive and Big Sky Road. Lat. 37 degrees, 13 minutes, 27 seconds N. and Long. 107 degrees, 4 minutes, 40 seconds W., NAD 27.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mean annual soil temperature: 6.1 to 8.3 degrees C.
Mean summer soil temperature: 15.0 to 16.1 degrees C. with an O horizon.
Depth to paralithic contact: 50 to 102 cm

Particle-size control section (weighted average)
Clay content: 35 to 45 percent

A horizon(s)
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 1 to 3, dry or moist
Reaction (pH): 6.6 or 7.8

Bt horizon
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 4 to 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4, dry or moist
Texture: clay loam, silty clay loam, or clay
Clay content: 35 to 45 percent
Fragments: 0 to 5 percent parachanners
Reaction (pH): 6.6 or 7.8

C horizon
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 4 to 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4, dry or moist
Texture: clay loam, silty clay loam
Clay content: 27 to 40 percent
Fragments: 0 to 10 percent parachanners
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 0 to 10 percent
Reaction (pH): 6.6 or 8.4

COMPETING SERIES:
Crow (MT) - do not have a paralithic contact
Dargol (NM) - are moderately deep to lithic contact
Fortlewis (CO) - are moderately deep to lithic contact
Heckly (NM) - are moderately deep to lithic contact
Ligocki (NM) - do not have a paralithic contact
Lubrecht (MT) - have glossic horizons
Ordnance (NM) - are deep and moderately deep to lithic contact
Rittel (MT) - have an albic horizon
Valnor (NM) - are driest in May and June
Zuni (NM) - are moderately deep to lithic contact

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landscape - hillslopes and mountain slopes
Elevation - 2,130 to 2,500 meters
Slopes - 3 to 25 percent
Parent material - slope alluvium or colluvium derived from shale
Precipitation pattern - August and September are the driest months; May and June are the wettest months; about half the precipitation falls as snow.
Mean annual air temperature - 5.6 to 7.2 degrees C.
Mean annual precipitation - 457 to 559 mm
Frost-free period - 80 to 100 days

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: None listed.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; medium or high runoff; slow permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. Native vegetation is ponderosa pine, Rocky Mountain juniper, Gambel oak, Arizona fescue, western wheatgrass, and bluegrass.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southwest Colorado. LRR D. MLRA 36. The series is of moderate extent.

SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana

SERIES PROPOSED: Archuleta County (Archuleta County Area), Colorado, 1989. The name is taken from the name of a lake.

REMARKS:
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Argillic horizon: 15 to 66 cm (Bt horizon)
Paralithic contact: 74 cm to weathered bedrock (Cr layer)
Particle-size control section: 15 to 65 cm (Bt horizon)
Series control section: 0 to 99 cm (all horizons and upper 25 cm of the paralithic layer)

Echolake soils have a frigid temperature regime and are in an ustic moisture regime with a typic subclass.

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.