LOCATION ENOCHLAKE COTentative Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy-skeletal over loamy, mixed, superactive Ustic Haplocryolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Enochlake fine sandy loam, on a northeast facing, convex, 3 percent slope in a subalpine fir-aspen forest at an elevation of 9375 feet. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.) When described on July 30, 1996 the soil was moist from 0 to 7 inches.
A1--0 to 4 inches; brown (7.5YR 4/3) fine sandy loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/3) moist; moderate medium granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many fine and medium roots throughout; 14.0 percent clay; noneffervescent; 10 percent angular sandstone-shale gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.2); clear smooth boundary. (4 to 8 inches thick)
A2--4 to 15 inches; brown (7.5YR 4/3) fine sandy loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/3) moist; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure parting to moderate medium granular; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many fine and medium roots throughout; 14.0 percent clay; noneffervescent; 10 percent angular sandstone-shale gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.2); clear wavy boundary. (7 to 11 inches thick)
C1--15 to 23 inches; pink (7.5YR 7/3) cobbly loamy sand, brown (7.5YR 5/3) moist; single grain; loose, loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; common medium and coarse roots throughout; 8.0 percent clay; noneffervescent; 5 percent angular sandstone-shale gravel and 15 percent subrounded sandstone-shale cobbles; slightly acid (pH 6.4); gradual wavy boundary. (5 to 15 inches thick)
C2--23 to 37 inches; pink (7.5YR 8/4) very gravelly loamy sand, pink (7.5YR 7/4) moist; single grain; loose, loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; common medium and coarse roots throughout; 6.0 percent clay; noneffervescent; 55 percent angular sandstone-shale gravel; neutral (pH 6.6); abrupt wavy boundary. (15 to 20 inches thick)
2C3--37 to 45 inches; pale yellow (2.5Y 7/4) clay loam, light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) moist; pale yellow (2.5Y 7/3) moist mottles throughout; massive; very hard, very firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine and fine roots throughout; 38.0 percent clay; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 10 inches thick)
2C4--45 to 60 inches; pale yellow (2.5Y 8/3) clay loam, pale yellow (2.5Y 7/3) moist; massive; very hard, very firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine and fine roots throughout; 38.0 percent clay; strongly effervescent; strongly alkaline (pH 8.6). (10 to 20 inches thick)
TYPE LOCATION: Mesa County, Colorado; about 20 miles southwest of Grand Junction; located about 2500 feet south and 2000 feet west of the northeast corner of sec. 16, T. 14 S., R. 102 W.; Fish Creek USGS quad; lat. 38 degrees 50 minutes 20 seconds N. and long. 108 degrees 47 minutes 44 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
Mean annual summer soil temperature: 47 to 59 degrees F
Particle-size control section: 5 to 18 percent clay
Thickness of the mollic epipedon: 10 to 18 inches
Depth to lithologic discontinuity: 20 to 40 inches
A horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: FSL
Rock fragments: 0 to 5 percent sandstone gravels
Reaction: slightly acid
C horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR
Value: 6 to 8 dry, 5 to 7 moist
Chroma: 3 or 4
Texture: CB-LS, GRV-LS
Rock fragments: Total range is 35 to 60 percent sandstone fragments; 5 to 60 percent gravel, 10 to 20 percent cobbles
Reaction: slightly acid or neutral
2C horizon:
Hue: 10YR to 2.5Y
Value: 6 to 8 dry, 5 to 7 moist
Chroma: 3 or 4
Texture: CL
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 0 to 4 percent
Reaction: moderately alkaline or strongly alkaline
COMPETING SERIES: These are the following series.
Antrobus (CO) - soils have greater than 20 percent clay in the control section; calcareous above a depth of 40 inches.
Basinpeak (NV) (T) - soils have 18 to 25 percent clay in the particle size control section; lack a 2C horizon.
Broad Canyon (UT) - soils have Bt horizons; lack sandy fine earth fraction above 40 inches depth.
Decram (NV) - soils have a lithic contact between 20 to 40 inches.
Fairydell (NV) - soils have horizons of lime and silicate accumulation; greater than 18 percent clay in the particle size control section.
Farlow (WY) - soils have Bw horizons and lack 2C horizons.
Foxmount (NV) - soils have paralithic contact within 20 to 40 inches; formed in residuum and colluvium from tuff.
Gaia (NV) (T) - formed in glacial till from quartzite and granite rock.
Grafen (CO) - soils have a paralithic contact within 20 to 40 inches.
Greyback (WY) - soils have Bw horizons and Bk horizons and lack 2C horizons.
Handran (CO) - soils lack 2C horizons; formed in glacial material and weathered from granite.
Kamack (UT) - soils have a lithic contact at 40 to 72 inches; have Bw horizons and have 18 to 28 percent clay in the particle size control section.
Klug (ID) (T) - soils have Bw horizons; lack 2C horizons.
Krackle (OR) (T) - soils have a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches; have 27 to 35 percent clay in the control section.
Lag (ID) (T) - soils have an O horizon and Bw horizons; lack 2C horizons.
Maurice (MT) - soils have Bw horizons; lack 2C horizons.
McCort (WY) (T) - soils have Bw horizons with hues of 7.5YR or redder.
Middlehill (ID) - soils have a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches; have Bw and Bk horizons.
Midelight (WY) - soils have a lithic contact at 40 to 60 inches; soils are dominated by channers; have 18 to 35 percent clay in the particle size control section.
Midfork (WY) - soils have uniformly calcareous material at 4 to 15 inches; have 18 to 35 percent clay in the particle size control section.
Parachute (CO) - soils have a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.
Rockabin (NV) - soils have a paralithic contact at 20 to 40 inches; receive less than 14 inches precipitation per year.
Sawpit (CO) - soils have Bw horizons; lack 2C horizons.
Sebud (MT) - soils have Bw horizons; have 20 to 35 percent clay in the particle size control section.
Silvercliff (CO) - soils have Bw and Ck horizons with 20 to 35 percent calcium carbonate equivalents.
Sup (NV) - formed in granite and andesitic rock; pH less than 6.2.
Supervisor (NM) - soils have a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.
Surdal (MT) (T) - soils have a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches; have Bw horizons.
Teemat (WY) (T) - soils have calcareous material at 0 to 13 inches.
Thornburgh (CO) - soils have Bw horizons; lack 2C horizons.
Tiban (MT) - soils have Bw and Bk horizons; have 25 to 35 percent clay in the particle size control section.
Timmercrek (NV) (T) - soils have Bw horizons; have 65 to 85 percent rock fragments which are dominantly pebbles.
Tineman (WY) - soils have Bw horizons; have discontinuity of very stony loamy sand or very gravelly sand within 40 inches.
Wareagle (ID) - soils have Bw horizons; formed in material derived from welded tuff.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Enochlake soils.
Parent material: Slope wash derived from sandstone.
Landform: Mountain 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 Dreamscape series. Yeljack soils are fine-loamy. Dreamscape soils are coarse-loamy.
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: Enochlake 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 from a nearby landmark.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon: The zone from 0 to 15 inches. (A1 and A2 horizons)
If the particle size class existed this series would classify as sandy or sandy-skeletal over clayey.
Taxonomy Version: 7th Edition 1996