LOCATION ETHELMAN COEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive Ustic Argicryolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Ethelman sandy loam - grassland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A1-- 0 to 4 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) sandy loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; moderate fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; neutral (pH 7.0); clear smooth boundary. (3 to 10 inches thick)
A3--4 to 7 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure that parts to fine granules; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; neutral (pH 7.0); gradual smooth boundary. (0 to 5 inches thick)
B2t--7 to 16 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) fine sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate coarse prismatic structure that parts to medium subangular blocks; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky, slightly plastic; peds are hard, friable; thin wax-like patches on faces of peds and wax-like coatings in some root channels and pores; wax-like bridges between some sand grains; neutral (pH 7.2); gradual smooth boundary. (6 to 36 inches thick)
B3--16 to 20 inches; pale brown (10Yr 6/3) fine sandy loam, light brownish gray (2.5YR 6/2) moist; blocky structure that parts to medium subangular blocks; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky, slightly plastic; peds are hard, friable, few thin glossy patches on faces of peds in some root channels and pores; mildly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear wavy boundary. (3 to 6 inches thick)
C1ca--20 to 29 inches; light gray (2.5YR 7/2) light fine sandy loam, light brownish gray (2.5YR 6/2) moist; massive; slight hard, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; visible secondary calcium carbonate occurring as concretions and in thin seams and streaks; calcareous; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 28 inches thick)
C2--29 to 40 inches; interbedded soft sandstone and loamstone; calcareous; some visible calcium carbonate in the upper part of this horizon.
TYPE LOCATION: Jackson County, Colorado; approximately 380 feet west and 600 feet south of NE corner of Sec. 10, T. 11 N., R. 80 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Mean annual soil temperature is about 42 degrees F. and mean summer soil temperature is about 57 degrees F. Depth to uniformly calcareous material ranges from 6 to 40 inches. Depth to the paralithic contact ranges from 20 to 40 inches. Depth to the base of the argillic horizon ranges from 15 to 40 inches. Depth to continuous subhorizon of visible secondary calcium carbonate and/or sulfate ranges from 12 to 35 inches. ESP ranges from 0 to 15 percent in the solum but increases as depth increases and exceeds 15 percent in the Cca horizon of some pedons. Rock fragments range from 0 to 35 percent by volume in a major part of the solum and C horizon above the bedrock and are mainly from 1/4 to 3 inches in diameter but some cobbles and a few stones occur in some pedons. These soils are dry in some part of the moisture control section from some time in most years.
The A horizon has hue of 5Y through 7.5YR, value of 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist, and chroma of 1 through 3. It is neutral or mildly alkaline.
The B2t horizon has hue of 5Y through 7.5YR, value of 5 through 7 dry, 3 through 6 moist, and chroma of 1 through 4. It is typically fine sandy loam but averages 8 to 18 percent clay, 5 to 40 percent silt, and 45 to 82 percent and with more than 35 percent being fine or coarser sand and excluding textures coarser than loamy very fine sand. This horizon ranges from neutral to moderately alkaline.
The C horizon has hue of 5Y through 7.5YR. Subhorizons redder than 7.5YR occur in some pedons. This horizon is moderately or strongly alkaline and has 3 to 14 percent calcium carbonate equivalent.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Dassal, Boulder, Greenhalgh, Scriver, and Tiagos series. Bassell, Boulder, Scriver, and Tiagos soils lack a paralithic contact above a depth of 40 inches Burgess and Greenhalgh soils have lithic contact at depths of less than 40 inches.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Ethelman soils are on gently to steeply sloping hills, ridges, and valley side slopes.
Slopes typically range from about 2 to 50 percent. The soil formed in moderately thin calcareous moderately coarse textured materials weathered from soft sandstones and loamstones. At the type location the mean annual precipitation is about 9 inches with peak periods of precipitation in the spring and summer. Mean annual temperature is 38 degrees F. and mean summer temperature is 57 degrees F.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Bowen soils and the competing Tiagos soils. Bowen soils have a lithic contact at depths of 20 to 40 inches.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well-drained; slow to medium runoff; moderately rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used principally as grazing land. Native vegetation is mainly sage, crested wheat, fescue, and bluegrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: High mountain valleys of Colorado. The series is of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Jackson County, Colorado, 1973.
REMARKS: Last updated by the state 10/73.