LOCATION FIVEPINE COEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Clayey, smectitic, frigid Lithic Argiustolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Fivepine flaggy loam in forest. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
The surface is covered by 6 percent sandstone flagstones.
A--0 to 3 inches; reddish brown (5YR 4/3) flaggy loam, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium granular structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; 5 percent sandstone gravel, 5 percent cobbles, and 20 percent flagstones; neutral (pH 6.6); clear smooth boundary. (2 to 12 inches thick)
BA--3 to 9 inches; reddish brown (5YR 4/3) flaggy clay loam, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/3) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure parting to moderate fine subangular blocky; hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; 5 percent sandstone gravel, 5 percent cobbles, and 20 percent flagstones; neutral (pH 6.6); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 10 inches thick)
Bt1--9 to 12 inches; reddish brown (5YR 4/4) flaggy clay loam, reddish brown (5YR 4/3) moist; strong medium subangular blocky structure; very hard, very firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common faint clay films on faces of peds; 5 percent sandstone gravel, 5 percent cobbles, and 20 percent flagstones; neutral (pH 6.6); clear smooth boundary. (2 to 9 inches thick)
Bt2--12 to 15 inches; yellowish red (5YR 4/6) flaggy clay, reddish brown (5YR 4/3) moist; strong medium subangular blocky structure; extremely hard, very firm, very sticky and very plastic; many distinct clay films on faces of peds; 5 percent sandstone gravel, 5 percent cobbles, and 20 percent flagstones; common manganese concretions; neutral (pH 6.6); abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 6 inches thick)
R--15 inches; hard fractured Dakota sandstone.
TYPE LOCATION: Dolores County, Colorado; about 11 miles northeast of the community of Dove Creek; located about 620 feet south and 100 feet east of the northwest corner of sec. 33, T. 42 N., R. 17 W.; Secret Canyon, Colorado USGS quad; lat. 37 degrees 52 minutes 23 seconds N. and long. 108 degrees 45 minutes 24 seconds W., NAD 27
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture regime: ustic
Mean annual soil temperature: 43 to 47 degrees F
Mean annual summer soil temperature: 60 to 68 degrees F
Surface rock fragments: 0 to 15 percent sandstone channers and flagstones
Thickness of the mollic epipedon: 5 to 16 inches
Depth to lithic contact: 10 to 20 inches
Particle-size control section (weighted average):
Clay content: 35 to 50 percent
A horizon:
Hue: 5YR to 10YR
Value: 3 to 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4 dry, 1 to 3 moist
Rock fragments: 15 to 35 percent as sandstone channers, flagstones, and stones
Reaction: slightly acid to slightly alkaline
Bt horizon:
Hue: 2.5YR to 7.5YR
Value: 3 to 6 dry, 2 to 5 moist
Chroma: 2 to 6 dry or moist
Texture (fine earth fraction): clay loam or clay
Rock fragments: 15 to 35 percent as sandstone channers, flagstones, and stones
Reaction: slightly acid to slightly alkaline
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Amherst, Canoneros and Hinterland series. Amherst and Hinterland soils have soil moisture control sections that are affected by peak precipitation periods in the spring and early summer and have rock fragments smaller than flagstones. Canoneros soils formed in basalt and have basalt rock fragments.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: reworked eolian deposits, or clayey slope alluvium over residuum, derived from sandstone
Landform: mesas and hills
Slopes: 0 to 15 percent
Elevation: 7,100 to 8,500 feet
Mean annual temperature: 41 to 45 degrees F
Mean annual precipitation: 15 to 20 inches
Precipitation is fairly evenly distributed throughout the year with July and August being slightly wetter and June being slightly dryer.
Frost-free period: 70 to 100 days
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Granath, Nortez, Ormiston, and Pino soils. Granath soils are in a fine-silty family and very deep. Ormiston soils do not have a lithic contact above 40 inches. Nortez and Pino soils have lithic contacts at depths of 20 to 40 inches. All are on similar landscapes.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: well drained, medium to very high runoff, slow permeability
USE AND VEGETATION: Used for livestock grazing, timber production, and wildlife habitat. Principal native vegetation is ponderosa pine, Gambel's oak, sagebrush, and serviceberry.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southwest Colorado. LRR E, MLRA 48A. This series is of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Dolores County, Colorado. (San Miguel Area). 1987 The type location is in the Animas-Dolores Area,Colorado.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon:
Mollic epipedon: The zone from 0 to 9 inches. (A and BA)
Argillic horizon: The zone from 9 to 15 inches. (Bt1 and Bt2)
Lithic contact: The contact with hard sandstone at 15 inches. (R)
Particle-size control section: The zone from 9 to 15 inches. (Bt1 and Bt2)
Keys to Soil Taxonomy: Series classified according to Eighth Edition, 1998.