LOCATION FLUETSCH CO+WYEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Ustic Calciargids
TYPICAL PEDON: Fluetsch sandy loam - grassland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A1--0 to 6 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; 5 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.0); clear smooth boundary. (4 to 8 inches thick)
B1--6 to 10 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) heavy sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist weak medium subangular blocky structure that parts to medium granules; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; few thin glossy patches on some faces of peds; 5 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.2) clear smooth boundary. (3 to 5 inches thick)
B2t--10 to 26 inches; light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) sandy clay loam, olive brown (2.5Y 4/4) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure that parts to medium subangular blocks; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; peds are very hard, friable; wax-like patches on faces of peds; wax-like coatings and fillings in root channels and pores; wax-like coatings on rock fragments; 5 percent gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); gradual wavy boundary. (5 to 21 inches thick)
B3ca--26 to 30 inches; light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) light sandy clay loam, olive brown (2.5Y 4/4) moist; weak medium prismatic structure that parts to medium subangular blocks; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; peds are very hard, friable; few thin glossy patches on faces of peds; 5 percent gravel; visible secondary calcium carbonate as nodules and seams and as coatings on gravel; calcareous; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); gradual wavy boundary. (3 to 6 inches thick)
Cca--30 to 60 inches; light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) sandy loam, light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; 5 percent gravel; visible secondary calcium carbonate as concretions in thin seams and streaks and as coatings on gravel; calcareous; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2).
TYPE LOCATION: Jackson County, Colorado; about 3 miles northeast of Walden; near center of NE 1/4 NW 1/4 Sec. 14, T. 9 N., R. 79 W.; Eagle Hill USGS quad; lat. 40 degrees 45 minutes 22 seconds N. and long. 106 degrees 14 minutes 09 seconds W., NAD 83.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Mean annual soil temperature ranges from 42 degrees F., and mean summer soil temperature ranges from 55 degrees F. Depth to uniformly calcareous material ranges from 8 to 30 inches. Depth to the base of the argillic horizon ranges from 12 to 40 inches. Depth to continuous subhorizons of visible secondary carbonate and/or sulfate ranges from 8 to 40 inches, but such horizons are not strong enough to qualify as calcic or gypsic horizons. ESP either remains constant or increases with increasing depth ranging from 0 to 15 percent in the solum but exceeding 15 percent in the Cca horizon in some pedons. Rock fragments range from 0 to 15 percent by volume in a major part of the solum and C horizon above a depth of 40 inches and are mainly 1/4 to 10 inches predominate.
The A horizon has hue of 5Y through 7.5YR, value of 5 or 6 dry, 3 through 5 moist, and chroma of 1 through 4. It is neutral or slightly alkaline.
The B2t horizon has hue of 5Y through 7.5 YR, value of 5 through 7 dry, 4 through 6 moist, and chroma of 1 through 6. It is typically sandy clay loam but averages 18 to 35 percent clay, 5 to 30 percent silt, and 45 to 75 percent sand with more than 35 percent fine or coarser 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. It is moderately or strongly alkaline and has about 3 to 14 percent calcium carbonate equivalent.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Alcova, Almy, Elk Hollow, Forelle, Heflin, Rewah, Rock River, Satanta, Stummer, and Wolford series. Alcova soils have loamy-skeletal substratums at depths of less than 40 inches. Almy soils have lithochromic hue of 5YR or redder and have less than 35 percent fine or coarser sand in the argillic horizon. Elk Hollow, Rock River, and Wolford soils have very thin solums that are less than 12 inches thick to the base of the argillic horizon. Forelle soils have siltier argillic horizons with less than 35 percent fine or coarser sand. Rewah and Satanta soils have a paralithic contact above a depth of 40 inches. Stunner soils have 15 to 35 percent fine or coarser sand in the argillic horizon and have a calcic horizon. Heflin soils are noncalcareous.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Fluetsch soils are on gently to moderately sloping alluvial fans, terraces, and valley side slopes. Slopes typically range from 2 to 40 percent. The soil formed in calcareous, moderately coarse textured alluvial fan sediments derived principally from sandstone and sandy shales. At the type location, the average annual precipitation is 10 inches with peak periods of precipitation during the spring and early summer. The average annual temperature is 38 degrees F. and the average summer temperature is 57 degrees F.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Bosler soils and the competing Forelle soils. Bosler soils have a calcic horizon and have sandy-skeletal substratum at depths of less than 40 inches.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well-drained; medium to low runoff; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used principally as native pastureland but are used for irrigated pastures in some localities. Principal vegetation is Thurber fescue, Idaho fescue, snowberry, and sage.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: High mountain valleys of north-central 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.
The original concept of this series when correlated and established in 1973 was a cryic temperature regime and an aridic moisture regime.