LOCATION FRUITVALE COTentative Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, active, mesic Typic Argigypsids
TYPICAL PEDON: Fruitvale clay loam - on a 1 percent east-facing slope in a cultivated field. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
Ap--0 to 4 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) clay loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak fine and medium granular structure parting to weak very fine and fine granular; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; calcium carbonate is disseminated, strongly effervescent; 5 percent calcium carbonate equivalent, slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); abrupt smooth boundary. (3 to 10 inches thick)
Btk1--4 to 8 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) clay loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine and fine roots; few very fine and fine tubular pores; few faint clay films on faces of peds and common faint clay films line pores; calcium carbonate is disseminated and segregated as few fine irregular masses, strongly effervescent, 9 percent calcium carbonate equivalent, slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); clear wavy boundary.
Btk2--8 to 12 inches; pink (7.5YR 7/4) clay loam, light brown (7.5YR 6/4) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure parting to strong fine angular blocks; very hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; common faint clay films on faces of peds and many faint clay films line pores; calcium carbonate is disseminated and segregated as few fine irregular masses, strongly effervescent, 11 percent calcium carbonate equivalent, moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear wavy boundary.
Btk3--12 to 20 inches; pink (7.5YR 7/4) silty clay loam, light brown (7.5YR 6/4) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; very hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; few faint clay films on faces of peds and lining pores; calcium carbonate is disseminated and segregated as common fine irregular masses, strongly effervescent, 12 percent calcium carbonate equivalent, moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear wavy boundary. (combined thickness of the Btk horizons is 7 to 24 inches)
2Bkyz1--20 to 24 inches; light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) silty clay loam, light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; very hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; calcium carbonate is disseminated and segregated as common fine irregular masses, strongly effervescent, 12 percent calcium carbonate equivalent, common fine irregular masses of gypsum (8 percent by weight gypsum), few faint salts coating soil fragments, electrical conductivity 4.4 mmhos/cm, slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); clear wavy boundary.
2Bkyz2--24 to 47 inches; light gray (2.5Y 7/2) silty clay loam, light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; very hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; calcium carbonate is disseminated and segregated as common fine and medium irregular masses, strongly effervescent, 9 percent calcium carbonate equivalent, common fine irregular masses of gypsum (8 percent by weight gypsum), few faint salts coating soil fragments, electrical conductivity 4.4 mmhos\cm, slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); gradual wavy boundary. (combined thickness of the 2Bkyz horizons is 12 to 39 inches)
2BCky--47 to 60 inches; light gray (2.5Y 7/2) silty clay, light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) moist; rock structure; hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; calcium carbonate is disseminated and segregated as common medium irregular masses, strongly effervescent, 9 percent calcium carbonate equivalent, common fine irregular masses of gypsum (8 percent by weight gypsum), slightly alkaline (pH 7.6). (7 to 45 inches thick)
TYPE LOCATION: Mesa County, Colorado; about 2,500 feet north and 300 feet east of the southwest corner of section 26, T. 2 N., R. 3 W., USGS Mack, Colorado quadrangle, NAD 27; UTM 89,420 meters E, 42,815 meters N, zone 12
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture:
Soil moisture regime subclass: typic
Soil moisture regime class: aridic (torric)
Seasonal pattern: The soil moisture control section is affected by precipitation that is evenly distributed throughout the year, with the exception of significant increases in the spring, and late summer and early fall. The soil moisture control section is driest during late May, June and early July. Unless irrigated, these soils are dry in all parts between depths of 4 and 12 inches more than three-fourths of the time the soil temperature is above 41 degrees F.
Mean annual soil temperature: 52 to 56 degrees F.
Depth to diagnostic feature: horizon; 0 to 10 inches (0 to 25 centimeters) to secondary carbonates; 3 to 20 inches (8 to 50 centimeters) to argillic horizon; 12 to 39 inches (30 to 100 centimeters) to gypsic horizon
Depth to lithologic discontinuity: 20 to 40 inches (51 to 102 centimeters) to clayey materials derived from shale
Particle-size control section (weighted average):
Clay content: 25 to 35 percent
Rock fragment content: less than 10 percent sandstone channers or gravel
Ap horizon(s):
Hue: 7.5YR to 10YR
Value: 6 to 7 dry; 3 to 5 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4 dry or moist
Texture: clay loam
Clay content: 27 to 34 percent
Fragments: 0 to 5 percent gravel
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 5 to 10 percent
Electrical conductivity: 0 to 2 mmhos/cm
Reaction: slightly or moderately alkaline
Upper Btk horizon(s):
Hue: 7.5YR to 10YR
Value: 5 to 7 dry; 5 or 6 moist
Chroma: 4 or 5 dry; 2 to 4 dry or moist
Texture: clay loam
Clay content: 27 to 34 percent
Fragments: 0 to 5 percent gravel
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 5 to 15 percent
Electrical conductivity: 0 to 2 mmhos/cm
Gypsum content: 0 to 1 percent
Reaction: slightly or moderately alkaline
Lower Btk horizon(s):
Hue: 7.5YR to 10YR
Value: 5 to 7 dry; 5 or 6 moist
Chroma: 4 or 5 dry; 2 to 4 dry or moist
Texture: silty clay loam
Clay content: 27 to 34 percent
Fragments: 0 to 5 percent gravel
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 5 to 15 percent
Gypsum content: 1 to 10 percent
Electrical conductivity: 2 to 4 mmhos/cm
Reaction: slightly or moderately alkaline
2Bkyz horizon(s):
Hue: 2.5Y or 5Y
Value: 6 or 7 dry; 5 to 7 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4 dry or moist
Texture: silty clay loam, silty clay
Clay content: 30 to 45 percent
Fragments: 0 to 5 percent gravel
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 5 to 15 percent
Gypsum content: 5 to 10 percent
Electrical conductivity: 4 to 8 mmhos/cm
Reaction: slightly or moderately alkaline
2BCky horizon(s):
Hue: 2.5Y or 5Y
Value: 6 to 8 dry; 5 to 7 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4 dry or moist
Texture: silty clay, silty clay loam
Clay content: 30 to 45 percent
Fragments: 0 to 5 percent gravel
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 5 to 15 percent
Gypsum content: 5 to 10 percent
Electrical conductivity: 4 to 8 mmhos/cm
Reaction: slightly or moderately alkaline
COMPETING SERIES: These are the
Chimrock,
Fruita, and
Yogovuci soils.
Chimrock, Yogovuci: do not have lithologic discontinuities with contrasting clayey materials
Fruita: does not have a lithologic discontinuity with contrasting clayey materials and has greater than 15 percent by weight gypsum.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: slope alluvium derived from sandstone and shale over residuum weathered from clayey shale
Landform: terraces
Slopes: 0 to 5 percent
Elevation: 4,500 to 4,800 feet
Mean annual temperature: 50 to 52 degrees F
Mean annual precipitation: 8 to 10 inches
Precipitation pattern: Precipitation is evenly distributed throughout the year, with the exception of significant increases in the spring, and late summer and early fall. June is the driest month and August in the wettest month.
Freeze-free period: 150 to 190 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Avalon, Fruita, and Turley soils. Avalon soils are on terraces and do not have argillic horizons and clayey substrata. Fruita soils are on terraces and do not have clayey substrata. Turley soils do not have gypsic horizons or clayey substrata.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; Runoff is medium. Permeability is moderately slow in the upper part and slow in the lower part.
USE AND VEGETATION: Almost all areas of Fruitvale soils are cultivated, and all the cultivated acreage is irrigated. Native vegetation consists of shadscale, galleta, and Indian ricegrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Western Colorado. The soils of this series are of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES PROPOSED: Mesa County, (Grand Junction Area), Colorado, 1989.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Particle-size control section: The zone from 4 to 20 inches. (Btk horizons)
Ochric epipedon: The zone from 0 to 4 inches. (Ap horizon)
Secondary carbonates: In the zone from 4 to 60 inches.
Argillic horizon: The zone from 4 to 20 inches. (Btk horizons)
Gypsic horizon: The zone from 20 to 60 inches. (2Bkyz and 2BCky horizons)
Lithologic discontinuity: The contact with clayey materials at 20 inches.
The pedon was moved to this location to better reflect the revised concept for the series. Additional lab data confirmed the presence of a gypsic horizon. The classification was changed from fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Typic Haplargids to fine-loamy, mixed, active, mesic Typic Argigypsids May 2004. The cation exchange activity class is inferred from laboratory data taken from similar soils in the area.
ADDITIONAL DATA: This series was mapped as Fruita clay loam, moderately deep, in the Grand Junction Area, Colorado Soil Survey report series 1940, No. 19, issued November 1955.