LOCATION GELKIE COEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive Ustic Argicryolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Gelkie sandy loam - at an elevation of about 9,250 feet, rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A1--0 to 6 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate very fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; 5 percent gravel; neutral; clear smooth boundary. (5 to 7 inches thick)
A2--6 to 13 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak very fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; 5 percent gravel; neutral; clear smooth boundary. (0 to 8 inches thick)
BA--13 to 15 inches; brown (7.5YR 4/4) sandy clay loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) moist; weak very fine subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; 5 percent gravel; neutral; abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 4 inches thick)
Bt--15 to 28 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/4) cobbly sandy clay loam, brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; 15 percent gravel, 15 percent cobbles; neutral; abrupt irregular boundary. (7 to 17 inches thick)
Btk--28 to 40 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/4) cobbly sandy clay loam, brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; 15 percent gravel, 15 percent cobbles; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline; clear irregular boundary. (8 to 14 inches thick)
Bk--40 to 45 inches; pink (7.5YR 7/4) very cobbly sandy loam, light brown (7.5YR 6/4) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; 25 percent gravel, 15 percent cobbles; many small soft masses of calcium carbonate; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline; clear irregular boundary.
C--45 to 60 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/4) very cobbly sandy loam, brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; 25 percent gravel, 15 percent cobbles; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Custer County, Colorado; about 17 miles southeast of Westcliffe, Colorado, approximately 500 feet west and 1,200 feet north of the southeast corner of Sec. 25, T. 24 S., R. 71 W. Devils Gulch USGS quad; lat. 37 degrees 55 minutes 48 seconds N. and long. 105 degrees 16 minutes 25 seconds W., NAD 83.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: ustic moisture regime; the moisture control section is driest in early summer and is moist in late July and August.
Mean annual soil temperature: 36 to 44 degrees F.
Mean summer soil temperature: 54 to 59 degrees F.
Thickness of mollic epipedon: 7 to 15 inches
Depth to calcareous material: 20 to 30 inches
Thickness of the solum: 20 to 40 inches
Rock fragments consist of 5 to 30 percent gravel, 0 to 15 percent cobbles, and 0 to 15 percent stones
Surface stones: 0 to 15 percent of the surface area is covered
A horizon
Hue: 7.5YR to 2.5Y
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 1 through 3
Rock fragment content: 5 to 30 percent
Reaction: neutral or slightly alkaline
Bt horizon
Hue: 7.5YR to 2.5Y
Value: 4 through 6 dry, 3 through 5 moist
Chroma: 2 through 4
Texture: sandy loam or sandy clay loam, with gravelly or cobbly modifiers
Clay content: averages 18 to 35 percent
Fine sand and coarser content: more than 35 percent
Rock fragment content: 5 to 30 percent
Reaction: neutral or slightly alkaline
Bk horizon (not a calcic horizon)
Hue: 7.5YR to 2.5Y
Value: 5 through 8 dry, 3 through 7 moist
Chroma: 2 through 4
Texture, fine earth fraction: fine sandy loam or sandy clay loam
Rock fragment content: 0 to 50 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 5 to 15 percent
COMPETING SERIES: These are the
Amsden,
Barbarela,
Cific,
Coldspring,
Croftshaw,
Dewville,
Gebson,
Highrye,
Hooligan,
Inchau,
Kezar,
Leavitt,
Lucky,
Lymanson,
Miracle,
Monaberg,
Morset,
Passcreek,
Rainbolt,
Tripit,
Wellsville,
Woosley,
Youga, and
Zade soils.
Amsden and Coldspring soils have a Bt horizon with hue of 5YR or redder.
Barbarela, Cific, Hooligan, Inchau, Lymanson, Rainbolt, Tripit, and Zade soils have a paralithic contact at a depth of 20 to 40 inches.
Croftshaw and Youga soils do not have a horizon of secondary carbonates.
Dewville soils do not have secondary carbonates in the lower part of the argillic horizon.
Gebson soils have sola to the base of the diagnostic Bt of 20 inches or less thickness.
Highrye soils have a paralithic contact at 40 to 60 inches.
Kezar, Lucky, Miracle, Passcreek, and Woosley soils have a lithic contact at a depth of 20 to 40 inches.
Leavitt, Morset, and Wellsville soils have less than 35 percent sand coarser than very fine sand in the argillic and C horizons.
Monaberg soils are noncalcareous throughout.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Gelkie soils are on fan remnants and stream terraces. Slopes range from 1 to 30 percent. The soils formed in alluvium from sandstone and silt stone. The mean annual temperature is 40 to 44 degrees F., and the mean annual precipitation is 15 to 20 inches. Frost-free period is 55 to 75 days. Elevation is 7,900 to 9,500 feet.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Coutis, Feltonia, and Silvercliff soils in nearby landscapes. Coutis soils occur in drainageways below the Gelkie soils. They lack an argillic horizon. Feltonia soils are on fans below the Gelkie soils and they have a thicker mollic epipedon, more sand, and a calcic horizon. Silvercliff soils are on terrace escarpments and side slopes below the Gelkie soils. They have more than 35 percent coarser fragments and a calcic horizon.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; medium to low runoff; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used principally for rangeland. Native vegetation consists of Arizona fescue, mountain muhly, Parry's oatgrass, slender wheatgrass, and some western wheatgrass. When the range deteriorates blue grama, Kentucky bluegrass, and fringed sage are common.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Central and southern Colorado in MLRA 48A and 48B. The series is of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Jackson County, Colorado; 1973. The original type location was in Sublette County Wyoming; it was moved to Custer County, Colorado in 1978.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon: from 0 to 15 inches. (A1, A2, and BA horizons)
Argillic horizon: from 15 to 40 inches. (Bt, Btk horizons)
Secondary carbonate accumulations: from 28 to 45 inches (Btk, Bk horizons)
Series control section: The zone from 0 to 60 inches.
Particle-size control section: The zone from 15 to 35 inches. (upper 20 inches of the argillic horizon)
Classification of the Gelkie series when established was fine-loamy, mixed Argic Cryoborolls.
The 03/2007 revision narrows the series to its original landforms and parent material. Soils on mountains and glacial moraines are no longer considered within the series. Also excluded from the series are soils with peak periods of moisture in spring and early summer, which typically have sagebrush plant communities.
Taxonomic version: Classified according to Keys to Soil Taxonomy, Tenth Edition, 2006.