LOCATION GLADEL CO, UTEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Aridic Lithic Haplustepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Gladel flaggy fine sandy loam. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A--0 to 5 inches, light reddish brown (5YR 6/3) flaggy fine sandy loam, reddish brown (5YR 4/3) moist; moderate fine granular structure; soft, very friable; 10 percent channers and 10 percent flagstones; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (4 to 8 inches thick)
Bw--5 to 10 inches, light reddish brown (5YR 6/3) flaggy fine sandy loam, reddish brown (5YR 4/3) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable; 15 percent channers and 15 percent flagstones; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 6 inches thick)
Bk--10 to 15 inches, pinkish gray (5YR 7/2) flaggy fine sandy loam, pinkish gray (5YR 6/2) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable; 15 percent channers and 15 percent flagstones; common fine irregular carbonate threads and coatings on rock fragments; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline; abrupt wavy boundary. (4 to 16 inches thick)
R--15 inches, hard reddish brown sandstone.
TYPE LOCATION: Dolores County, Colorado; about 1 mile northeast of Northdale; located in the northeast corner of sec. 18, T. 41 N., R. 19 W.; Northdale, Colorado USGS quad; lat. 37 degrees 49 minutes 21 seconds N. and long. 109 degrees 00 minutes 10 seconds W., NAD
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture regime: ustic bordering on aridic
Mean annual soil temperature: 48 to 52 degrees F
Mean annual summer soil temperature: 65 to 69 degrees F
Rock fragment content: 0 to 35 percent
Depth to lithic contact: 9 to 20 inches
Depth to secondary calcium carbonate: 0 to 17 inches
Particle-size control section:
Clay content: 5 to 18 percent
A horizon
Hue: 5YR to 10YR
Value: 5 to 7 (3 to 6 moist)
Chroma: 1 to 6, dry or moist
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 0 to 5 percent
Reaction: slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline
B horizon
Hue: 5YR or 7.5YR
Value: 5 to 7 (3 to 6 moist)
Chroma: 2 to 6, dry or moist
Texture: fine sandy loam or sandy loam
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 1 to 15 percent
Sodium Adsorption Ratio (SAR): 0 to 13
Reaction: moderately alkaline
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: residuum and eolian material derived from sandstone
Landform: mesas and hills
Slopes: 1 to 50 percent
Elevation: 5,800 to 7,400 feet
Mean annual air temperature: 46 to 50 degrees F
Mean annual precipitation: 12 to 16 inches
Precipitation is fairly evenly distributed throughout the year with July and August being slightly wetter and June being slightly dryer.
Frost-free period: 100 to 160 days
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Pulpit and Wetherill series. Pulpit soils are moderately deep and have an argillic horizon. Wetherill soils are very deep.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: well drained, negligible to high runoff, moderately rapid permeability
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used principally as grazing land. Native vegetation is mainly pinyon, juniper, sage, western wheatgrass, cactus, and Indian ricegrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southwest Colorado and southeast Utah. LRR D, MLRA 36. This series is of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Dolores county, (San Miguel Area). Colorado.
REMARKS: Reclassification due to changes in the moisture regime as a result of the Four Corners Climate Conference of 10/92
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon: from 0 to 5 inches. (A horizon)
Cambic horizon: from 0 to 10 inches. (Bw horizon) This zone shows evidence of the removal of carbonates and has higher chroma than the underlying horizon.
Lithic contact: at 15 inches. (R layer)
Particle-size control section: The zone from 10 to 15 inches. (Bk)
Taxonomic Version: Keys to Soil Taxonomy, Tenth Edition, 2006
Updated and revised for the correlation of Natural Bridges National Monument (UT638) Dec. 2008