LOCATION GOEMMER COEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, mixed, superactive, frigid Typic Haplustepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Goemmer cobbly clay loam - on a 30 percent south-facing slope under Gambel oak and grass. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A1--0 to 4 inches; weak red (2.5YR 4/2) cobbly clay loam, dusky red (2.5YR 3/2) moist; dark reddish brown (2.5YR 3/4) moist and crushed; moderate fine granular structure; slightly hard, firm, slightly sticky and nonplastic; 25 percent cobbles, 5 percent pebbles; neutral; abrupt smooth boundary. (3 to 6 inches thick)
B2--4 to 21 inches; weak red (2.5YR 5/2) clay loam, weak red (2.5YR 4/2) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to strong fine granular blocky; hard, firm, very sticky and plastic; 15 percent fine soft shale fragments; neutral; gradual wavy boundary. (12 to 21 inches thick)
B3--21 to 32 inches; weak red (2.5YR 4/2) clay loam, dark reddish brown (2.5YR 3/4) moist; moderate fine angular blocky structure; hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; 40 percent soft angular shale fragments up to 3/4 inches diameter; neutral; clear wavy boundary. (6 to 11 inches thick)
Cr--32 to 40 inches; weak red (2.5YR 4/2) soft weathered interbedded siltstone and shale.
TYPE LOCATION: Huerfano County, Colorado; 4 miles north and 5 miles west of La Veta; 1,250 feet north and 1,500 feet west of the SE corner of Sec. 23, T. 28 S., R. 69 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The thickness of the solum ranges from 20 to 40 inches, and is the same as the range in depth to bedrock. Some pedons have a thin A2 horizon up to 3 inches thick. Soft shale and siltstone fragments range from 10 to 45 percent, and increase with increasing depth to the soft bedrock. In some pedons, lime occurs in fractures in the bedrock. Mean annual soil temperature ranges from 42 to 46 degrees F.
The A horizon has hue of 2.5YR through 10YR, value of 4 or 5 dry, 2 through 4 moist, and chroma of 2 through 4. It is neutral or mildly alkaline.
The B2 horizon has hue of 2.5YR or 5YR, value of 4 or 5 dry, 3 or 4 moist, and chroma of 2 through 4. It is clay loam, clay or silty clay loam, ranging from 35 to 50 percent clay. Soft shale and siltstone fragments range from 10 to 30 percent. It is slightly acid through mildly alkaline.
The B3 horizon has hue of 2.5YR or 5YR, value of 4 or 5 dry, 3 or 4 moist, and chroma of 2 through 4. It is clay loam, clay or silty clay loam, averaging 30 to 45 percent clay. Soft shale and siltstone fragments range from 20 to 45 percent. It is slightly acid through mildly alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Rombo series in the same family and the closely related Ahlstrom series. Rombo soils have hue yellower than 7.5YR and have a ca horizon above the paralithic contact. Ahlstrom soils lack a paralithic contact above a depth of 40 inches.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Goemmer soils are on mountain side slopes, commonly below igneous dikes, at elevations of 7,400 to 8,300 feet. They formed in fine textured residuum from weathered interbedded siltstone and shale. The slope range is 20 to 50 percent. The average annual temperature is 40 to 44 degrees F., and the average annual precipitation is 20 to 25 inches with peak periods of precipitation in the spring and early summer.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Holderness, Ring, and Tolman soils. Holderness and Ring soils are deep. Also, Ring soils have more than 35 percent coarse fragments. Tolman soils have a lithic contact above a depth of 20 inches.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; rapid runoff; slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used chiefly for livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. Native vegetation is mountain muhly, Arizona fescue, Parry oatgrass, Gambel oak, and mountain mahogany with some ponderosa pine.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: This series is of small extent in the south central parts of Colorado.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Huerfano County, Colorado, 1980.
REMARKS: This soil is noncalcareous and formed from noncalcareous parent rocks. Taxonomy uses lime carbonate as its intent to classify to the subgroup level, which places this soil in a Udic subgroup. This soil has a Ustic moisture regime. This soil is classified apart from the Taxonomy as a Typic Ustochrept. Last updated by the state 2/80.