LOCATION GRIMES COEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: sandy-skeletal, mixed, frigid Udic Haplustepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Grimes very cobbly sandy loam, on a south facing, simple, 1 percent slope in ponderosa pine woodland at an elevation of 7.850 feet. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.) Described on September 11, 1989.
A--0 to 5 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) very cobbly sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic, many fine roots, 20 percent gravel, 30 percent cobble, and 3 percent stones; neutral (pH 6.8); clear smooth boundary. (3 to 8 inches thick)
Bw--5 to 22 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) extremely cobbly sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many fine roots; 20 percent gravel, 40 percent cobble, 10 percent stones; neutral (pH 6.8); gradual smooth boundary. (6 to 20 inches thick)
C--22 to 60 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) extremely cobbly sand, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; single grain; loose; few fine roots in upper part; 30 percent gravel, 40 percent cobble, 10 percent stones; neutral (pH 6.6).
TYPE LOCATION: La Plata County, Colorado; about 15 miles north of Bayfield; located about 1000 feet north and 500 feet east of the southwest corner of sec. 21, T. 37 N., R. 6 W.; Vallecito Reservoir USGS quad; lat. 37 degrees 27 minutes 16 seconds N. and long. 107 degrees 32 minutes 51 seconds W., NAD 27
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: The soil moisture control section is between about 12 and 35 inches; ustic moisture regime (udic ustic subclass).
Mean annual soil temperature: 44 to 47 degrees F
Mean summer soil temperature: 59 to 63 degrees F
Depth to cambic horizon: 3 to 8 inches
Particle-size control section (weighted average):
Clay content: 5 to 12 percent
Sand content: 75 to 90 percent
Rock fragment content: 35 to 80 percent
A horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 3 to 5 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4, dry and moist
Reaction: slightly acid or neutral
Bw horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 5 to 7 dry, 3 to 5 moist
Chroma: 3 to 5 dry and moist
Texture, fine earth fraction: SL or LS
Clay content: 5 to 15 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 80 percent
Reaction: slightly acid or neutral
C horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 5 to 7 dry, 3 to 5 moist
Chroma: 3 to 5, dry and moist
Texture, fine earth fraction: S or LS
Clay content: 0 to 5 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 80 percent
Reaction: slightly acid or neutral
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series at present. A similar soil is the Clark Fork series in a different subgroup. Clark Fork soils do not have a cambic horizon.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: very gravelly and cobbly alluvium derived from mixed sources
Landform: river terraces, alluvial fans, and fan remnants
Slopes: 0 to 3 percent
Elevation: 7,800 to 8,200 feet
Mean annual temperature: 42 to 45 degrees F
Mean annual precipitation: 24 to 30 inches
Precipitation pattern:
Driest months: May and June
Wettest months: July and August
Frost-free period: 90 to 100 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Pescar and Valto series. The Pescar soils are somewhat poorly drained and are on floodplains. The Valto soils are shallow and are on mountain slopes.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: somewhat excessively drained, low runoff, moderately rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for woodland, livestock grazing, wildlife habitat, and urban development. The native vegetation consists of ponderosa pine,Rocky Mountain Douglas fir, blue spruce, Arizona fescue, western wheatgrass, pine dropseed, and mountain brome.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southwestern Colorado; LRR E, MLRA 48A; the series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: La Plata County, Colorado, Animas-Dolores soil survey area, Colorado, 2002. Series proposed in 2000. The name is taken from Grimes Creek near the type location.
REMARKS:
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Particle-size control section: The zone from 10 to 40 inches. (part of the Bw and part of the C horizons)
Ochric epipedon: The zone from 0 to 5 inches. (A horizon)
Cambic horizon: The zone from 5 to 22 inches. (Bw horizon)
Taxonomic Version: Second Edition, 1999