LOCATION GROOMER COEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic Typic Argicryolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Groomer loam, on a north facing, linear, 12 percent slope in grass at an elevation of 9,540 feet. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.) When described on 8/30/1983 the soil was moist from 0 to 65 inches. The surface is covered by 1 percent stones.
A--0 to 10 inches, (0 to 25 cm); very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; moderate fine granular structure; very friable, soft, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; few very fine roots throughout; 1 percent stones and 10 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.4); abrupt wavy boundary. (10 to 15 inches thick)
Bt1--10 to 21 inches, (25 to 53 cm); brown (10YR 5/3) cobbly clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; friable, hard, very sticky, very plastic; common very fine and fine roots throughout; 30 percent distinct clay films on all faces of peds; 10 percent gravel and 10 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 6.8); clear smooth boundary.
Bt2--21 to 39 inches, (53 to 99 cm); yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) clay, yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to strong fine and medium subangular blocky structure; very firm, very hard, very sticky, very plastic; common very fine and fine roots throughout; 55 percent distinct clay films on all faces of peds; 5 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.2); clear wavy boundary.
Bt3--39 to 50 inches, (99 to 127 cm); brown (10YR 5/3) gravelly clay, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; very firm, very hard, moderately sticky, moderately plastic; few very fine roots in cracks; 20 percent distinct clay films on all faces of peds; 5 percent cobbles and 15 percent gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bt horizons is 35 to 45 inches)
BCk--50 to 66 inches, (127 to 167 cm); light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) gravelly silty clay loam, light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; firm, very hard, moderately sticky, moderately plastic; few very fine roots in cracks; 10 percent fine irregular carbonate masses throughout; 25 percent gravel; strongly effervescent (2 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); moderately alkaline (pH 8.0).
TYPE LOCATION: Las Animas County, Colorado; about 2.5 miles southeast of the summit of Cucharas Pass; located about 1,500 feet south and 1,400 feet east of the northwest corner of section 1, T. 32 S., R. 69 W.; Cucharas Pass USGS quadrangle; latitude. 37 degrees 17 minutes 28 seconds N. and longitude. 105 degrees 3 minutes 40 seconds W., NAD 83.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: The soil moisture control section is moist continuously from March through September, driest December through February; udic moisture regime bordering on ustic.
Mean annual soil temperature: 39 to 42 degrees F (4 to 6 degrees C)
Mean summer soil temperature: 48 to 52 degrees F (9 to 11 degrees C)
Depth to the base of the argillic horizon: 45 to 60 inches (114 to 150 cm)
Depth to secondary calcium carbonate: 40 to 60 inches (100 to 150 cm).
Thickness of the mollic epipedon: 10 to 15 inches (25 to 38 cm).
Particle-size control section (weighted average):
Clay content: 38 to 45 percent
Sand content: 25 to 35 percent
Rock fragments: 5 to 25 percent gravel and cobbles
A horizon:
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 3 or 4 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 1 to 3
Clay content: 20 to 27 percent
Rock fragments: 5 to 15 percent
Base saturation: 80 to 100 percent
Organic matter content: 3 to 5 percent
Reaction: slightly acid or neutral
Bt horizons:
Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR
Value: 4 to 6 dry, 3 to 5 moist
Chroma: 3 or4
Texture of the fine earth fraction: clay loam, clay
Clay content: 35 to 50 percent
Rock fragments: 5 to 35 percent
Base saturation: 90 to 100 percent
Reaction: neutral to slightly alkaline
BC horizon:
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 5 to 7 dry, 4 to 6 moist
Chroma: 3 or 4
Texture of the fine earth fraction: clay loam, silty clay loam
Clay content: 30 to 40 percent
Rock fragments: 15 to 35 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 1 to 5 percent
EC (mmhos/cm): 0 to 4
Reaction: slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline
COMPETING SERIES: These are the
Trout Creek (CO) series.
Trout Creek soils: have a paralithic contact at depths of 20 to 40 inches.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: alluvium or slope alluvium derived from siltstone and shale, commonly of the Pierre Formation.
Landform: mountain slopes, fan remnants
Landform position: summits and footslopes
Slopes: 5 to 25 percent
Elevation: 8,000 to 10,000 feet (2400 to 3050 meters)
Mean annual temperature: 40 to 43 degrees F (4 to 6 degrees C)
Mean annual precipitation: 20 to 26 inches (508 to 660 mm).
Precipitation pattern: Peak periods: March through August, driest; December through February
Frost-free period: 50 to 75 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Cucharas and Hunchback series. The Cucharas soils are moderately deep to paralithic contact and are on backslopes and shoulders of mountain slopes. The Hunchback soils are poorly drained and are in drainageways and depressions.
DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Well drained. Runoff is high. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is low.
USE AND VEGETATION: Rangeland, wildlife habitat; the primary vegetation is Thurbers fescue, Arizona fescue, Parrys oatgrass, western wheatgrass, and mountain muhly.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Mountains of southern Colorado; LRR E, MLRA 48A; small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Las Animas County, Colorado, 2007, Las Animas County and parts of Huerfano County soil survey area, Colorado. The name was taken from Groomer Canyon.
REMARKS:
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Series control section: The zone from 10 to 50 inches, (25 to 127 cm).
Particle-size control section: The zone from 10 to 30 inches (25 to 76 cm). (Bt1 and Bt2 horizons)
Mollic epipedon: The zone from 0 to 10 inches, (0 to 25 cm). (A horizons)
Argillic horizon: The zone from 10 to 50 inches, (25 to 127 cm). (Bt1, Bt2, and Bt3 horizons)
Other features: secondary carbonates from 50 to 66 inches (127 to 168 cm).
Remarks: These soils were formerly mapped as Gothic in this area of Colorado. Gothic soils do not have carbonates and are being restricted to the western part of the state.
The assignment of the cation-exchange activity class is inferred from lab data from similar soils in the surrounding area.
Taxonomic Version: Tenth Edition, 2006