LOCATION HIATHA COEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Clayey, smectitic, calcareous, frigid, shallow Typic Torriorthents
TYPICAL PEDON: Hiatha silty clay-rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted)
A--0 to 2 inches; reddish brown (5YR 5/4) silty clay, reddish brown (5YR 4/4) moist; moderate medium granular structure; soft, very friable, sticky and plastic; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); abrupt smooth boundary. (1 to 3 inches thick)
AC--2 to 6 inches; reddish brown (5YR 5/4) silty clay, reddish brown (5YR 4/4) moist; massive; hard, friable, sticky and plastic; 15 percent weakly consolidated shale fragments; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); gradual wavy boundary. (3 to 6 inches thick)
C--6 to 14 inches; reddish brown (5YR 5/4) silty clay, reddish brown (5YR 4/4) moist; massive; hard, friable, sticky and plastic; 20 percent weakly consolidated shale fragments; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); gradual wavy boundary. ( 6 to 11 inches thick)
Cr--14 to 19 inches; weakly consolidated shale.
TYPE LOCATION: Moffat County, Colorado; about 9 miles northwest of Powderwash; about 50 feet north and 1,500 feet west of the southeast corner of Sec. 17, T. 12 N., R. 98 W; 108 degrees, 25 minutes, 30 seconds west longitude; 40 degrees, 59 minutes, 35 seconds north latitude.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature is 45 to 47 degrees F. The mean summer soil temperature is 60 to 63 degrees F. The paralithic contact is at a depth of 10 to 20 inches. The control section contains 40 to 50 percent clay, 35 to 60 percent silt, and 5 to 25 percent sand.
The A horizon has a hue is 2.5YR or 5YR, value of 5 through 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist, and a chroma of 3 or 4.
The C horizon has a hue is 2.5YR or 5YR, value of 5 through 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist, and a chroma of 3 or 4. Texture is silty clay or clay. Reaction is moderately alkaline or strongly alkaline. This horizon contains 10 to 35 percent weakly consolidated shale fragments.
COMPETING SERIES: This is the Boltus (T)(WY) series. The Boltus series has hues of 7.5YR and yellower.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Hiatha soils are on hills. Slopes range from 5 to 20 percent. The soils formed in residuum derived from shale. The mean annual precipitation ranges from 9 to 11 inches. The mean annual air temperature ranges from 42 to 45 degrees F. the frost-free period is 75 to 95 days. Elevation is 6,000 to 6,800 feet.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Kandaly, Ruedloff, and Tresano soils all of which are deep.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; rapid runoff; slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. Native vegetation is Nuttall saltbush, western wheatgrass, thickspike wheatgrass, streambank wheatgrass, bottlebrush squirreltail, and Indian ricegrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Hiatha soils occur in northwestern Colorado. The series is of small extent. Total acreage is about 5,500 acres.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Moffat County (Moffat County Area), Colorado, 1991.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizon recognized in this pedon is the ochric epipedon-the zone from 0 to 2 inches. Last updated by the state 12/90.