LOCATION JERRY COEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic Ustic Argicryolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Jerry loam, rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A--0 to 6 inches, dark gray (10YR 4/1) loam, black (10YR 2/1) moist; moderate fine granular structure; soft, very friable; slightly sticky and slightly plastic; neutral; gradual smooth boundary. (4 to 10 inches thick)
BA--6 to 11 inches, dark grayish brown (10YR 4.2) loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure parting to moderate fine granular; slightly hard, very friable; slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few thin patchy clay films on some peds; 10 percent pebbles; neutral; clear wavy boundary. (3 to 6 inches thick)
Bt1--11 to 24 inches, brown (7.5YR 5/3) gravelly clay loam, dark brown (7.5YR 4/3) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to medium subangular blocks; very hard, friable; sticky and plastic; faint clay films on faces of peds; 20 percent pebbles; neutral; gradual smooth boundary. (9 to 15 inches thick)
Bt2--24 to 32 inches, light brown (7.5YR 6/4) gravelly heavy clay loam, brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocks; very hard, friable; very sticky and very plastic; many faint clay films on faces of peds; 25 percent pebbles; slightly alkaline; clear wavy boundary. (0 to 11 inches thick)
Bk1--32 to 40 inches, pale brown (10YR 6/3) gravelly clay loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; very hard, friable; sticky and plastic; few faint patchy clay films on horizontal and vertical faces of peds; 30 percent pebbles; some visible secondary calcium carbonate occurring as concretions, and as coatings on pebbles; moderately alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. (4 to 10 inches thick)
Bk2--40 to 60 inches, pale brown (10YR 6/3) gravelly loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; massive; hard very friable; slightly sticky and slightly plastic; 30 percent pebbles; visible secondary calcium carbonate occurring as concretions, and in thin seams and streaks; moderately alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Gunnison County, Colorado; Center of Sec. 26, T. 15 S., R. 85 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Mean annual soil temperature ranges 35 to 44 degrees F. Thickness of the mollic epipedon ranges from 7 to 15 inches, depth to secondary lime ranges from 15 to 40 inches, and thickness of the solum ranges from 20 to 50 inches. Organic carbon in the mollic epipedon ranges from .8 to 2 percent and decreases uniformly with increasing depth. The soil is 90 to 100 percent base saturated. Cation exchange capacity ranges from approximately 60 to 90 milliequivalents per 100 grams of clay. Rock fragments range from 0 to 35 percent in a majority of the particle-size control section and are mainly of pebble size, but includes channers up to 6 inches in length and some angular cobble. Some pedons have polygenetic horizons in the lower parts and soft bedrock may occur at depths of 40 to 60 inches.
The A horizon has hue of 2.5Y through 7.5YR, value of 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist, and chroma of 1 through 3. It ranges from soft to slightly hard.
The Bt horizon has hue of 2.5Y through 7.5YR, value of 5 or 6 dry, 3 through 5 moist, and chroma of 2 through 4. It usually has prismatic to subangular blocky structure but has angular blocky structure in some pedons. The Bt horizon may be modified with gravel or channers. Textures are clay loam, silty clay, silty clay loam, or clay and has 35 to 55 percent clay. It is neutral or slightly alkaline.
The Bk horizon has hue of 2.5Y through 7.5YR, value of 6 or 7 dry, 4 through 6 moist, and chroma of 1 through 4. It ranges from pH 8.0 to 8.6, and the calcium carbonate equivalent ranges from approximately 4 to 13 percent. Textures are silty clay loam, silty clay, clay or clay loam, and loam is common below 40 inches.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Beaverdam (ID), Blackhorse (ID), Brinkert (CO), Buckskin (ID), Florissant (CO), Gothic (CO), Heath (CO), Heathcoat (ID), Helmet (CO), Judy (CO), Little Horn (MT), Mayoworth (WY), Owen Creek (WY), Piltz (CO), Sessions (UT), Sneffels (WY), Trout Creek (CO), and Youman (CO) series. Beaverdam, Brinkert, Gothic, Helmet, Sessions, and Youman soils lack lime carbonate above a depth of 40 inches and do not have k horizons. Judy, Little Horn, and Sneffels soils have a lithic contact at depths of 20 to 40 inches. Buckskin and Sessions soils have sola more than 50 inches thick. Florissant, Mayoworth, Owen Creek, Piltz, and Trout Creek have a paralithic contact at depths of less than 40 inches. Heath and Heathcoat soils have calcic horizons. Blackhorse soils have more than 45 percent silt in the Bt horizon and have lime carbonate above 15 inches.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Jerry soils are on upland hills, ridges, mountain slopes, benches and mesa tops. Slope gradients range from approximately 1 to 65 percent. The soils formed in locally transported alluvial and colluvial sediments or residuum derived principally from sandstone and shale Breccia and/or Tuff, but having a mixture of other crystalline rocks in places. The average annual precipitation is 16 to 30 inches with peak periods of precipitation occurring during the spring and late summer. The mean annual temperature is 36 to 42 degrees F., and the mean summer temperature is 54 to 59 degrees F. Elevation is 7,000 to 10,000 feet in the state from north to south. The frost-free period ranges from 50 to 75 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Cochetopa soils which have a mollic epipedon more than 16 inches thick and the competing Heath and Youman soils.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; rapid or medium runoff; slow to very slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used principally as native pastureland and for recreation. Native vegetation is mainly mountain big sage, snowberry, Thurber fescue, nodding brome, and native bluegrass and western wheatgrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Mountainous areas of Colorado. The series is of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Gunnison County, Colorado, 1975.
REMARKS: Diagnostic features are a mollic epipedon from 0 to 11 inches and an argillic horizon from 11 to 32 inches. Last updated by the state 6/93.