LOCATION JERSEY COEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Clayey-skeletal, smectitic Typic Haplocryolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Jersey very cobbly loam, on a southeast facing, simple, 48 percent slope in aspen woodland at an elevation of 9,400 feet. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.) Described on August 6,1985.
Oe--0 to 1 inch; organic layer of moderately decomposed leaves and twigs. (1 to 3 inches thick)
A--1 to 8 inches; very dark gray (10YR 3/1) very cobbly loam, black (10YR 2/1) moist: weak coarse granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very coarse and coarse, and common medium roots; many fine pores; 15 percent gravel, 25 percent cobble, 5 percent stones; neutral (pH 6.8); clear smooth boundary. (8 to 16 inches thick)
AB--8 to 13 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) very cobbly clay loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure parting to weak fine granular; hard, very friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine and fine, and few coarse roots; many very fine pores; 15 percent gravel, 25 percent cobble, 10 percent stones; neutral (pH 6.8); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 8 inches thick)
Bw1--13 to 18 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) very cobbly clay loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; very hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few fine, medium, and coarse roots; common very fine pores; 10 percent gravel, 25 percent cobble, 15 percent stones; neutral (pH 6.8); clear smooth boundary.
Bw2--18 to 26 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) extremely stony clay loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; weak medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; very hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common fine and medium, and few coarse roots; common very fine pores; 15 percent gravel, 30 percent cobble, 20 percent stones; neutral (pH 6.8); clear wavy boundary.
Bw3--26 to 37 inches; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) very cobbly clay loam, light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; extremely hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine, fine, and coarse roots; common very fine pores; 10 percent gravel, 35 percent cobble, 15 percent stones; neutral (pH 6.8); gradual wavy boundary. (combined thickness of the Bw horizons is 20 to 30 inches)
C1--37 to 47 inches; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) very cobbly clay, light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) moist; common medium distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) lithochromic mottles; massive; extremely hard, very firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few fine roots; few fine pores; 10 percent gravel, 30 percent cobble, 15 percent stones; neutral (pH 6.8); clear smooth boundary. (10 to 24 inches thick)
C2--47 to 61 inches; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) very cobbly clay, grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) moist; common medium distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) lithochromic mottles; massive; extremely hard, very firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; 10 percent gravel, 30 percent cobble, 15 percent stones; neutral (pH 6.8).
TYPE LOCATION: Montezuma County, Colorado; about 5 miles north of Stoner; located about 1600 feet south and 2600 feet west of the northeast corner of sec. 29, T. 39N., R. 12W.; Wallace Ranch USGS quad; lat. 37 degrees 36 minutes 54 seconds N.; long. 108 degrees 12 minutes 12 seconds W., NAD 27
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: (depths given are measured from the mineral soil surface)
Soil moisture regime: udic; dry in some part of the moisture control section for less than 45 cumulative days (typic udic subclass)
Mean annual soil temperature: 36 to 40 degrees F.
Mean summer soil temperature: 43 to 47 degrees F. with an O horizon
Surface rock fragments: 2 percent stones, 1 percent boulders, all sandstone fragments
Thickness of the mollic epipedon: 10 to 16 inches
Lithology of rock fragments: sandstone
Particle-size control section:
Clay content: 35 to 45 percent
Rock fragment content: 35 to 75 percent
A horizon:
Value: 3 or 4 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 1 or 2, dry and moist
Texture, fine earth fraction: L, CL
Rock fragment content: 15 to 60 percent
Reaction: slightly acid or neutral
Bw horizon:
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 5 to 7 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4, dry and moist
Texture, fine earth fraction: CL, C
Rock fragment content: 35 to 75 percent
Reaction: slightly acid or neutral
C horizon:
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 6 or 7 dry, 2 to 4 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4, dry and moist
Texture, fine earth fraction: CL, C
Rock fragment content: 35 to 75 percent
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series in this family at present. A similar soil is the Wesdy series. Wesdy soils have an argillic horizon.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: Colluvium and slope alluvium derived from interbedded sandstone and shale.
Landform: mountain slopes and canyon sideslopes.
Slopes: 30 to 80 percent
Elevation: 7,600 to 11,500 feet
Mean annual air temperature: 32 to 40 degrees F.
Mean annual precipitation: 25 to 40 inches.
Wettest months: July and August.
Driest months: May and June receive the least precipitation, however the soils are still moist from snowmelt.
Frost-free period: 50 to 70 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the
Dressel,
Haycamp, and
Behanco series.
Dressel soils have a thick mollic epipedon and are loamy-skeletal.
Behanco soils have a lithic contact at 40 to 60 inches.
Haycamp soils do not have a mollic epipedon.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained, medium to high runoff, slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Jersey soils are used for timber production, livestock grazing, and wildlife habitat. The native vegetation consists of aspen, snowberry, woods rose, nodding brome, bearded wheatgrass, Thurber fescue, fern, Richardson geranium, cowparsnip, and meadow rue.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southwestern Colorado. LRR E, MLRA 48A. This series is of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana.
SERIES PROPOSED: Montezuma County, Animas-Dolores Soil Survey Area, Colorado. 1997. The name is taken from a fire lookout tower.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon: The zone from 1 to 13 inches. (A and AB horizons)
Cambic horizon: The zone from 13 to 37 inches. (Bw horizons)
Particle-size control section: The zone from 11 to 41 inches (part of the AB, the Bw1, Bw2, Bw3, and part of the C1 horizons)
Keys to Soil Taxonomy: Classified according the Eighth Edition, 1998