LOCATION KASSLER COEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy-skeletal, mixed, frigid Torriorthentic Haplustolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Kassler gravelly coarse sandy loam - grassland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A1--0 to 6 inches; dark reddish brown (5YR 3/2) gravelly coarse
sandy loam, dark reddish brown (5YR 2/2) moist; moderate fine granular structure; soft, very friable; 30 percent fine and very fine granite pebbles; neutral; clear smooth boundary. (0 to 10 inches thick)
A2--6 to 20 inches; dark reddish brown (5YR 3/2) very gravelly loamy coarse sand, dark reddish brown (5YR 2/2) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure parting to single grain; hard, loose; 60 percent fine and very fine granite pebbles; neutral; gradual smooth boundary. (10 to 20 inches thick)
A3--20 to 28 inches; reddish gray (5YR 5/2) extremely gravelly loamy coarse sand, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/2) moist; weak medium granular structure; hard, loose; 70 percent fine and very fine angular granite pebbles; neutral; gradual wavy boundary. (6 to 10 inches thick)
C--28 to 60 inches; reddish brown (5YR 5/3) extremely gravelly loamy coarse sand, reddish brown (5YR 4/3) moist; massive; very hard, loose; 70 percent fine and very fine angular granite pebbles; neutral.
TYPE LOCATION: Douglas County, Colorado; near the center of Sec. 35, T. 9 S., R. 68 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Mean annual soil temperature is 45 degrees F., and mean summer soil temperature is 62 degrees F. The mollic epipedon ranges from 10 to 40 inches thick. Kassler soils typically are noncalcareous to depths of more than 60 inches, but depth to uniformly calcareous material ranges from 40 to more than 60 inches. Base saturation typically is more than 80 percent and ranges from 60 to 100 percent. The particle-size control section averages very gravelly or extremely gravelly loamy coarse sand or coarse sand. A high percentage of the sand fraction is angular and has a large proportion of flat bearing surfaces between sand grains. Rock fragments range from 35 to 80 percent in a major part of the particle-size control section and are mainly less than 3 inches in diameter but range from 1/8 to 10 inches in diameter. The particle-size control section ranges from slightly acid to mildly alkaline.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR through 2.5YR, value of 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist, and chroma of 1 through 3.
The C horizon has hue of 5YR through 10R.
COMPETING SERIES: This is the Dominson series. Dominson soils have hue of 7.5YR or yellower, and have calcareous material above a depth of 40 inches.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Kassler soils are on alluvial fans, valley side slopes, terraces, and bottoms of small narrow drainageways. Slopes range from 0 to 35 percent or more. Parent materials have come from the arkose deposits of the Arapahoe and Dawson formations. Elevation ranges from 6,500 to 7,000 feet. The mean annual precipitation ranges from 15 to 18 inches, with peak periods of precipitation in the spring and summer. Mean annual temperature ranges from 43 to 46 degrees F. The frost-free period is about 100 to 125 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Orsa and Lonetree soils. Orsa soils have a mean annual soil temperature warmer than 47 degrees F. Lonetree soils have less than 35 percent rock fragments.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat excessive or excessively drained; slow runoff; rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used principally as native pastureland. Native vegetation consists mainly of big and little bluestem, prairie sandreed, blue grama, and Gambel oak with ponderosa pine at higher elevations.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: The foothills area of east-central Colorado. The series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Douglas County, Colorado, 1974.