LOCATION KAWUNEECHE         CO
Established Series
Rev. LAN/TWH
01/2000

KAWUNEECHE SERIES


The Kawuneeche series consists of very deep, poorly drained soils that formed in alluvium over glaciofluvial deposits derived from granitic rocks, gneiss, and schist. Kawuneeche soils are on flood plains. Slopes range from 0 to 4 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 30 inches and the mean annual temperature is about 38 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, nonacid Fluvaquentic Cryaquepts

TYPICAL PEDON: Kawuneeche mucky peat, on a nearly level slope in grass, sedges and rushes at an elevation of 8,712 feet. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.) When described on July 28, 1997 the soil was moist throughout.

Oe--0 to 5 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) mucky peat, very dark very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; many very fine and fine roots and few medium; strongly acid (pH 5.2); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 5 inches thick)

A--5 to 12 inches; black (10YR 2/1) clay loam, black (10YR 2/1) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine roots and few medium; strongly acid (pH 5.2); abrupt smooth boundary. (7 to 14 inches thick)

Bg--12 to 23 inches; gray (10YR 5/1) loam, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine roots; common medium irregular dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) masses of iron concentrations on faces of peds; 2 percent gravel; very strongly acid (pH 4.8); clear smooth boundary. (10 to 18 inches thick)

Cg1--23 to 31 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) coarse sandy loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine roots; common medium irregular dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) masses of iron concentrations throughout; 10 percent gravel; moderately acid (pH 5.6); clear smooth boundary. (7 to 11 inches thick)

2Cg2--31 to 66 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) very gravelly loamy sand, dark greenish gray (10GY 3/1) moist; single grain; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine roots; 35 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.4).

TYPE LOCATION: Grand County, Colorado; about 3.0 miles north of Grand Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park; located about 1800 feet west and 1400 feet north of the southeast corner of sec. 13, T. 4 N., R. 76 W.; Grand Lake USGS quad; lat. 40 degrees 18 minutes 16 seconds N. and long. 105 degrees 50 minutes 55 seconds W., NAD 1927

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: (Depths given are measured from the top of the mineral soil surface)
Soil moisture: Aquic moisture regime.
Mean annual soil temperature: 36 to 40 degrees F
Mean summer soil temperature: 41 to 43 degrees F (with an O horizon)
Depth to lithologic discontinuity: 24 to 43 inches
Depth to redox concentrations: 12 to 24 inches
Depth to redox depletions: 5 to 12 inches
Depth to endosaturation in normal years: 0 to 18 inches from June to August (measured from the soil surface)
Thickness of the umbric epipedon: 7 to 24 inches

Particle-size control section (weighted average):
Clay content: 5 to 15 percent
Sand content: 50 to 70 percent
Rock fragments: 10 to 25 percent, dominantly gravel
Mica content: 15 to 30 percent (by grain count)

Oe horizon: (not present in all pedons)
Reaction: Very strongly acid or strongly acid

A horizon:
Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR
Value: 2 through 4 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 1 or 2
Clay content: 20 to 35 percent
Texture: loam or clay loam
Rock fragments: 0 to 15 percent gravel
Base saturation: 30 to 50 percent
Reaction: very strongly acid or strongly acid

Bg horizon:
Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR
Value: 4 through 6 dry, 3 through 5 moist
Chroma: 1 or 2
Texture: loam, silt loam, gravelly sandy loam
Clay content: 8 to 18 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 25 percent gravel
Base saturation: 30 to 60 percent
Reaction: very strongly acid to moderately acid

Cg1 horizon:
Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 1 or 2
Texture: sandy loam, coarse sandy loam, gravelly sandy loam, gravelly loamy fine sand
Clay content: 5 to 18 percent
Rock fragments: 5 to 30 percent gravel
Base saturation: 40 to 70 percent
Reaction: strongly acid to slightly acid

2Cg2 horizon:
Hue: 10GY, 5GY, 10YR or neutral
Value: 4 through 6 dry, 3 through 5 moist
Chroma: 0 through 2
Texture: very gravelly loamy sand, very gravelly sand, extremely gravelly coarse sand
Clay content: 1 to 7 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 75 percent gravel and cobbles
Base saturation: 50 to 70 percent
Reaction: moderately acid or slightly acid

COMPETING SERIES: There are presently no competing series in this family. The similar Coal Creek(AK) and Disappoint(AK) series are in the Humic subgroup.
Coal Creek and Disappoint soils do not have an irregular decrease in organic matter, are not affected by flooding.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: Alluvium over glaciofluvial deposits derived from granitic rocks, gneiss, and schist
Landform: flood plains
Slopes: 0 to 4 percent
Elevation: 8,000 to 10,700 feet
Mean annual temperature: 36 to 42 degrees F
Mean annual precipitation: 18 to 36 inches
Precipitation pattern: continuous throughout the year
wettest months: March, April, May, June
driest months: October, November
Frost-free period: 40 to 75 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Enentah, Fallriver and Venable series.
The Enentah and Fallriver soils do not have an umbric epipedon and are on adjacent mountain slopes and moraines.
Venable soils have a mollic epipedon and are on flood plains.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: poorly drained, slow runoff, moderate permeability in the upper part, rapid in the lower part, occasional to frequently flooded for brief periods during the months of May, June and July.

USE AND VEGETATION: Recreation and wildlife habitat. Native plant community is dominantly planeleaf willow, tufted hairgrass, sedges, baltic rush, American mannagrass and bog birch.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Central Rocky Mountains, Colorado; LRR E, MLRA 48A; small extent.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana.

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Grand County, Colorado, Rocky Mountain National Park soil survey area, 1999. The name was taken from a prominent valley in the area .

REMARKS:
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Particle-size control section: The zone from 15 to 45 inches. (part of the Bg, Cg1, and part of the 2Cg2 horizons)
Umbric epipedon: The zone from 5 to 23 inches. (A and Bg horizons)
Redoximorphic concentrations: In the zone from 12 to 31 inches. (Bg and Cg1 horizons)
Redoximorphic depletions: In the zone from 12 to 66 inches. (Bg, Cg1, and 2Cg2 horizons)
Endosaturation: The zone of saturation at 0 to 66 inches. (Oe, Bg, Cg1, and 2Cg2 horizons) for some time in most years.
Lithologic discontinuity: At the upper boundary of the 2Cg2 horizon.

Remarks: This soil was previously classified as a Typic Cryaquoll. Laboratory results established low base saturation and an umbric epipedon.

The assignment of the cation-exchange activity class is supported by lab sample(s) numbers S97CO-049-001.

Taxonomic Version: Eighth Edition

ADDITIONAL DATA: This pedon has data from the NSSL; pedon number S97CO-049-001.


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.