LOCATION KERHAYDEN          CO
Established Series
Rev. TJW/GB/JPP
03/2003

KERHAYDEN SERIES


The Kerhayden series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in stratified alluvium from mixed sources. These soils are on mountain slopes and on side slopes of terraces dissected into parallel ridges and valleys. Slope ranges from 10 to 30 percent. Mean annual temperature is about 43 degrees F., and the mean annual precipitation is about 13 inches.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, calcareous, frigid Ustic Torriorthents

TYPICAL PEDON: Kerhayden gravelly sandy loam - on a 20 percent convex east-facing slope in an area of chained pinyon and juniper. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)

A--0 to 3 inches; light reddish brown (5YR 6/4) gravelly sandy loam, reddish brown (5YR 5/4) moist; moderate medium granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; 30 percent pebbles, strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline; abrupt smooth boundary. (3 to 5 inches thick)

AB--3 to 8 inches; reddish brown (5YR 5/4) sandy loam, reddish brown (5YR 4/4) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; 10 percent pebbles; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (3 to 10 inches thick)

Bk1--8 to 22 inches; light reddish brown (5YR 6/4) sandy clay loam, reddish brown (5YR 5/4) moist; massive; hard, firm, slightly sticky and nonplastic; 10 percent pebbles; many fine soft masses and filaments of soft calcium carbonate; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline; gradual smooth boundary. (10 to 24 inches thick)

Bk2--22 to 44 inches; light reddish brown (5YR 6/4) gravelly sandy clay loam, reddish brown (5YR 5/4) moist; massive; extremely hard, firm, slightly sticky and nonplastic; 30 percent pebbles; many fine soft masses and filaments of soft calcium carbonate; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. (6 to 24 inches thick)

Bk3--44 to 60 inches; light reddish brown (5YR 6/3) extremely gravelly sandy loam, reddish brown (5YR 5/3) moist; massive; extremely hard, very firm, nonsticky and nonplastic; 65 percent pebbles; many fine soft masses and filaments of soft calcium carbonate; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline.

TYPE LOCATION: Fremont County, Colorado; about 1/2 mile from U.S. Highway 50 in road cut along Kerr Gulch Road; about 2,600 feet north and 1,400 feet east of the southwest corner of Sec. 19, T. 48 N., R. 11 E. in an unsectionized area. U.S.G.S. Howard quad.; Lat. 38 degrees, 23 minutes, 58 seconds N.; Long. 105 degrees, 47 minutes, 41 seconds W.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Mean annual soil temperature ranges from 43 to 47 degrees F, and mean summer soil temperature is about 68 to 72 degrees F. Depth to layers with visible secondary calcium carbonate is 6 to 15 inches. Rock fragment content averages 5 to 30 percent and is mainly pebbles 2 millimeters to 3 inches in diameter. In 6 out of 10 years the moisture control section is dry in some part more than one-half the time the soil temperature at a depth of 50 cm is above 41 degrees F. However, in many years, the moisture control section is moist in some parts for 60 or more consecutive days when the soil temperature at 50 cm is above 48 degrees F. Clay content of the particle-size control section is 18 to 35 percent.

The A horizon has hue of 5YR or 2.5YR, value of 4 through 6 dry, 3 through 5 moist, and chroma of 2 through 6.

The Bk horizon has hue of 5YR or 2.5YR, value of 5 through 7 dry, 4 or 5 moist, and chroma of 2 through 6. It is sandy loam, loam, gravelly loam, sandy clay loam, or gravelly sandy clay loam. Below a depth of 30 inches are layers 6 to 15 inches thick with up to 70 percent rock fragments. These layers are extremely gravelly sandy loam. Content of fine or coarser sand is 40 percent or more.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Alldown (UT), Delphill (WY), Delridge (SD), Poposhia (WY), and Sinkson (WY) series.

Alldown and Sinkson soils lack a consistent K horizon. Sinkson soils also receive more precipitation in the winter and early spring months.

Delphill and Delridge soils have paralithic bedrock at depths of 20 to 40 inches. Poposhia soils have hues of 7.5YR or yellower.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Kerhayden soils are on mountain slopes and on convex side slopes of fan terraces deeply dissected into a system of long, parallel ridges and narrow, concave drainageways. Slopes range from 10 to 30 percent. The soils formed in stratified alluvium from mixed sources. Strata are of variable thickness and texture and include conglomerate with fragments from volcanic rocks. Elevation ranges from 6,800 to 8,400 feet. The mean annual air temperature is 41 to 46 degrees F, and the mean annual precipitation is about 12 to 16 inches.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: This is the Brownell soil. Brownell soil has greater than 35 percent rock fragments in the particle-size control section and has a calcic horizon.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; rapid to very rapid runoff; moderate permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for livestock grazing. Firewood is harvested from these areas. Pinyon and juniper have been chained off many areas to improve grass production. Principal vegetation in unchained areas is an overstory of pinyon and Rocky Mountain juniper and an understory of blue grama, western wheatgrass, mountain muhly, little bluestem, mountain mahogany, and other forbs and shrubs.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Foothills of the Eastern Slope of the southern Rocky Mountains of central Colorado. The series is of small extent.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Fremont County (Fremont County Area), Colorado, 1988.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this soil include an ochric epipedon from 0 to 8 inches; a Bk horizon from 8 to 60 inches; an ustic aridic moisture regime; and a frigid temperature regime. Last updated by the state 8/95.

The superactive cation exchange activity class was added in 03/2003 to the taxonomic classification by the National Soil Survey Center on request of the Lakewood MLRA office, without review of the soil series property data. The remainder of this document has not been updated.


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.