LOCATION KISMUTH COEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive Ustic Haplocryepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Kismuth very gravelly sandy loam, on a southwest facing 37 percent mountain slope under lodgepole pine at an elevation of 9,200 feet. (colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted)
Oi--0 to 2 inches; mat of slightly decomposed needles, twigs, and leaves (0 to 2 inches thick)
A--2 to 5 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) very gravelly sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure parting to weak fine granular; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; 40 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.6); gradual smooth boundary. (2 to 5 inches thick)
Bw--5 to 12 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) very gravelly fine sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; 35 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.6); clear smooth boundary. (5 to 12 inches thick)
C1--12 to 20 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) gravelly fine sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; 20 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.4); clear smooth boundary.
C2--20 to 26 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) very gravelly sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; 45 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.2); clear wavy boundary. (combined thickness of the C horizons is 10 to 20 inches)
Cr--26 to 47 inches; granodiorite grus.
R--47 inches; hard granodiorite bedrock.
TYPE LOCATION: Gunnison County, Colorado; about 2 miles northwest of Sargents, Colorado; located about 200 feet south and 3,200 feet east of the northwest corner of Section 8, T. 48 N., R. 5 E.; USGS Sargents topographic quadrangle; latitude 38 degrees, 26 minutes, 08 seconds north and longitude 106 degrees, 25 minutes, 50 seconds west, NAD 1927.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Depths in this section are measured from the top of the mineral soil surface.
Soil moisture: The soil moisture control section (smcs) is affected by precipitation that falls evenly throughout the year with the exception of a significant increase in July and August. The smcs is driest during the fall. The smcs is too dry for Udic and is considered to have an Ustic soil moisture regime.
Mean annual soil temperature: 38 to 43 degrees F.
Particle-size control section: 10 to 18 percent clay, 15 to 30 percent rock fragments
Thickness of ochric epipedon: 2 to 5 inches.
Depth to top of cambic horizon: 2 to 5 inches
Depth to paralithic contact: 20 to 40 inches to weathered granodiorite
Depth to lithic contact: 35 to 50 inches to unweathered granodiorite
Base saturation: greater than 60 percent
A horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 6 or 7 dry, 3 to 5 moist
Chroma: 3 or 4 dry or moist
Reaction: slightly acid (pH 6.1) to neutral (pH 7.3)
Rock fragments: granite, granodiorite, granodiorite gneiss, or quartz monzonite. 20 to 50 percent total rock fragments; 20 to 50 percent gravel.
Bw horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 6 or 7 dry, 3 to 5 moist
Chroma: 3 or 4 dry or moist
Texture: very gravelly fine sandy loam, very gravelly sandy loam, gravelly fine sandy loam, gravelly fine sandy loam, gravelly sandy loam
Reaction: slightly acid (pH 6.1) to neutral (pH 7.3)
Rock fragments: granite, granodiorite, granodiorite gneiss, or quartz monzonite. 20 to 50 percent total rock fragments; 20 to 50 percent gravel.
C horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 6 or 7 dry, 3 to 5 moist
Chroma: 3 or 4 dry or moist
Texture: gravelly fine sandy loam, very gravelly sandy loam, gravelly sandy loam
Reaction: slightly acid (pH 6.1) to neutral (pH 7.3)
Rock fragments: granite, granodiorite, granodiorite gneiss, or quartz monzonite. 20 to 50 percent total rock fragments; 20 to 50 percent gravel.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the
Bobowic and
Upson series.
Bobowic: have an albic horizon
Upson: does not have a lithic contact with 60 inches
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: colluvium over residuum from granite, granodiorite, granodiorite gneiss, or quartz monzonite
Landform: mountain slopes
Slopes: 25 to 65 percent
Elevation: 8,700 to 10,400 feet
Mean annual temperature: 36 to 41 degrees F.
Mean annual precipitation: 16 to 22 inches
Frost-free period: 55 to 70 days
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Herbman and Perfecto soils. Herbman soils are on backslopes and shoulders and have more than 35 percent rock fragments in the particle-size control section. Perfecto soils are on backslopes and have less than 10 percent clay in the particle-size control section.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: well drained; very high runoff; moderately rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: This soil is used for wood products. Potential native vegetation is lodgepole pine with an understory of common juniper, elk sedge, kinnikinnick, and myrtle whortleberry. It is in the Lodgepole Pine Woodland Site, Forest Cover Type 218.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Western Colorado in LRR E and MLRA 48A. The series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Cochetopa Soil Survey Area, Gunnison National Forest, Gunnison County, Colorado, 1999. The name comes from a mine in the area.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon.
Particle-size control section: the zone from 10 to 26 inches. (Bw, C1, C2 horizons)
Ochric epipedon: the zone from 2 to 5 inches. (A horizon)
Cambic horizon: the zone from 5 to 12 inches. (Bw horizon)
Paralithic contact: the contact with granodiorite grus at 26 inches. (Cr layer)
Lithic contact: the contact with granodiorite bedrock at 47 inches. (R layer)
Taxonomic version: Eighth Edition, 1998.