LOCATION KITE               CO
Established Series
Rev. JPP/TWH
01/2008

KITE SERIES


The Kite series consists of shallow, well drained soils that formed in residuum derived from limestone and sandstone. Kite soils are on mountain slopes. Slopes range from 15 to 30 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 40 inches and the mean annual temperature is about 33 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy, mixed, superactive Lithic Humicryepts

TYPICAL PEDON: Kite loam, on a south facing, simple, 40 percent slope in alpine tundra at an elevation of 11,440 feet. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.) Described on September 25, 1980.

A1--0 to 1 inch; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist. moderate very fine granular structure; soft, very friable; nonsticky and nonplastic; 5 percent gravel; strongly acid (pH 5.2); clear smooth boundary. (1 to 4 inches thick)

A2--1 to 4 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate fine granular structure parting to moderate very fine granular; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; 10 percent gravel; strongly acid (pH 5.2); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 4 inches thick)

Bw1--4 to 9 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) sandy clay loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure parting to moderate fine subangular blocky; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; 10 percent gravel; strongly acid (pH 5.2); gradual wavy boundary.

Bw2--9 to 15 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) gravelly sandy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure parting to moderate fine subangular blocky; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; 15 percent gravel, 5 percent flagstones; very strongly acid (pH 5.0); gradual wavy boundary.

Bw3--15 to 18 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) sandy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure parting to moderate fine subangular blocky; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; 15 percent gravel; very strongly acid (pH 5.0); abrupt wavy boundary. (combined thickness of the Bw horizons is 6 to 15 inches)

R--18 inches; fractured limestone bedrock.

TYPE LOCATION: La Plata County, Animas-Dolores Soil Survey Area, Colorado; about 25 miles northeast of Durango; located about 2,285 feet south and 550 feet east of the northwest corner of sec. 23, T. 37 N., R. 7 W.; Vallecito Reservoir USGS quad; lat. 37 degrees 27 minutes 38 seconds N. and long. 107 degrees 37 minutes 14 seconds W., NAD 27

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
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: 34 to 38 degrees F.
Mean summer soil temperature: 38 to 47 degrees F.
Depth to lithic contact: 10 to 20 inches
Thickness of the umbric epipedon: 7 to 10 inches (when the upper 7 inches is mixed)

Particle-size control section:
Clay content: 15 to 27 percent
Rock fragment content: 5 to 35 percent

A horizon:
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3, dry and moist
Texture: L, SL
Rock fragment content: 2 to 10 percent
Base saturation: estimated at 40 to 60 percent
Reaction: very strongly acid or strongly acid

Bw horizon:
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 3 to 6, dry and moist
Texture, fine earth fraction: SCL, SL
Clay content: 15 to 27 percent
Rock fragment content: 5 to 35 percent
Base saturation: estimated at 40 to 60 percent
Reaction: very strongly acid or strongly acid

COMPETING SERIES: There are currently no competing series. The Telluride series in a closely related family is loamy-skeletal.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: residuum derived from limestone or sandstone.
Landform: mountain slopes.
Slopes: 15 to 30 percent
Elevation: 11,000 to 12,000 feet
Mean annual temperature: 30 to 35 degrees F.
Mean annual precipitation: 35 to 45 inches.
Wettest months: July, August, September, October and December.
Driest months: May and June receive the least precipitation, however the soils are still moist from snowmelt.
Frost-free period: 40 to 60 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Snowdon and Runlett series. The Snowdon and Runlett soils are on mountain slopes. The Snowdon soils have more than 35 percent rock fragments in the particle size control section. The Runlett soils are moderately deep to bedrock.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained, medium runoff, moderate permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for livestock grazing, recreation, and wildlife habitat. The native vegetation is alpine fescue, Ross' avens, tufted hairgrass, American bistort, kobresia, alpine bluegrass, wheatgrass, and sedges.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southwestern Colorado. LRR E, MLRA 48A. This series is of small extent.

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

SERIES PROPOSED: La Plata County, Animas-Dolores Soil Survey Area, Colorado, 1999. The name is taken from a lake of the same name.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Umbric epipedon: The zone from 0 to 9 inches. (A1, A2, and Bw1 horizons)
Cambic horizon: The zone from 9 to 18 inches. (Bw2 and Bw3 horizons)
Lithic contact: The contact with hard bedrock at 18 inches. (R layer)
Particle size control section: The zone from 10 to 18 inches. (part of Bw2 and the Bw3 horizons)

Keys to Soil Taxonomy, classified according to the Eighth Edition, 1998.

Activity class is presumed based on general trend of other soils in the area.


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.