LOCATION KITTREDGE COEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, micaceous Ustic Argicryolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Kittredge sandy loam - grassland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A--0 to 5 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate fine granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky; common sand size mica flakes; 10 percent pebbles, dominantly 1/4 to 3 inches in diameter; neutral; clear smooth boundary. (3 to 7 inches thick)
BA--5 to 8 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure, parting to moderate medium granular; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky;few faint clay films on all faces of peds, common sand size mica flakes; 10 percent pebbles, dominantly 1/4 to 3 inches in diameter; noncalcareous; neutral; clear smooth boundary. (2 to 4 inches thick)
Bt1--8 to 14 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) sandy clay loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; hard, friable, slightly sticky; common faint clay films on vertical faces of peds; common sand size mica flakes; 10 percent pebbles dominantly 1/4 to 3 inches in diameter;; neutral; clear smooth boundary. (3 to 8 inches thick)
Bt2--14 to 29 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) sandy clay loam, brown to dark brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; hard, friable, sticky, common faint clay films on vertical faces of peds; 10 percent pebbles dominantly 1/4 to 3 inches in diameter; common sand size mica flakes;; neutral; clear smooth boundary. (5 to 18 inches thick)
BC--29 to 42 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) light sandy clay loam, dark brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak coarse prismatic structure, parting to medium subangular blocky; hard, friable, slightly sticky; few faint clay films on the faces of peds; common sand size mica flakes; 10 percent pebbles dominantly 1/4 to 3 inches in diameter neutral; gradual smooth boundary. (3 to 15 inches thick)
C--42 to 60 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) sandy clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; massive; hard, friable, slightly sticky; many sand size mica flakes; 10 percent pebbles dominantly 1/8 to 3 inches in diameter; neutral.
TYPE LOCATION: Jefferson County, Colorado; about one-half mile west of Bergen Park; 1,220 feet south and 720 feet west of the NE corner of Sec. 19, T. 4 S., R. 71 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: Ustic moisture regime
Mean annual soil temperature: 41 to 45 degrees F
Mean summer soil temperature: 52 to 58 degrees F
Thickness of the mollic epipedon: 7 to 15 inches
Depth to argillic horizon: 7 to 16 inches
Particle-size control section (weighted average):
Clay content: 18 to 35 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 35 percent and mainly 1/4 to 3 inches in diameter.
BA and BC horizons occur in some pedons.
A horizon(s):
Hue: 7.5YR through 2.5Y
Value: 3 through 5, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: sandy loam, loam
Clay content: 8 to 20 percent
Reaction: slightly acid to neutral
Bt horizon(s):
Hue: 7.5YR through 2.5Y
Value: 4 or 5, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 2 through 4
Texture: sandy loam, loam, sandy clay loam, clay loam
Clay content: 18 to 35 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 35
Reaction: moderately acid to neutral
C horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR through 2.5Y
Texture: sandy loam, loam, coarse sandy loam, sandy clay loam
Clay content: 6 to 30 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 35
Reaction: moderately acid to neutral
COMPETING SERIES:
Troutdale soils have a paralithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.
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GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: loamy material weathered from schist, gneiss, and intrusive granitic rock
Landform: mountain slopes and alluvial fans
Slopes: 0 to 45 percent
Elevation: 7,200 to 9,200 feet
Mean annual temperature: 41 to 45 degrees F
Mean annual precipitation: 18 to 22 inches
Frost-free period: <75 days
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Venable, Lucky, and the competing Troutdale soils. Venable soils are poorly drained. Lucky soils have a lithic contack at 20 to 40 inches depth.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow to medium runoff; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for grazing, hayland, recreation, wildlife habitat, and community development. Native vegetation is mainly Arizona fescue, mountain muhly, Parry oatgrass, forbs, shrubs, and occasional ponderosa pine.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Mountainous area of north-central Colorado. The series is of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Golden Area Soil Survey, Jefferson County, Colorado, 1980.
REMARKS:
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Particle-size control section: The zone from 8 to 29 inches. (Argillic horizons)
Mollic epipedon: The zone from 7 to 14 inches.
Argillic horizon: The zone from 8 to 29 inches.
The assignment of the paramicaceous mineralogy class is inferred from lab data from similar soils in the surrounding area and the high observable mica particles in the fine and medium sand fraction.
Taxonomic Version: Eighth Edition, 1998
The mineralogy class was changed from paramicaceous to micaceous in 07/2010 by the National Soil Survey Center on request of the responsible MLRA regional office. The change was necessary based on the eleventh edition of the Keys to Soil Taxonomy, 2010.