LOCATION LUSTER COTentative Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy, mixed, mesic Ustic Torriorthents
TYPICAL PEDON: Luster loamy fine sand , on a north facing, convex, 8 percent slope in pastureland at an elevation of 5470 feet. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.) When described on August 16, 1988 the soil was dry below a depth of 12 inches.
Ap1--0 to 3 inches; light brown (7.5YR 6/4) loamy fine sand, reddish brown (5YR 4/3) moist; weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common fine roots; neutral; abrupt smooth boundary. (3 to 12 inches thick)
Ap2--3 to 8 inches; light brown (7.5YR 6/4) fine sandy loam, reddish brown (5YR 4/4) moist; weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common fine roots; neutral; clear smooth boundary. (0 to 8 inches thick)
AB--8 to 12 inches; light brown (7.5YR 6/4) fine sandy loam, reddish brown (5YR 4/4) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common fine roots; neutral; abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 6 inches thick)
Bk1--12 to 32 inches; yellowish red (5YR 5/6) loamy fine sand, reddish brown (2.5YR 4/4) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine roots; 10 percent gravel; slightly effervescent, calcium carbonates segregated in few rounded fine soft masses and concretions and disseminated, 5 percent calcium carbonate equivalent, slightly alkaline; clear wavy boundary. (10 to 30 inches thick)
Bk2--32 to 45 inches; yellowish red (5YR 5/6) loamy fine sand, red (2.5YR 5/6) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine roots; slightly effervescent, calcium carbonates segregated in few rounded fine soft masses and concretions and disseminated, 5 percent calcium carbonate equivalent, moderately alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 10 inches thick)
Bk3--45 to 80 inches; light reddish brown (5YR 6/4) loamy fine sand, light reddish brown (2.5YR 6/4) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine roots; slightly effervescent, calcium carbonates segregated in few rounded fine soft masses and concretions and disseminated, 5 percent calcium carbonate equivalent, moderately alkaline. (20 to 40 inches thick)
TYPE LOCATION: Mesa County, Colorado; about 17 miles west of Glade Park; located about 100 feet east and 2250 feet north of the southwest corner of sec. 17, T. 12 S., R. 104 W.; Westwater Utah, Colorado USGS quad; lat. 39 degrees 1 minutes 19 seconds N. and long. 109 degrees 2 minutes 52 seconds W., NAD 1927
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture regime: Aridic moisture regime bordering on Ustic.
Soil temperature regime: Mesic
Mean annual soil temperature: 47 to 49 degrees F
Particle-size control section: 5 to 10 percent clay
Depth to secondary calcium carbonate: 10 to 15 inches
A horizon:
Hue: 5YR to 10YR
Value: 5 to 7 dry, 4 to 6 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4
Texture: LFS, FSL
Rock fragments: 0 to 5 percent sandstone gravels
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 0 to 3 percent
Reaction: Neutral to slightly alkaline
AB horizon, if present:
Hue: 5YR to 10YR
Value: 5 to 7 dry, 4 to 6 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4
Texture: FSL
Rock fragments: 0 to 5 percent sandstone gravels
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 0 to 3 percent
Reaction: Neutral to slightly alkaline
Bk horizon:
Hue: 2.55YR to 7.5YR
Value: 5 to 7 dry, 4 to 6 moist
Chroma: 2 to 6
Texture: LFS
Rock fragments: 0 to 5 percent sandstone gravels
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 3 to 8 percent
Reaction: Slightly alkaline to moderately alkaline
COMPETING SERIES: There are no know competing series within this family.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Luster soils.
Parent material: Slope alluvium derived from fine grained sandstone.
Landform: Footslopes.
Slopes: 1 to 12 percent
Elevation: 5400 to 6500 feet
Mean annual air temperature: 48 to 51 degrees F
Mean annual precipitation: 10 to 13 inches.
Wettest months: August.
Driest months: June and July.
Frost-free period: 120 to 150 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Yarts and Escavada series. Yarts soils are coarse loamy. Escavada soils are moderately well drained soils on floodplains.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Excessively well drained, slow runoff, moderately rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for rangeland, pastureland, and wildlife habitat. Native vegetation consists of needleandthread, sand dropseed, Indian ricegrass, and Wyoming big sagebrush.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Luster soils occur in western Colorado. LRR D, MLRA 34B. This series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES PROPOSED: Mesa county, Colorado. Mesa County Soil Survey Area. The name is taken from an old homestead in the area.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon: The zone from 0 to 12 inches.
Taxonomy Version: 7th Edition 1996