LOCATION MAYBELL COEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Mixed, frigid Ustic Torripsamments
TYPICAL PEDON: Maybell sand - rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A--0 to 3 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) sand, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; weak medium granular structure parting to single grains; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; neutral (pH 6.8); abrupt smooth boundary. (2 to 5 inches thick)
AB--3 to 8 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) loamy sand, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; weak medium prismatic structure parting to weak coarse subangular blocky; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; neutral (pH 7.2); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 10 inches thick)
Bw--8 to 20 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/3) loamy sand, dark brown (7.5YR 4/3) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; neutral (pH 7.2); diffuse wavy boundary. (0 to 20 inches thick)
C1--20 to 35 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) sand, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; single grain; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; neutral (pH 7.2); diffuse wavy boundary. (10 to 25 inches thick)
C2--35 to 60 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/4) sand, light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) moist; single grain; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; mildly alkaline (pH 7.4).
TYPE LOCATION: Moffat County, Colorado; about 4 miles SW of Maybell, Colorado; 1,500 feet east and 100 feet north of the SW corner of Sec. 23, T. 6 N., R. 96 W. Latitude 40 degrees, 26 minutes, 59 seconds north. Longitude 108 degrees, 8 minutes, 43 seconds west.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Depth to calcareous material is 40 to more than 60 inches. Mean annual soil temperature ranges from 42 to 46 degrees F., and mean summer soil temperature ranges from 63 to 68 degrees F. The moisture control section is usually dry in all parts in July and moist in some parts for 60 cumulative days in August through October when the soil temperature at 20 inches is 41 degrees F. or greater.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 5 to 7, 3 to 6 moist, and chroma of 2 or 3. Texture is sand or loamy fine sand.
The Bw horizon, when present, has a hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 5 through 7, 4 or 5 moist, and chroma of 3 or 4. This horizon is absent in active dunes.
The C horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 6 through 8, 4 through 7 moist, and chroma of 3 through 6. Texture is sand, fine sand, loamy sand, or loamy fine sand. Thin layers, 3 to 5 inches thick, of sandy loam or gravelly sandy loam occur below 40 inches in some pedons.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Coyet (CO), Lamarsh (T)(WY), Trey (SD), Tusler (ND), Yetull (MT), Zeomont (WY), and Zeona (SD) series. Coyet and Yetull soils are calcareous above 40 inches. The Lamarsh series has a lithic contact at depths of 20 to 40 inches. Tusler and Trey series has a paralithic layer at depths of 20 to 40 inches. Zeomont soils are not moist in some parts for 60 cumulative days in August through October. Zeona soils receive most of their moisture in the period from March through June.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Maybell soils are on low hills, breaks, old dunes, and plateaus. Slopes are 1 to 45 percent. At the type location the average annual precipitation ranges 11 to 13 inches. Mean annual temperature is 42 to 45 degrees F., and the mean annual summer temperature is 61 to 65 degrees F. Elevation is 6,000 to 7,300 feet. The frost-free period is 75 to 95 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Rock River, Ryan Park, and Coyet soils. Rock River and Ryan Park have argillic horizons. Coyet has free carbonates above a depth of 40 inches.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Excessively drained; slow runoff; rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used principally as native rangeland. Principal native vegetation is antelope bitterbrush, silver sagebrush, Wyoming big sagebrush, and grasses.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northwestern Colorado. The series is of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Moffat County (Moffat County Area), Colorado, 1991.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizon is an ochric epipedon. The pedon is loamy fine sand or coarser throughout. Last updated by the state 12/90.