LOCATION NAMELA COEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive Pachic Haplocryolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Namela channery loam-Aspen woodland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A1--0 to 4 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) channery loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate very fine granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; 20 percent channers; slightly acid (pH 6.2); clear smooth boundary. (2 to 6 inches thick)
A2--4 to 18 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) very channery loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; 55 percent channers; slightly acid (pH 6.2); clear smooth boundary. (12 to 16 inches thick)
Bw--18 to 32 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) very cobbly loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; moderate very fine to medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; 55 percent angular rock fragments; neutral (pH 6.6). (4 to 24 inches thick)
R--32 inches; hard fractured sandstone.
TYPE LOCATION: Rio Blanco County, Colorado; 1,400 feet south and 1,250 feet west of the northeast corner of Sec. 28, T. 1 N., R. 91 W. U.S.G.S. Fawn Creek quad.; Lat. 40 degrees, 1 minute, 46 seconds N.; Long. 107 degrees, 35 minutes, 58 seconds W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Mean annual soil temperature is 40 to 44 degrees F. Bedrock is at a depth of 20 to 40 inches. Thickness of the mollic epipedon ranges from 16 to 20 inches, but extends to 30 inches in some pedons. Rock fragments in individual horizons range from 20 to 85 percent and are dominantly channers, but may be cobbles and stones in some pedons. The clay content of the particle-size control section ranges from 18 to 27 percent. The moisture control section is usually moist for 60 days following the summer solstice.
The A horizon has hue of 2.5Y through 10YR, value of 3 through 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist, and chroma of 2 or 3. Rock fragments range from 20 to 60 percent and are mainly channers, but cobble and stones are included. Reaction is slightly acid or neutral.
The Bw horizon has hue of 2.5Y through 10YR, value of 4 through 6 dry, 3 through 5 moist, and chroma of 3 or 4. Content of rock fragments, mainly angular cobbles or stones is 35 to 85 percent. Reaction is slightly acid or neutral. Textures are loam or fine sandy loam.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Behanin (UT), Belsac (NV), Blanca (NM), Busterback (ID), Caballo (NM), Campone (CA), Croesus (NV), Darland (WA), Dateman (UT), Gateview (CO), Hapgood (NV), Harcany (NV), Hobacker (WY), Lionhead (ID), Lolon (MT), Marcetta (MT), Nagitsy (ID), Nazaton (ID), Nevtah (NV), Papaspila (CO), Poleline (UT), Povey (ID), Prong (OR), Snag (CA), Snopoc (NV), Spearhead (WY), and Splitbutte (ID) series. The Behanin, Blanca, Busterback, Caballo, Campone, Darland, Gateview, Hapgood, Harcany, Hobacker, Lionhead, Marcetta, Nazaton, Papaspila, Poleline, Povey, Snopoc, and Spearhead soils lack bedrock above depths of 40 inches. The Belsac and Croesus soils have uniform k horizons at depths below 20 inches and reactions of slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline. Dateman soils have slightly alkaline reactions less than 15 percent fine sand and coarser. Lolon soils lack bedrock above 40 inches, but have sandy-skeletal material at depths of 20 to 40 inches. Nagitsy soils have moisture control sections that are dry in most parts for at least 60 consecutive days following the summer solstice in July, August, and September when the soil temperature is greater than 41 degrees F. Nevtah soils lack cambic layers that have dominantly gravel sized coarse fragments and have moisture control sections that are usually dry in summer and autumn. Prong and Splitbutte soils have less than 18 percent clay in the particle-size control section. Snag soils have hard bedrock at depths of 40 to 60 inches and stones rather than cobbles dominating the particle-size control section. In addition, the moisture control section is dry more than 60 consecutive days during late summer and autumn.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Namela series are on side slopes, mesa tops, and low ridges. They formed in residuum and colluvium derived from interbedded sandstone and shale and in places from basaltic glacial till. Slopes range from 0 to 65 percent. Elevation ranges from 7,000 to 10,700 feet. At the type location average annual precipitation ranges from 20 to 40 inches with about 50 percent occurring as snow. The average annual temperature ranges from 32 to 42 degrees F.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Adel, Gothic, Rhone, and Splitro series. Adel, Gothic, and Rhone series are deep and have coarse fragment contents less than the Namela series. The Splitro series is shallow and averages less than 35 percent coarse fragments in the particle-size control section.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; medium to rapid runoff; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used mainly as native rangeland. Principal vegetation is aspen, serviceberry, snowberry, big sagebrush, Colorado blue wildrye, Idaho fescue, needlegrasses, meadowrue, yarrow, and Indian paintbrush.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northwestern Colorado. The series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Rio Blanco County (Flat Tops Area), Colorado, 1984.
REMARKS: Diagnostic features include a mollic epipedon from 0 to 18 inches, a cambic horizon from 18 to 32 inches and a lithic contact at 32 inches. Last updated by the state 5/94.