LOCATION OHBEJOYFUL         CO
Established Series
DHC/TWH
02/1999

OHBEJOYFUL SERIES


The Ohbejoyful series consist of very deep, moderately well drained soils formed in slope alluvium and alluvium derived from andesite, rhyolite, breccia, or tuff. These soils are on mesa summits, alluvial fans, and along drainageways. Slopes range from 0 to 25 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 32 inches and the mean annual temperature is about 33 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive Pachic Haplocryolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Ohbejoyful loam, on a east facing 12 percent drainageway slope on rangeland at an elevation of 10,880 feet. (colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted. When described on July 12, 1988, the soil was moist throughout.)

A1--0 to 2 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure parting to moderate fine granular; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; 10 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.8); clear smooth boundary.

A2--2 to 11 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; 5 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.6); gradual smooth boundary.

A3--11 to 19 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) gravelly loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; 15 percent gravel, 5 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 6.6); clear wavy boundary. (combined thickness of the A horizons is 16 to 30 inches)

Bw--19 to 24 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) gravelly loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; 20 percent gravel, 10 percent cobbles; slightly acid (pH 6.4); clear wavy boundary. (4 to 12 inches thick)

C1--24 to 34 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) gravelly sandy loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; 20 percent gravel, 5 percent cobbles; slightly acid (pH 6.4); gradual smooth boundary.

C2--34 to 66 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/4) gravelly loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; 20 percent gravel, 10 percent cobbles; slightly acid (pH 6.2).(combined thickness of the C horizons is 24 to 46 inches)

TYPE LOCATION: Gunnison County, Colorado; about 15 miles south of Cimarron, Colorado; within an unsectionized area of Uncompahgre National Forest, estimated to be in Section 14, T. 46 N., R. 6 W.; USGS Sheep Mountain topographic quadrangle; latitude 38 degrees, 14 minutes, 12 seconds north and longitude 107 degrees, 29 minutes, 16 seconds west, NAD 1927.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture regime: udic.
Mean annual soil temperature: 36 to 41 degrees F.
Thickness of mollic epipedon: 16 to 30 inches.
Depth to top of cambic horizon: 16 to 30 inches.

Particle-size control section:
Clay content: 18 to 27 percent clay
Rock fragment content: 5 to 30 percent

A horizons:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 3 to 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 1 or 2 dry or moist
Texture: L, GR-L
Rock fragments: andesite, rhyolite, breccia, or tuff. 0 to 25 percent total rock fragments; 0 to 25 percent gravel, 0 to 10 percent cobbles.

Bw horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 5 to 7 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 3 or 4 dry or moist
Texture: GR-L, L, GR-SCL, SCL
Rock fragments: andesite, rhyolite, breccia, or tuff. 5 to 30 percent total rock fragments; 5 to 30 percent gravel, 0 to 10 percent cobbles.
Reaction: slightly acid (pH 6.1) to neutral (pH 7.3)

C horizons:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 6 or 7 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 3 or 4 dry or moist
Texture: GR-SL, GR-L, L, SL
Rock fragments: andesite, rhyolite, breccia, or tuff. 10 to 35 percent total rock fragments; 10 to 35 percent gravel, 0 to 10 percent cobbles.

COMPETING SERIES: The current competitor is the Adel series; potential competitors when reclassified are the Argee, Bullbasin (T), Bullrey, Duff, Gallatin, Hackwood, Karlan, Lamphier, Leavittville, Lespate, Mundos, Pavohroo, Rhone, Secondset, Strickland, Taterheap (T), Winevada series.

Adel soils do not have rock fragments from volcanic sources.
Argee soils have a paralithic contact above 40 inches.
Bullbasin, Karlan, Lespate, Pahvohroo, Rhone, Secondset, Strickland, and Winevada soils have a lithic contact within 60 inches.
Bullrey, Duff, and Hackwood soils have a presumed xeric moisture regime.
Gallatin, Leavittville, and Mundos soils have horizons of carbonate accumulation.
Lamphier soils have rock fragments from sedimentary rocks.
Taterheap soils have greater than 35 percent rock fragments below a depth of 40 inches.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Ohbejoyful soils formed in slope alluvium and alluvium from andesite, rhyolite, breccia, or tuff on mesa summits, alluvial fans, and along drainageways. These soils are on landform positions that receive additional moisture from overland flow. Slopes range from 0 to 25 percent. Elevation ranges from 10,000 to 11,400 feet. The mean annual temperature is about 31 to 36 degrees F. The mean annual precipitation is about 30 to 35 inches. The frost-free period is 45 to 55 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Bushpark and Sawpit soils. Bushpark soils are on shoulders along drainageways and have a lithic contact above 20 inches. Sawpit soils are on steeper areas, upper part of fans, are over till and have more than 35 percent rock fragments in the particle-size control section.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: moderately well drained; very low to very high runoff; moderate permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: This soil is used for rangeland. Potential native vegetation is tufted hairgrass, red fescue, sheep fescue, and slender wheatgrass. It is in the Wet Subalpine Range Site, RS 253.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Western Colorado in LRR E and MLRA 48A. The series is of small extent.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Ouray Soil Survey Area, Uncompahgre National Forest, Gunnison County, Colorado, 1998. The name comes from Oh-Be-Joyful topographic quadrangle, Oh-Be-Joyful Peak, Oh-Be-Joyful Mine, and Oh-Be-Joyful Pass.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon:

Mollic epipedon: the zone from 0 to 19 inches. (A1 and A2 horizons)
Cambic horizon: the zone from 19 to 24 inches. (Bw horizon)
Particle-size control section: the zone from 10 to 40 inches (part of the A2, the A3, Bw1, Bw2, and part of the C1 horizon)

This pedon was classified in accordance with Keys to Soil Taxonomy, 7th Edition, 1996. The superactive CEC activity class is presumed for this series based on the general trend indicated by lab data throughout this region.


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.