LOCATION PIERIAN COEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy-skeletal, mixed Ustic Haplocryolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Pierian very stony sandy loam, grassland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A1--O to 8 inches, grayish brown (1OYR 5/2) very stony sandy loam; very dark grayish brown (1OYR 3/2) when moist; moderate, fine, granular structure; soft, very friable; 60 percent stones; neutral; gradual, wavy boundary. (5 to 10 inches thick)
C--8 to 60 inches, pale brown (1OYR 6/3) very stony loamy sand, dark brown (1OYR 4/3) when moist; single grained; loose; 70 percent stones; neutral.
TYPE LOCATION: Gunnison County, Colorado; NW 1/4 Sec. 23, T. 51 N., R. 85 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: These soils typically are noncalcareous to depths of more than 60 inches but depth to uniformly calcareous material ranges from 40 to more than 60 inches. Base saturation ranges from 80 to 100 percent. The control section is very stony loamy sand or very stony sand. Rock fragments range from 35 to 80 percent in a major part of the control section and are mainly 10 to 24 inches in diameter. The soil ranges from slightly acid to mildly alkaline.
The A horizon has hue of 2.5Y through 7.5YR, value of 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist, and chroma of 1 through 3.
The C horizon has hue of 2.5Y through 7.5YR.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Bearmouth, Collier, Halford, Ledgefork, and Tine series. Bearmouth soils are calcareous at depths of less than 40 inches and have a moderately coarse textured upper control section. Collier soils occur in areas of high winter precipitation, have coarse fragments mainly of gravel size, and have a significant component of volcanic ash and other pyroclastic material. Halford soils have a large content of cinders and other pyroclastic material and most of the coarse fragments are smaller than 3 centimeters. Ledgefork soils have a large proportion of coarse angular sand and have coarse fragments that are predominantly gravel. Tine soils have moderately coarse textured upper control sections more than 12 inches thick and have coarse fragments predominantly less than 10 inches in diameter.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Pierian soils are on alluvial fans, high terraces, or glacial outwash plains. They formed in alluvial or glacial outwash parent materials. Slope gradients range from 0 to about 6 percent. At the type location the average annual precipitation is 17 inches. The mean annual temperature is 36 degrees F., and the mean summer temperature is 50 degrees F., without an 0 horizon.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Troutville soils and the competing Tine soils. Troutville soils have albic horizons and discontinuous argillic horizons.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Excessively drained; slow runoff; rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used principally as native pastureland. They are used for recreational purposes in some areas. Native vegetation is mainly sagebrush and grasses.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Mountain valleys of central Colorado. The series is of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Gunnison County, Colorado, 1974.
REMARKS: Last updated by the state 8/74.