LOCATION PULPIT COEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-silty, mixed, superactive, mesic Aridic Haplustalfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Pulpit loam, on a southeast facing slope, in nonirrigated cropland at an elevation of 6,680 feet. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
Ap--0 to 7 inches; reddish brown (5YR 5/4) loam, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/4) moist; moderate medium granular structure; soft, very friable; neutral (pH 7.2); clear smooth boundary. (3 to 8 inches thick)
Bt1--7 to 10 inches; reddish brown (5YR 5/4) loam, reddish brown (5YR 4/4) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure parting to moderate fine granular; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few faint clay films on faces of peds and in root channels; few fine pores; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 4 inches thick)
Bt2--10 to 20 inches; reddish brown (5YR 5/4) clay loam, reddish brown (5YR 4/4) moist; weak medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common faint clay films on faces of peds and in root channels; few tubular pores; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear wavy boundary. (7 to 30 inches thick)
Btk--20 to 25 inches; reddish brown (5YR 5/4) loam, reddish brown (5YR 4/4) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few faint clay films on faces of peds and in root channels; common medium calcium carbonate threads and soft masses; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); gradual wavy boundary. (3 to 8 inches thick)
Bk1--25 to 30 inches; reddish brown (5YR 5/4) loam, reddish brown (5YR 4/4) moist; massive; hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common medium calcium carbonate threads and soft masses; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 29 inches thick)
Bk2--30 to 36 inches; pink (7.5YR 8/4) fine sandy loam, pink (7.5YR 7/4) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable; common medium calcium carbonate threads and soft masses; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); abrupt wavy boundary. (0 to 10 inches thick)
2R--36 inches; hard calcareous sandstone.
TYPE LOCATION: Dolores County, Colorado.; about 6 miles northwest of Dove Creek; located in the northeast quarter of sec. 24, T. 41 N., R. 20 W.; Northdale USGS quad; lat. 37 degrees 48 minutes 21 seconds N. and long. 109 degrees 01 minutes 41 seconds E., NAD 27
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture regime: ustic bordering on aridic
Soil temperature regime: mesic
Mean annual soil temperature: 49 to 53 degrees F
Mean summer soil temperature: 66 to 70 degrees F
Depth to lithic contact: 20 to 40 inches
Depth to secondary calcium carbonate: 6 to 20 inches
Particle-size control section:
Clay content: 18 to 35 percent
A horizon:
Hue: 2.5YR to 7.5YR
Value: 4 to 7 and (3 to 6 moist)
Chroma: 2 to 4
Texture: loam, fine sandy loam, silt loam, or sandy loam
Rock fragments: 0 to 10 percent gravel
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 0 to 1 percent
Reaction: neutral or moderately alkaline
Bt horizon:
Hue: 5YR to 10R
Value: 5 to 7 and 3 to 6 (moist)
Chroma: 3 to 6
Texture: clay loam, silty clay loam, loam, silt loam, or sandy clay loam
Rock fragments: 0 to 10 percent gravel
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 0 to 5 percent
Reaction: neutral to moderately alkaline
Bk horizon:
Hue: 5YR to 7.5YR
Value: 5 to 8 (4 to 7 moist)
Chroma: 2 to 4
Texture: loam, fine sandy loam, silt loam, or clay loam
Rock fragments: 0 to 10 percent gravel
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 5 to 10 percent
Reaction: slightly or moderately alkaline
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Altega, Amal, Buick, Chita, Elpedro, Keiser, Klinedraw, Moncha, Oshoto, Roubideau, Sharps, Verde, Wetherill, and Wiley soils. Altega, Amal, Buick, Chita, Elpedro, Keiser, Moncha, Oshoto, Wetherill, and Wiley soils are very deep. Klinedraw and Sharps soils are moderately deep over soft sandstone or shale. Roubideau soils lack carbonates in the lower part of the solum. Verde soils have a fragipan-like horizon.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: eolian material derived from calcareous sandstone
Landform: hills and mesas
Slopes: 2 to 12 percent
Elevation: 6,200 to 7,800 feet
Mean annual air temperature: 46 to 50 degrees F
Mean annual precipitation: 13 to 16 inches
Precipitation is fairly evenly distributed throughout the year with July and August being slightly wetter and June being slightly dryer.
Frost-free period: 100 to 120 days
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Cahona, Gladel, Wetherill, and Sharps series. All soils are found on the same landforms. Gladel soils are shallow over hard bedrock.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: well drained, low to high runoff, moderately slow permeability
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for grazing and for dry or irrigated cropland. Native vegetation is predominantly sagebrush, pinyon, juniper, western wheatgrass, and Indian ricegrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southwest Colorado. LRR D, MLRA 36. This series is of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: La Plata County Area, La Plata County, Colorado. 1982.
REMARKS: Reclassified due to moisture regime change resulting from Four Corners Climate Conference 10/92.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon: The zone from 0 to 7 inches. (Ap horizon)
Argillic horizon: The zone from 10 to 20 inches. (Bt horizon)
Lithic contact: at 36 inches. (R layer)
Particle size control section: The zone from 10 to 25 inches. (Bt, Btk horizon)
Soil Taxonomy Second Edition, 1999