LOCATION RIPPLE COEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive Typic Haplocryepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Ripple loam - forested. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated).
A--0 to 4 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate fine and medium granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; 5 percent gravel and 5 percent cobble; slightly acid (pH 6.3); clear smooth boundary. (3 to 6 inches thick)
E1--4 to 7 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate very fine and fine subangular blocky structure, slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; 5 percent gravel and 5 percent cobbles; moderately acid (pH 5.7); clear smooth boundary. (2 to 5 inches thick)
E2--7 to 13 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; 5 percent gravel and 5 percent cobble; moderately acid (pH 5.7); clear wavy boundary. (4 to 8 inches thick)
Bw--13 to 20 inches; light brown (7.5YR 6/4) loam, brown (7.5YR 5/4) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; 5 percent gravel and 5 percent cobble; strongly acid (pH 5.3); clear wavy boundary. (5 to 12 inches thick)
BC--20 to 26 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) light loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; moderate medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky, non-plastic; strongly acid (pH 5.3); clear smooth boundary. (4 to 10 inches thick)
2C1--26 to 37 inches; very pale brown (10YR 8/3) clay loam, pale brown (10YR 6/3) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; strongly acid (pH 5.3); clear smooth boundary. (8 to 15 inches thick)
2C2--37 to 60 inches; very pale brown (10YR 8/2) sandy clay loam, light gray (10YR 7/2) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable slightly sticky, slightly plastic; strongly acid (pH 5.4).
TYPE LOCATION: Rio Blanco County, Colorado; in an unsectionized area, approximately 400 feet east and 250 feet north of the southwest corner of the northwest 1/4 of Sec. 29, T. 2 N., R. 88 W. U.S.G.S. Ripple Creek quad., Lat. 40 degrees, 7 minutes, 12 seconds N., and long. 107 degrees, 17 minutes, 47 seconds W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Mean annual soil temperature ranges from 37 to 42 degrees F. Mean summer soil temperature is 52 to 55 degrees F. Typically these soils are noncalcareous throughout. Depth to the contrasting material with ash ranges from 20 to 40 inches. The solum ranges from 18 to 28 inches thick. Coarse fragments range from 0 to 15 percent throughout the solum and range from 1/8 to 10 inches in diameter. The particle-size control section, in the fine earth fraction has 18 to 27 percent clay, 15 to 40 percent silt and 35 to 60 percent sand. The contrasting material has a sandy texture until moistened and rubbed. It appears medial in nature.
Thc A horizon has hue of 2.5Y or 10YR, value of 4 through 6, 2 through 4, moist and chroma of 2 or 3. Reaction is slightly or moderately acid.
The B horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 4 through 6, 4 or 5, moist and chroma of 3 through 6. Reaction is moderately or strongly acid.
The C horizons have hues of 2.5Y through 7.5YR and are moderately or strongly acid.
COMPETING SERIES: These include the tentative Chetaslina (AK), Knep (ID), Pineisle (CO), and Nimerick (CO) series. Knep soils have consistent k horizons above a paralithic contact at depths of 20 to 40 inches. Pineisle soils lack ash influenced 2C horizons at depths below 20 inches. Nimerick soils have hard bedrock at depths above 40 inches. Chetsalina soils have a mean annual soil temperature of 35 degrees F. or less.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Ripple soils are on high mountain side slopes. Slopes are 0 to 35 percent. These soils formed in basaltic materials over volcanic ash. Elevation ranges from 9,600 to 10,600 feet. At the type location the mean annual precipitation is 25 to 32 inches, the majority of which is received as snowfall. Mean annual temperature is 34 to 40 degrees F. The frost free period is less than 60 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: There are the Angostura, Dunlatop, Mulgon, Seitz, and the competing Tongue River soils. Angostura soils have loamy-skeletal particle-size control sections and are formed mainly from sandstone. Mulgon and Dunlatop soils have a mollic epipedon and the Mulgon soils are derived mainly from sedimentary rock. Seitz soils have a clayey-skeletal particle-size control section.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained slow to medium runoff; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for timber production, wildlife habitat and recreation. Native vegetation is Engelmann spruce, subalpine fir, and Douglas-fir, with an understory of Letterman needlegrass, elk sedge, yarrow, and common juniper.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Mountainous areas of western Colorado. The series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Rio Blanco County, Flat Tops Soil Survey Area, Colorado, October 1984.
REMARKS: This series is being established to separate it from the other Typic Cryochrepts, as a soil that will not meet the requirements of the Andept suborder, yet is affected by the underlying volcanic ash which appears medial in nature. The series name is taken from Ripple Creek Mountain Pass of the survey area. Lab data supports the change in classification at the subgroup level, however it does not support the texture classification of the particle-size control section. Laboratory personnel indicated dispersion was a problem. Lab sample number is S81CO-103-002, sampled in Rio Blanco, Colorado. Diagnostic features include a cambic horizon at 13 to 20 inches. Last revised by state 5/94.
The 01/2008 revision changes the subgroup classification from Typic Eutrocryepts to Typic Haplocryepts.