LOCATION SAGRLITE COTentative Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-silty, mixed, superactive, calcareous, mesic Typic Torriorthents
TYPICAL PEDON: Sagrlite loam, cultivated field.
(Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
Ap1--0 to 3 inches; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) moist; massive; hard, friable, sticky and plastic; common very fine and fine roots and few to common medium and coarse roots; common very fine tubular pores and few fine and medium tubular pores; strongly effervescent, disseminated carbonates, 14 percent calcium carbonate equivalent, slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); clear wavy boundary. (3 to 6 inches)
Ap2--3 to 13 inches; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) moist; weak moderate and coarse subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, sticky and plastic; common very fine and fine roots and few to common medium and coarse roots; common very fine tubular pores and few fine and medium tubular pores; strongly effervescent, disseminated carbonates, 15 percent calcium carbonate equivalent, slightly alkaline (pH 7.7); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 10 inches)
C1--13 to 25 inches; light gray (2.5Y 7/2) silt loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, sticky and plastic; common very fine and fine roots and few to common medium and coarse roots; common very fine tubular pores and few fine and medium tubular pores; strongly effervescent, disseminated carbonates, 15 percent calcium carbonate equivalent, moderately alkaline (pH 7.9); clear wavy boundary. (10 to 20 inches)
C2--25 to 35 inches; light gray (2.5Y 7/2) silt loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, sticky and plastic; common very fine and fine roots and few to common medium and coarse roots; common very fine tubular pores and few fine and medium tubular pores; strongly effervescent, disseminated carbonates, 16 percent calcium carbonate equivalent, moderately alkaline (pH 7.9); clear wavy boundary. (12 to 18 inches)
C3--35 to 43 inches; light gray (2.5Y 7/2) silt loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, sticky and plastic; few very fine and fine roots and common medium coarse roots; common very fine tubular pores; strongly effervescent, disseminated carbonates, 16 percent calcium carbonate equivalent, moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear wavy boundary. (8 to 16 inches)
C4--43 to 63 inches; light gray (2.5Y 7/2) silt loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, sticky and plastic; few very fine and fine roots and common medium coarse roots; common very fine tubular pores; strongly effervescent, disseminated carbonates, 16 percent calcium carbonate equivalent, moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear wavy boundary.
TYPE LOCATION: Mesa County, Colorado; 175 feet north and 600 feet west of the southeast corner of sec. 9, T. 2 N., R. 3 W; USGS Highline Lake topographic quadrangle; Latitude: 39 degrees, 15 minutes, 7 seconds north; Longitude: 108 degrees, 48 minutes, 46 seconds west.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Mean annual soil temperature is 52 to 56 degrees F., and mean summer soil temperature is 68 to 74 degrees F. The particle size control section ranges 18 to 27 percent clay with less than 15 percent fine sand or coarser. The soil is calcareous throughout.
The A horizon has a hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 6 or 7 dry, 4 to 6 moist, with chroma of 2 to 4. Texture is loam, silt loam, clay loam, and sandy clay loam. Clay ranges from 18 to 34 percent. Reaction is slightly to moderately alkaline, and effervescence ranges from strong to violent. Calcium carbonate equivalent ranges from 10 to 20 percent. Electrical conductivity ranges from 0 to 4 mmhos/cm.
The C horizon has a hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 6 or 7 dry, 4 to 6 moist, with a chroma of 2 to 4. Texture is silt loam or loam, and less commonly very fine sandy loam, and sandy clay loam with some pedons having layers of silty clay loam. Clay ranges 18 to 34 percent in thin horizons, but the weighted average clay percent in the particle size control section is less than 27 percent. Reaction is slightly to moderately alkaline and effervescence ranges from strong to violent. Calcium carbonate equivalent is 10 to 20 percent. Electrical conductivity ranges from 2 to 8 mmhos/cm. Some pedons contain accumulations of gypsum. Gypsum content is less than 1 percent.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Blueagle (NV), Chumall (NV), Easychair (NV), Killpack (UT), Littlehat (NM), Rosney (NV), Sagers (UT), Sain (T) (UT), Sondoa (NV), Swingler (NV), Timpie (UT), and the Tocito (NM) series. Blueagle soils average more than 27 percent clay in the particle size control section and are moist for 10 to 20 days cumulative following summer convection storms. Chumall soils contain more than 50 percent exchangeable sodium in the B and C horizons and have relict mottles in the 2C horizon. Easychair soils have durinodes in the C horizon. Rosney soils have a mean annual soil temperature of less than 52 degrees F., and contain volcanic ash in some parts. Sagers, Sain, Sondoa, and Tocito soils average 27 to 34 percent clay in the particle size control section. Swingler soils are moderately well drained and contain relict mottles at a depth ranging from 19 to 40 inches. Timpie soils have a mean annual soil temperature ranging down to 49 degrees F., and electrical conductivity values exceeding 16 mmhos/cm are in the B and C horizons. Killpack and Littlehat soils have a paralithic contact above 40 inches.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Sagrlite soils are on alluvial fans and terraces. Slopes range 0 to 5 percent. The soils formed from alluvium derived from shale and sandstone. Elevation ranges from 4500 to 4900 feet. Mean annual precipitation is 7 to 10 inches. The mean annual air temperature is 50 to 54 degrees F. The frost-free period is 150 to 190 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Fruita, Fruitland, Killpack, Sagers, and Turley soils. Fruita soils have 10YR or 7.5YR hues and are fine-loamy. Fruitland soils have 10YR or 7.5YR hues and are coarse-loamy. Killpack soils are 20 to 40 inches deep over shale. Sagers soils have 27 to 34 percent clay in the control section, and Turley soils are fine-loamy.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow runoff; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Sagrlite soils are used primarily for irrigated cropland. Alfalfa, barley, corn, pinto beans, and wheat are the principal crops.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Western Colorado. MLRA 34. This series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES PROPOSED: Mesa County, Colorado (Grand Junction Soil Survey Area), 1993.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - The zone from the soil surface to a depth of about 13 inches. (Ap horizon.)
The superactive cation exchange activity class was added in 03/2003 to the taxonomic classification by the National Soil Survey Center on request of the Lakewood MLRA office, without review of the soil series property data. The remainder of this document has not been updated.
ADDITIONAL DATA: The series type location was sampled for complete characterization by the National Soil Survey Laboratory as pedon S84CO-077-002. Last updated by the state 12/93.
The superactive cation exchange activity class was added in 03/2003 to the taxonomic classification by the National Soil Survey Center on request of the Lakewood MLRA office, without review of the soil series property data. The remainder of this document has not been updated.