LOCATION SPINTH CO

Established Series
Rev. LC/TWH
05/2011

SPINTH SERIES

The Spinth series consists of very deep, moderately well drained soils that formed in alluvium. Spinth soils are on alluvial flats or flood-plain steps. Slopes range from 0 to 1 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 305 mm (12 inches) and the mean annual temperature is about 3 degrees C (38 degrees F).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, calcareous, frigid Aeric Halaquepts

TYPICAL PEDON: Spinth loam, 1 percent slope in grassland at an elevation of 2653 meters (8705 feet). (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.) Described on September 18, 1992.

A--0 to 10 cm (0 to 4 inches); brown (10YR 5/3) loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak thick platy structure; very hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; 5 percent gravel; violently effervescent; 5 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear smooth boundary. (8 to 15 cm thick)

Bkn1--10 to 20 cm (4 to 8 inches); pale brown (10YR 6/3) loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine carbonate masses in the matrix; 5 percent gravel; violently effervescent; 5 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; very strongly alkaline (pH 9.4); clear smooth boundary.

Bkn2--20 to 41 cm (8 to 16 inches); pale brown (10YR 6/3) gravelly loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine carbonate masses in the matrix; 30 percent gravel; strongly effervescent; 8 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; very strongly alkaline (pH 9.4); abrupt smooth boundary.

Bkn3--41 to 56 cm (16 to 22 inches); very pale brown (10YR 7/3) stratified sandy loam and sandy clay loam, pale brown (10YR 6/3) moist; massive; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine and medium carbonate masses in the matrix and on bottom of rock fragments; 10 percent gravel; strongly effervescent; 7 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; very strongly alkaline (pH 9.6); abrupt wavy boundary.

Bkn4--56 to 86 cm (22 to 34 inches); light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) stratified loam and sandy clay loam, pale brown (10YR 6/3) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) redox concentrations; few fine and medium carbonate masses in the matrix and on bottom of rock fragments; 5 percent gravel; strongly effervescent; 9 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; very strongly alkaline (pH 9.6); abrupt wavy boundary.

Bkn5--86 to 122 cm (34 to 48 inches); light brown (7.5YR 6/4) stratified very gravelly sandy loam and very gravelly sandy clay loam, brown (7.5YR 5/4) moist; massive; hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) redox concentrations; few fine and medium soft masses and coatings on undersides of rock fragments of secondary calcium carbonate; 40 percent gravel, 5 percent cobbles; strongly effervescent; 6 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; very strongly alkaline (pH 9.2); abrupt wavy boundary. (combined thickness of the Bkn horizons: 91 to 140 cm)

2Bk--122 to 152 cm (48 to 60 inches); very pale brown (10YR 7/3) very gravelly loamy sand, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; single grain; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) redox concentrations; few fine and medium soft masses and coatings on undersides of rock fragments of secondary calcium carbonate; 50 percent gravel, 5 percent cobble; strongly effervescent; 6 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; very strongly alkaline (pH 9.2).

TYPE LOCATION: Park County, Colorado; about 13 kilometers (8 miles) east of Hartsel; located about 900 feet south and 1,100 feet east of the northwest corner of Sec. 15, T. 12 S., R. 74 W.; Sulphur Mountain USGS quad; lat. 39 degrees 00 minutes 40 seconds N. and long. 105 degrees 39 minutes 29 seconds W., NAD 27.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: an ustic moisture regime bordering aridic
Mean annual soil temperature: 2.8 to 5.0 degrees C (37 to 41 degrees F.)
Mean summer soil temperature: 10.6 to 14.4 degrees C (51 to 58 degrees F.) cryic regime
Thickness of the ochric epipedon: 8 to 15 cm (3 to 6 inches)
Depth to secondary calcium carbonate: 10 to 20 cm (4 to 8 inches)
Depth to calcic horizon (not in all pedons): 102 to 152 cm (40 to 60 inches)
Depth to redox concentrations: 51 to 76 cm (20 to 30 inches)
Depth to endosaturation: 51 to 76 cm (20 to 30 inches)

Particle-size control section (weighted averages):
Noncarbonate clay content: 18 to 22 percent
Rock fragment content: 15 to 35 percent

A horizon
Value: 4 or 5 dry; 3 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3 dry; 2 or 3 moist
Clay content: 18 to 27 percent
Carbonate clay content: 0 to 1 percent
Gravel content: 5 to 15 percent, indurated
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 3 to 10 percent
Electrical conductivity: 0 to 4 mmhos/cm
Sodium adsorption ratio: 5 to 15
Organic matter content: 1.0 to 3.0 percent

Bkn horizon, upper part
Value: 5 or 6 dry; 4 to 6 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4 dry; 3 or 4 moist
Texture: loam, gravelly loam
Clay content: 18 to 27 percent
Carbonate clay content: 0 to 2 percent
Gravel content: 5 to 35 percent, indurated
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 5 to 10 percent
Electrical conductivity: 0 to 8 mmhos/cm
Sodium adsorption ratio: 15 to 40

Bkn horizon, middle part
Hue: 2.5Y, 10YR, or 7.5YR
Value: 5 to 7 dry; 4 to 6 moist
Chroma: 3 or 4 dry; 3 or 4 moist
Texture: stratified sandy loam to sandy clay loam, stratified loam to sandy clay loam
Clay content: 18 to 30 percent
Carbonate clay content: 0 to 2 percent
Gravel content: 5 to 15 percent, indurated
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 5 to 10 percent
Electrical conductivity: 2 to 8 mmhos/cm
Sodium adsorption ratio: 15 to 40

Bkn horizon, lower part
Hue: 2.5Y, 10YR, or 7.5YR
Value: 5 to 7 dry; 5 or 6 moist
Chroma: 3 or 4 dry; 3 or 4 moist
Texture: stratified very gravelly sandy loam to very gravelly sandy clay loam
Clay content: 18 to 27 percent
Carbonate clay content: 0 to 2 percent
Gravel content: 35 to 55 percent, indurated
Cobble content: 0 to 5 percent cobbles, indurated
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 5 to 10 percent
Electrical conductivity: 2 to 8 mmhos/cm
Sodium adsorption ratio: 3 to 10
Reaction: strongly alkaline or very strongly alkaline (pH 8.5 to 11.0)

2Bk horizon
Hue: 2.5Y, 10YR, or 7.5YR
Value: 5 to 7 dry; 5 or 6 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4 dry; 3 or 4 moist
Clay content: 5 to 10 percent
Carbonate clay content: 0 to 2 percent
Gravel content: 35 to 60 percent
Cobble content: 0 to 5 percent, indurated
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 3 to 6 percent
Electrical conductivity: 2 to 8 mmhos/cm
Sodium adsorption ratio: 3 to 10
Reaction: strongly alkaline or very strongly alkaline (pH 8.5 to 11.0)

COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series in this family. The Saltworks series, in a closely related family, has greater than 35 percent noncarbonate clay.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: alluvium
Landform: alluvial flats or flood-plain steps
Slopes: 0 to 1 percent
Elevation: 2652 to 2743 meters (8700 to 9000 feet)
Mean annual temperature: 2.2 to 3.9 degrees C (36 to 39 degrees F)
Mean annual precipitation: 279 to 330 mm (11 to 13 inches)
Precipitation pattern: Monthly precipitation is lowest in winter and greatest in July and August.
Frost-free period: 50 to 80 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Gebson and Hartbuckle series. The Gebson and Hartbuckle soils are not strongly alkaline or very strongly alkaline. The Gebson soils are on pediments. The Hartbuckle soils are on stream terraces.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Moderately well drained, moderate permeability, rarely flooded during the months of April through August.

USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. Native vegetation consists mainly of alkali sacaton, western wheatgrass, winterfat, inland saltgrass, alkali cordgrass, elk sedge, and alkali bluegrass.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Central Colorado; LRR E, MLRA 48B; small extent.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Park County, Colorado, Teller-Park soil survey area, Colorado, 2010. The name is coined.

REMARKS:
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Series control section: The zone from 0 to 200 cm.
Particle-size control section: The zone from 25 to 100 cm. (part of the Bkn2, Bkn3, Bkn4, part of the Bkn5 horizons)
Ochric epipedon: from 0 to 10 cm. (A horizon)
Calcic horizon: from 122 to 152 cm. (2Bk horizon)
Redoximorphic concentrations and endosaturation: from 56 to 152 cm. (Bkn4, Bkn5, 2Bk horizons)
Secondary carbonates: from 10 to 152 cm. (Bkn1, Bkn2, Bkn3, Bkn4, Bkn5, 2Bk horizons)
Halaquepts feature: High ESP and SAR from 10 to 50 cm (Bkn1, Bkn2, part of Bkn3 horizons), then decreasing ESP and SAR below 86 cm (Bkn5, 2Bk horizons).
Cryic temperature regime

The assignment of the cation-exchange activity class is inferred from lab data from similar soils in the surrounding area.

Taxonomic Version: Classified according to Keys to Soil Taxonomy, 11th Edition, 2010.

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.