LOCATION SPRUCEDALE COEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy, micaceous, shallow Ustic Argicryolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Sprucedale gravelly sandy loam, south aspect - grassland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A1--0 to 6 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) gravelly sandy loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; moderate fine granular structure; soft, loose, slightly sticky; 20 percent pebbles; neutral; clear smooth boundary. (3 to 8 inches thick)
B2t--6 to 12 inches; brown to dark brown (10YR 4/3) sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak medium prismatic structure parting to weak medium subangular blocky; hard, very friable, slightly sticky; few thin clay films on the face of peds; 10 percent pebbles; neutral; clear wavy boundary. (5 to 7 inches thick)
Cr--12 inches; dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) weathered micaceous schist.
TYPE LOCATION: Jefferson County, Colorado; approximately 3 miles northwest of the community of Evergreen; 1,400 feet east and 824 feet north of the southwest corner of Sec. 29, T. 4 S., R. 71 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: The soil moisture control section is ustic moisture regime
Mean annual soil temperature: 41 to 45 degrees F
Mean summer soil temperature: 46 to 54 degrees F
Depth to paralithic contact: 10 to 20 inches
Particle-size control section (weighted average):
Rock fragment content: 0 to 35 percent, but dominantly less than 15 percent
A horizon:
Hue: 2.5Y through 7.5YR
Value: 3 through 5, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: sandy loam, loam, or gravelly sandy loam
Reaction: neutral or slightly acid
Bt horizon:
Hue: 2.5Y through 7.5YR
Value: 4 through 6, 3 through 5 moist
Chroma: 2 through 4
Texture: sandy loam, but includes loams and gravelly sandy loams
Clay content: 7 to 18 percent
Reaction: neutral to slightly acid
Cr horizon: weathered micaceous schist, gneiss or granitic rock
COMPETING SERIES: There are no other series in this family.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: mixed, micaceous material
Landform: mountain slopes, toe slopes, and ridges that have a planar or convex surface
Slopes: 0 to 50 percent
Elevation: 7,600 to 10,000 feet
Mean annual temperature: 41 to 43 degrees F
Mean annual precipitation: 17 to 24 inches
Precipitation pattern: wettest months; March, April, May, June; driest months; September and October
Frost-free period: 55 to 75 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Herbman, Kittredge, Rogert, Troutdale, and Venable soils. Herbman soils have more than 35 percent rock fragments throughout the profile and lack an argillic horizon. Kittredge and Troutdale lack soft bedrock within depths of 20 inches. Rogert soils have more than 35 percent rock fragments throughout the profile, lack a B2t horizon, and have a lithic contact within depths of 20 inches. Venable soils are poorly drained and lack soft bedrock within depths of 20 inches.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. Runoff is slow to rapid. Permeability is moderate to moderately rapid.
USE AND VEGETATION: Soils are used for grazing, hayland, recreation, wildlife habitat, and community development. Native vegetation is mainly Arizona fescue, western wheatgrass, mountain muhly, and some forbs and shrubs. In some places there are scattered ponderosa pines.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Mountainous area of Colorado. The series is of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Golden Area Soil Survey, Jefferson County, Colorado, 1980.
REMARKS:
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Series control section: The zone from 0 to 12 inches.
Mollic epipedon: The zone from 0 to 12 inches. (A and Bt horizons)
Bt horizon: The zone from 6 to 12 inches.
Paralithic contact: The contact with 12 inches.
Last updated by the state 9/00.
The mineralogy class was changed from paramicaceous to micaceous in 07/2010 by the National Soil Survey Center on request of the responsible MLRA regional office. The change was necessary based on the eleventh edition of the Keys to Soil Taxonomy, 2010.