LOCATION STEIMER CO
Established Series
Rev. JPP/TWH/KLS
04/2018
STEIMER SERIES
The Steimer series consists of very deep, somewhat poorly drained soils that formed in alluvium derived from mixed sources. Steimer soils are on floodplain steps. Slopes range from 1 to 3 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 356 mm and the mean annual temperature is about 9.4 degrees C.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Oxyaquic Haplustepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Steimer loam, on a west facing, 1 percent slope in cottonwood and big sagebrush at an elevation of 1,859 meters. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.) When described on 4/22/87 the soil was moist from 0 to 112 cm with free water below 112 cm.
A1--0 to 20 cm; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; moderate medium granular structure; friable, soft, slightly sticky, nonplastic; common fine and very fine roots throughout; common fine and very fine tubular pores; 1 percent gravel; slightly effervescent, 2 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); clear smooth boundary. (8 to 25 cm thick)
A2--20 to 30 cm; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) very fine sandy loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; weak medium granular structure; very friable, soft, nonsticky, nonplastic; common fine and very fine roots throughout; common fine and very fine tubular pores; slightly effervescent, 2 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 20 cm thick)
Bw--30 to 58 cm; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure parting to moderate medium granular; friable, soft, nonsticky, nonplastic; common fine and very fine roots throughout; common fine and very fine tubular pores; slightly effervescent, 2 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); clear smooth boundary. (20 to 61 cm thick)
C1--58 to 127 cm; pale brown (10YR 6/3) stratified loam to very fine sandy loam to clay loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; very friable, soft, nonsticky, nonplastic; common fine and very fine roots throughout; common fine and very fine tubular pores; common medium distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of oxidized iron, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; 1 percent gravel; slightly effervescent, 2 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); clear smooth boundary. (51 to 114 cm thick)
2C2--127 to 178 cm; pale brown (10YR 6/3) extremely gravelly loamy sand, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; loose, nonsticky, nonplastic; 65 percent gravel, 10 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 7.0).
TYPE LOCATION: Archuleta County, Colorado; about 12 kilometers east of Arboles; located about 610 meters north and 61 meters east of the southwest corner of Sec. 17, T. 32 N., R. 5 W.; Carracas USGS quad; Lat. 37 degrees, 0 minutes, 58 seconds, N. and Long. 107 degrees, 18 minutes, 55 seconds, W., NAD 27.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mean annual soil temperature: 10.0 to 11.7 degrees C.
Mean summer soil temperature: 17.8 to 18.9 degrees C.
Depth to cambic horizon: 8 to 30 cm
Depth to redox concentrations: 58 to 91 cm
Depth to endosaturation: 58 to 91 cm
Depth to lithologic discontinuity: 100 to 152 cm
Particle-size control section (weighted average):
Clay content: 18 to 25 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 5 percent, mainly gravel
A horizon(s)
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 3 to 5 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3, dry or moist
Texture: loam, very fine sandy loam
Clay content: 10 to 27 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 5 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 1 to 5 percent
Reaction (pH): 7.4 to 8.4
Bw horizon
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3, dry or moist
Texture: loam
Clay content: 15 to 27 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 5 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 1 to 5 percent
Electrical conductivity (mmhos/cm): 0 to 2
Reaction (pH): 7.4 to 8.4
C horizon
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 5 or 6, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3, dry or moist
Texture: stratified sandy loam to loam to clay loam
Clay content: 15 to 30 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 5 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 1 to 5 percent
Electrical conductivity (mmhos/cm): 0 to 2
Reaction (pH): 7.4 to 8.4
2C horizon
Texture: sand, loamy sand
Clay content: 0 to 5 percent
Rock fragments: 30 to 80 percent, mainly gravel and cobble
Reaction (pH): 7.4 to 8.4
COMPETING SERIES:
Tefton (CO) - have a mean annual soil temperature less than 10.0 degrees C.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform - floodplain steps
Elevation - 1,830 to 1,980 meters
Slopes - 1 to 3 percent
Parent material - alluvium derived from mixed sources
Mean annual air temperature - 8.9 to 10.0 degrees C.
Mean annual precipitation - 330 to 380 mm
Precipitation pattern - distributed fairly even throughout the year with May and June being the driest months and July and August being the wettest months
Frost-free period - 120 to 130 days
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: None listed.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat poorly drained, very low runoff, moderate permeability, rarely flooded for brief periods during the months of April and May.
USE AND VEGETATION: Irrigated pasture, livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. Native vegetation is cottonwood trees, willows, tufted hairgrass, Nebraska sedge, and slender wheatgrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southwest Colorado; LRR D, MLRA 36; small extent.
SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES PROPOSED: Archuleta County, Colorado, Archuleta soil survey area, 2005. The name is adapted from Stollsteimer Creek, a creek in the area.
REMARKS:
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Cambic horizon - 30 to 58 cm (Bw horizon)
Redoximorphic concentrations - 58 to 127 cm (C1 horizon)
Endosaturation - 58 to 127 cm (C1 horizon)
Lithologic discontinuity - upper boundary of the 2C2 horizon
Particle-size control section - 25 to 100 cm (part of the A2, Bw, part of the C1 horizons)
Steimer soils are in a mesic temperature regime and have an ustic soil moisture regime with an oxyaquic subgroup.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.