LOCATION SWISSVALE COEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, frigid Lithic Ustic Haplargids
TYPICAL PEDON: Swissvale very gravelly sandy loam - woodland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A--0 to 2 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) very gravelly sandy loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; moderate medium granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; 45 percent pebbles, 5 percent cobble; neutral (pH 7.2); abrupt smooth boundary. (2 to 8 inches thick)
BA--2 to 5 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) very gravelly sandy clay loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; 45 percent pebbles, 10 percent cobble; neutral (pH 7.0); clear smooth boundary. (2 to 5 inches thick)
Bt--5 to 9 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) very gravelly clay loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; moderate coarse subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, sticky and slightly plastic; common prominent clay films on faces of peds and lining pres; 45 percent pebbles, 10 percent cobble; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear smooth boundary. (3 to 12 inches thick)
Cr--9 to 19 inches; weathered calcareous siltstone. Secondary calcium carbonate occurs as thin pendants on rock fragments and lining fractures. (2 to 10 inches thick)
R--19 inches; fractured, hard siltstone.
TYPE LOCATION: Fremont County, Colorado; about 600 feet east and 2,200 feet north of the southwest corner of Sec. 17, T. 49 N., R. 10 E. U.S.G.S. Salida East quad.; Lat. 38 degrees, 30 minutes, 06 seconds N.; Long. 105 degrees, 53 minutes, 42 seconds W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Average annual soil temperature ranges from 44 to 47 degrees F., and average summer soil temperature ranges from 59 to 64 degrees F. Depth to the lithic contact is 8 to 20 inches below the surface. Bedrock is sandstone or siltstone. Rock fragments range from 35 to 80 percent and are mainly subangular to channery in shape and are both pebble and cobble size. Small breakable sandstone and siltstone chips are present in some pedons. Reaction is neutral or mildly alkaline.
The A & BA horizons have hue of 2.5Y to 7.5YR, value of 5 or 6, 4 or 5 moist, and chroma of 2 through 4.
The Bt horizon has a hue of 2.5Y to 7.5YR, value of 5 or 6, 4 or 5 moist, and chroma of 3 or 4. It is typically very gravelly sandy clay loam, very gravelly clay loam, or very gravelly sandy loam. Clay content is 18 to 35 percent.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Coaldale (CO) and the Worfstone (WY) series. Coaldale soils have a consistent k horizon. Worfstone soils have a consistent calcic horizon and have colder mean annual air temperature.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Swissvale soils are on mountain slopes at elevations of 7,300 to 8,700 feet. Slope ranges from 10 to 60 percent. The soils formed in residuum of weathered sandstone and siltstone. Average annual precipitation ranges from 12 to 16 inches. Average annual air temperature is 43 to 46 degrees F. The frost-free period ranges from 85 to 115 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Bronell and Rentsac soils. Bronell soils lack a paralithic or lithic contact above a depth of 60 inches and have a calcic horizon. Rentsac soils lack an argillic horizon.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; rapid runoff; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: They are used for woodland, wildlife habitat, and recreation. Native vegetation is mainly pinyon-juniper woodland with a sparse understory of true mountain mahogany, Indian ricegrass, Scribner needlegrass, and blue grama.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Mountain areas and high foothill of central Colorado. The series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Fremont County (Fremont County Area), Colorado, 1988.
REMARKS: This revision updates the classification from a Borollic Lithic subgroup to be compatible with the 1994 Amendments to Soil Taxonomy. Diagnostic features and horizons recognized in this soil include an ochric epipedon from 0 to 5 inches; an argillic horizon from 5 to 9 inches; Cr horizon from 9 to 19 inches; a lithic contact at 19 inches; over 35 percent rock fragments in the texture control section; an ustic aridic moisture regime; and a frigid temperature regime. Last updated by the state 8/95.
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.