LOCATION SPICERTON CO+WYEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic Natric Argicryids
TYPICAL PEDON: Spicerton loamy fine sand grassland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
E--0 to 2 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) loamy fine sand, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak thin platy structure parting to weak fine granules; soft, very friable; 10 percent gravel, mostly on the surface; strongly effervescent; strongly alkaline (pH 8.6); abrupt smooth boundary. (1 to 4 inches thick)
Btn--2 to 10 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) clay, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate medium columnar structure parting to fine angular blocks; slightly hard, friable, very sticky, very plastic; hard, firm; thin continuous wax-like coatings on faces of peds and in root channels and pores; strongly effervescent; very strongly alkaline (pH 9.4); clear wavy boundary. (4 to 12 inches thick)
Btnz--10 to 12 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) clay, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak medium prismatic structure parting to fine angular blocks; hard, very friable, sticky, plastic; peds are extremely hard, firm; glossy patches on faces of peds, and in root channels; strongly effervescent; very strongly alkaline (pH 9.4); visible secondary accumulation of soluble salts as crystals and concretions; diffuse wavy boundary. (2 to 4 inches thick)
Cnz--12 to 60 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) clay, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; massive; extremely hard, very firm, sticky, plastic; visible soluble salts as crystals, concretions and in seams and streaks; strongly effervescent; very strongly alkaline (pH 9.0)
TYPE LOCATION: Jackson County, Colorado; about 5 miles southwest of Walden; 875 feet south and 700 feet west of N 1/4 corner Sec. 10, T. 8 N., R. 80 W.; Pearl USGS quad; approximate lat. 40 degrees 41 minutes 5 seconds N. and long. 106 degrees 21 minutes 46 seconds W., NAD 83
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Mean annual soil temperature is about 42 degrees F. and mean summer soil temperature is about 55 degrees F. Unless eroded, these soils have thin but continuous E horizons above the natric horizon. Thin A horizons occur above the E horizon in some pedons. Depth to uniformly calcareous material ranges from 0 to 6 inches. Depth to the base of the argillic horizon ranges from 6 to 12 inches. Depth to continuous subhorizons of visible secondary salt accumulation ranges from 5 to 10 inches, but such horizons are not strong enough to qualify as salic horizons and do not occur in all pedons. ESP either remains constant or increases with depth ranging from 15 to 30 percent in the natric horizon but exceeds 30 percent in the Cz horizon of some pedons. Conductivity is usually less than 4 mmhos and does not exceed 16 mmhos within the solum. Mottling within the control section not due to the segregation of lime or other soluble salt ranges from no mottling to a few faint mottles with chroma of more than 2 in both matrix and mottles. Rock fragments range from 0 to 15 percent by volume in a major part of the solum and C horizon above 40 inches and are mainly 1/4 to 10 inches in diameter.
The E horizon has hue of 5Y through 7.5YR, value of 5 through 8 dry, 4 through 7 moist, and chroma of 1 through 4. It ranges from slightly alkaline to very strongly alkaline.
The Bt horizon has hue of 5Y through 7.5YR, value of 4 through 7 dry, 3 through 6 moist, and chroma of 1 through 6. It is typically clay loam, silty clay loam or clay, and averages 35 to 60 percent clay, 10 to 50 percent silt, and 15 to 45 percent sand with more than 15 percent fine or coarser sand. This horizon ranges from moderately alkaline to very strongly alkaline.
The C horizon has hue of 5Y through 7.5YR. It is typically loam, clay loam or clay. This horizon ranges from moderately alkaline to very strongly alkaline and has 3 to 14 percent calcium carbonate equivalent.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Absher (MT), Abston (WY), Creed (MT), Elloam (MT), Gerdrum (MT), Loburn (SD), Oburn (MT), Thoeny (MT), and Weingart (MT) series. Absher series have mean summer soil temperature greater than 59 degrees F. Abston and Weingart soils have a paralithic contact above 40 inches. Creed, Gerdrum and Loburn soils have lime at depths in excess of 12 inches. Elloam soils are neutral to moderately alkaline in the Bt horizon and have vesicular crusted surface horizons. Oburn and Thoeny soils have solums more than 12 inches thick to the base of the argillic horizon. In addition, Oburn soils have a loamy-skeletal substratum at depths of less than 40 inches. Thoeny soils are neutral to moderately alkaline in the Bt horizon.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Spicerton soils are on broad stream bottoms or upland drainage channels. Slopes typically range from 0 to about 6 percent. These soils formed in fine textured parent sediments derived principally from sedimentary rock. At the type location, the mean annual precipitation is 9 to 12 inches. The mean annual temperature is 36 degrees F. and the mean summer temperature is 56 degrees F. Elevations range from 7,800 to 8,300 feet. The frost-free period is 30 to 50 days. In Utah, mean annual air temperature is 42 to 45 degrees F. and frost-free period is 60 to 90 days at elevations of 6,200 to 7,200 feet.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Boettcher and Forelle soils. Boettcher soils lack a natric horizon and have a paralithic contact at depths of 20 to 40 inches. Forelle soils are fine-loamy and lack a natric horizon.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well to moderately well drained; high runoff; slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used principally as native pasture land. In most areas they are covered by nearly barren spots interspersed with thin grass stands.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: High mountain valleys of north-central and western Colorado and northeastern parts of Utah. The series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Jackson County, Colorado, 1973.
REMARKS: Last updated by the state 11/88.
Horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon: 0 to 2 inches (E horizon)
Natric horizon: 2 to 12 inches (Btn and Btnz horizons)