LOCATION TATERHEAP COEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive Pachic Haplocryolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Taterheap loam - Aspen Woodland (colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted. Textures and reactions are field estimates.)
A1--0 to 6 inches; very dark gray (10YR 3/1) loam, black (10YR 2/1) moist; moderate very fine and fine granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; 10 percent pebbles; neutral (pH 7.0); gradual smooth boundary. (4 to 8 inches thick)
A2--6 to 14 inches; dark gray (10YR 4/1) loam, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure parting to moderate fine granular; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; 5 percent pebbles; neutral (pH 7.0); gradual smooth boundary. (6 to 20 inches thick)
AC--14 to 42 inches; gray (10YR 5/1) loam, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) moist; moderate fine and medium crumb and granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; 5 percent pebbles; neutral (pH 7.0); clear wavy boundary. (8 to 28 inches thick)
2C--42 to 60 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) very cobbly clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; massive; hard, friable, sticky and plastic; 30 percent pebbles and 20 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 6.8).
TYPE LOCATION: Gunnison County, Colorado; along Forest Route 814 in the southwest quarter of the southwest quarter of Sec. 24, T. 51 N., R. 5- 1/2 W. Latitude: 38 degrees, 40 minutes, 8 seconds north; Longitude: 107 degrees, 28 minutes, 10 seconds west.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Some pedons have an organic layer at the surface.
Soil moisture regime: udic bordering on ustic.
Mean annual soil temperature: ranges from 38 to 44 degrees F.
Mean annual summer soil temperature: ranges from 46 to 52 degrees F.
Thickness of the mollic epipedon: 16 to 50 inches
Depth to the discontinuity with loamy-skeletal material: 40 to 60 inches.
Particle-size control section:
Clay content: 20 to 35 percent
Rock fragment content: 0 to 15 percent
A horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 3 through 5 dry, 1 through 3 moist
Chroma: 1 through 3, dry or moist
Texture (fine earth fraction): clay loam, sandy clay loam, or loam
Reaction: slightly acid or neutral.
Present in some pedons: a Bw (cambic) horizon or a C1 horizon.
2C horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 4 through 7 dry, 3 through 5 moist
Chroma: 2 through 4, dry or moist
Texture (fine earth fraction): clay loam, sandy loam, sandy clay loam, or loam
Rock fragment content: 20 to 60 percent.
Reaction: slightly acid or neutral.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Adel and Ohbejoyful series. In addition, the following series may be competitors when their CEC activity class is updated: the Argee, Bullbasin, Bullrey, Duff, Gallatin, Hackwood, Karlan, Lamphier, Leavittville, Lespate, Mundos, Pavohroo, Rhone, Secondset, Strickland, and Winevada series.
Adel,
Duff,
Lamphier, and
Ohbejoyful soils do not have a discontinuity with skeletal material.
Argee soils have a paralithic contact above 40 inches.
Bullbasin,
Karlan,
Lespate, Pahvohroo,
Rhone,
Secondset,
Strickland, and
Winevada soils have a lithic contact within 60 inches.
Bullrey and
Hackwood soils have a presumed xeric moisture regime.
Gallatin,
Leavittville, and
Mundos soils have horizons of secondary carbonate accumulation.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: formed in slope alluvium and colluvium derived from andesite, rhyolite, tuff, and breccia.
Landform: the tops and side slopes of mesas, mountains, ridges, and structural benches.
Slopes: 1 to 65 percent.
Elevation: 7,800 to 10,200 feet.
Mean annual air temperature: 34 to 42 degrees F.
Mean annual precipitation: 24 to 35 inches.
Frost-free period: 50 to 70 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Cochetopa, Granile, and Poleline series. The Cochetopa soil is fine textured and has an argillic horizon. Granile soils have an ochric epipedon. Poleline soils are skeletal in the particle-size control sections.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; medium runoff; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: This soil is used for summer livestock grazing, recreation, and wildlife habitat. Principal native vegetation is quaking aspen, snowberry, lupine, aspen peavine, elk sedge, smooth brome, nodding bromegrass, and blue wildrye.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: West Central Colorado and Southwestern Colorado, LRR E, MLRA 48A. This series is of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Gunnison County (Grand Mesa-West Elk Soil Survey Area), Colorado, 1997.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon (pachic feature): from 0 to 42 inches (A1, A2, and AC horizons)
Particle-size control section: The zone from 10 to 40 inches (part of the A2 and AC horizons)
Keys to Soil Taxonomy: Series classified according to Seventh Edition, 1996.
The superactive CEC activity class is presumed for this series based on the general trend indicated by lab data throughout this region. Laboratory data suggests some influence from volcanic glass in this profile, but evidence for a Vitrandic subgroup is inconclusive.
ADDITIONAL DATA: This pedon was characterized by the National Soil Survey Lab; soil survey sample number S85C0-051-003.