LOCATION TRANSFER COTentative Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Clayey, smectitic, frigid Lithic Haplustalfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Transfer loam - woodland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A--0 to 4 inches; brown (7.5YR 4/2) loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure parting to moderate fine granular; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; 10 percent pebbles; neutral (pH 7.0); clear smooth boundary. (4 to 6 inches thick)
Bt1--4 to 12 inches; reddish brown (5YR 5/4) gravelly clay loam, yellowish red (5YR 4/6) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; very hard, firm, sticky and plastic; common thin clay films on ped faces; 15 percent pebbles; mildly alkaline (pH 7.4); gradual smooth boundary. (3 to 8 inches thick)
Bt2--12 to 16 inches; yellowish red (5YR 5/6) gravelly clay, reddish brown (5YR 4/4) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; very hard, firm, sticky and very plastic; common thin clay films on ped faces; 30 percent pebbles, 5 percent cobbles; mildly alkaline (pH 7.4); abrupt wavy boundary. (4 to 6 inches thick)
R--16 inches; sandstone.
TYPE LOCATION: Montrose County, Colorado; about 1,900 feet east and 2,450 feet south of the northwest corner of Sec. 31, T. 99 N., R. 11 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Mean annual soil temperature ranges from 44 to 47 degrees F., and mean summer soil temperature ranges from 58 to 64 degrees F. Depth to the lithic contact ranges from 10 to 20 inches. Rock fragments are dominantly pebbles, with some cobbles, and range from 0 to 15 percent in the A horizon and from 5 to 35 percent in the Bt horizon. The soil moisture control section is moist in some part more than 70 percent of the time when the soil temperature at 20 inches is greater than 41 degrees F.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 4 or 5, 3 or 4 moist, and chroma of 2 or 3. Reaction is slightly acid or neutral.
The Bt horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 5YR, value of 4 or 5 dry, 4 or 5 moist, and chroma of 4 through 6. Texture ranges from clay loam, gravelly clay, or gravelly clay loam. Clay content ranges from 35 to 50 percent. Reaction is slightly acid to mildly alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: There are currently no other series in this family. The closely related Vamer soils have mixed mineralogy.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Transfer soils are on mesas and benches. Slopes range from 3 to 20 percent. The soils formed in residuum derived from interbedded sandstone and shale. Elevation ranges from 7,000 to 7,800 feet. The mean annual precipitation ranges from 14 to 16 inches. Mean annual air temperature ranges from 42 to 46 degrees F. The frost-free season is 80 to 110 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Loghill soils and moderately deep Mollic Eutroboralfs, with fine, montmorillonitic particle size control sections. The Loghill soils are deep.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; medium runoff; slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for livestock grazing, cordwood production, and wildlife habitat. Native vegetation consists of pinyon pine and Utah juniper with an understory of muttongrass, western wheatgrass, Indian ricegrass, prairie junegrass, Wyoming big sagebrush, Utah serviceberry, bottlebrush squirreltail, threadleaf sedge, mountainmahogany, black sage, Gambel oak, and other perennial forbs.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Western Colorado and possibly eastern Utah. The series is of minor extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES PROPOSED: Ridgway Soil Survey Area; Montrose County, Colorado; 1986.
REMARKS: Last updated by the state 7/89.
Horizons and features recognized in this pedon:
Ochric epipedon: 0 to 4 inches (A horizon)
Argillic horizon: 4 to 16 inches (Bt1 and Bt2 horizons)
Lithic contact: at 16 inches