LOCATION HIGH COTentative Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Typic Argiustolls
TYPICAL PEDON: High loam, 5 percent slope in grassland at an elevation of 7800 feet. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A--0 to 3 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; many very fine and fine roots; many very fine and fine pores; slightly effervescent; 5 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; 5 percent gravel; slightly alkaline (7.4); abrupt smooth boundary. (3 to 15 inches thick)
Ak--3 to 8 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, moderately sticky, moderately plastic; few very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine pores; slightly effervescent; few fine calcium carbonate masses; 5 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; 5 percent gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 7 inches thick)
Btk1--8 to 13 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) clay loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; hard, friable, moderately sticky, moderately plastic; few very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine pores; common faint clay films on faces of peds; slightly effervescent; common fine calcium carbonate masses; 5 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; 5 percent gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); abrupt smooth boundary.
Btk2--13 to 16 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) clay loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; hard, friable, moderately sticky, moderately plastic; few very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine pores; common faint clay films on faces of peds; strongly effervescent; common fine calcium carbonate masses; 5 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; 5 percent gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); abrupt smooth boundary. (combined Bt horizons: 5 to 10 inches thick)
Bk1--16 to 20 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; hard, very friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; few very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine pores; strongly effervescent; many fine calcium carbonate masses; 12 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; 5 percent gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); clear smooth boundary. (4 to 8 inches thick)
Bk2--20 to 26 inches; light gray (10YR 7/2) loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; massive; hard, friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; few very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine pores; violently effervescent; many fine calcium carbonate masses; 16 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; 5 percent gravel; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear smooth boundary.
Bk3--26 to 44 inches; very pale brown (10YR 8/2) loam, light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) moist; massive; hard, friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; few very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine pores; violently effervescent; many fine calcium carbonate masses; 18 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; 5 percent gravel; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear smooth boundary. (combined Bk2 and Bk3 horizons: 12 to 25 inches)
Bk4--44 to 60 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; few very fine and fine pores; strongly effervescent; few fine calcium carbonate masses; 6 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; 10 percent gravel; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0).
TYPE LOCATION: Teller County, Colorado; located about 750 feet south and 625 feet west of the northeast corner of sec. 25, T. 15 S., R. 71 W.; High Park USGS quad; 4286060 N., 475790 E., Zone 13
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: typic ustic moisture regime
Mean annual soil temperature: 44 to 46 degrees F
Mean summer soil temperature: 59 to 65 degrees F
Particle-size control section (weighted average):
Clay content: 27 to 35 percent
Sand content: 25 to 40 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 10 percent gravel
A horizon:
Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR
Value: 4 or 5, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 3 or 4, 2 or 3 moist
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 0 to 10 percentRock fragments: 0 to 10 percent
Reaction: neutral or slightly alkaline
Ak horizon (if present):
Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR
Value: 4 or 5, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 3 or 4, 2 or 3 moist
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 5 to 10 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 10 percent
Reaction: neutral or slightly alkaline
Btk horizons:
Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR
Value: 4 through 6, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 2 through 4, 3 or 4 moist
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 5 to 10 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 10 percent
Bk horizons:
Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR
Value: 5 through 8, 4 through 7 moist
Chroma: 2 through 4, 2 through 4 moist
Texture:
Upper Bk horizons: loam
Middle and lower Bk horizons: sandy loam or loam
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 15 to 35 percent in some part of the Bk horizons (weighted average)
Rock fragments: 0 to 10 percent
Reaction: slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline
COMPETING SERIES:
Absarook,
Beeno,
Burtoner,
Clancy,
Gurney,
Hoppers,
Jeffcity,
Maudlin,
Moen,
Pianohill,
Placerton,
Reeder,
Reedwest, and
Watrous soils: have a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches
Beartooth soils: have greater than 35 percent rock fragments below the Bk horizons
Bielenberg,
Bookcliff,
Snakejohn,
Ulrant soils: have a lithic contact at 40 to 60 inches
Clasoil,
Kokoruda,
Trag,
Tragmon, and
Trazuni soils: lack a Bk horizon
Dooley,
Felor,
Greenway,
Hangdo,
Hyalite,
Livona,
Meagher, and
Sipple soils: have a lithologic discontinuity
Empedrado,
Farnuf,
Vida,
Williams, and
Yegen soils: lack a calcic horizon
Fairfield soils: base of the argillic is above 10 inches depth
Martinsdale soils: not moist in some part of the moisture control section in July and August
Sponseller soils: have hues redder than 7.5YR in the Bt horizon
Watne soils: have less sand in the Bt horizon
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: alluvium
Landform: swale
Slopes: 3 to 20 percent
Elevation: 7400 to 8600 feet
Mean annual air temperature: 42 to 44 degrees F
Mean annual precipitation: 14 to 16 inches
Precipitation pattern: peak periods of precipitation occur during July and August
Frost-free period: 80 to 100 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Highpark, Cathedral, and Corpen series. The Highpark soils are on bedrock controlled knobs. The Cathedral soils are on mountains. The Corpen soils are on pediments.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: well drained, high runoff, moderately slow permeability
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used mainly for grassland. Potential native vegetation is mainly Arizona fescue, mountain muhly, Parrys oatgrass, green needlegrass, western wheatgrass, and blue grama.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Central Colorado; LRR E, MLRA 48A; moderate
extent
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Lakewood, Colorado
SERIES PROPOSED: Teller County, Colorado, Teller-Park soil survey area, 2004
REMARKS:
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Particle-size control section: zone from 8 to 16 inches
Mollic epipedon: zone from 0 to 13 inches
Argillic horizon: zone from 8 to 16 inches
Calcic horizon: zone from 20 to 44 inches
Taxonomic Version: Ninth edition Keys to Soil Taxonomy, 2003