Cotopaxi soils and Dune land soilscape; south-central Colorado (Great Sand Dunes National Park)
The Cotopaxi series (foreground) consists of deep, well to somewhat excessively drained soils that formed in eolian sandy alluvium from a variety of sources. Cotopaxi soils are on dune-like topography at the edge of the larger intermountain valleys and have slopes of 0 to 15 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 8 inches and mean annual temperature is about 43 degrees F.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Mixed, frigid Typic Torripsamments
The Cotopaxi soils typically are noncalcareous to depths of more than 60 inches but depth to uniformly calcareous material ranges from 40 to more than 60 inches. Base saturation ranges from 80 to 100 percent. Exchangeable sodium ranges from 0 to 14 percent in a majority of subhorizons of the control section. The 10- to 40-inch control section is loamy sand or sand. Rock fragments range from 0 to 15 percent but typically are less than one percent. They are normally less than 3 inches in diameter but range from 1/8 to 10 inches in diameter. The A and C horizons are neutral or mildly alkaline. Clay content is less than 12 percent and silt ranges from 0 to 15 percent. The mean annual soil temperature ranges 44 degrees to 47 degrees F., and the mean summer soil temperature ranges from 59 degrees to 64 degrees F.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used principally as native pastureland; however, they are used for irrigated grass where spray irrigation is developed. Native vegetation is mainly blue grama, spiney muhly, short and tall rabbitbrush, and greasewood.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: The San Luis Valley Area of south-central Colorado. The series is of moderate extent, about 80,000 acres.
Dune land (mid-ground) is unstable sand in ridges and intervening troughs that shifts with the wind.
For a detailed description, visit:
soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/S/SPACE_CITY.html
For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:
casoilresource.lawr.ucdavis.edu/see/#cotopaxi
For additional information about soil classification using Soil Taxonomy, visit:
sites.google.com/site/dinpuithai/Home
For more information about describing soils using the USDA-Field Book for Describing and Sampling Soils, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/nrcs142p2_052523...
For more information about describing soils using the USDA-Soil Survey Manual, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/soils/ref/?cid=n...
Cotopaxi soils and Dune land soilscape; south-central Colorado (Great Sand Dunes National Park)
The Cotopaxi series (foreground) consists of deep, well to somewhat excessively drained soils that formed in eolian sandy alluvium from a variety of sources. Cotopaxi soils are on dune-like topography at the edge of the larger intermountain valleys and have slopes of 0 to 15 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 8 inches and mean annual temperature is about 43 degrees F.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Mixed, frigid Typic Torripsamments
The Cotopaxi soils typically are noncalcareous to depths of more than 60 inches but depth to uniformly calcareous material ranges from 40 to more than 60 inches. Base saturation ranges from 80 to 100 percent. Exchangeable sodium ranges from 0 to 14 percent in a majority of subhorizons of the control section. The 10- to 40-inch control section is loamy sand or sand. Rock fragments range from 0 to 15 percent but typically are less than one percent. They are normally less than 3 inches in diameter but range from 1/8 to 10 inches in diameter. The A and C horizons are neutral or mildly alkaline. Clay content is less than 12 percent and silt ranges from 0 to 15 percent. The mean annual soil temperature ranges 44 degrees to 47 degrees F., and the mean summer soil temperature ranges from 59 degrees to 64 degrees F.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used principally as native pastureland; however, they are used for irrigated grass where spray irrigation is developed. Native vegetation is mainly blue grama, spiney muhly, short and tall rabbitbrush, and greasewood.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: The San Luis Valley Area of south-central Colorado. The series is of moderate extent, about 80,000 acres.
Dune land (mid-ground) is unstable sand in ridges and intervening troughs that shifts with the wind.
For a detailed description, visit:
soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/S/SPACE_CITY.html
For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:
casoilresource.lawr.ucdavis.edu/see/#cotopaxi
For additional information about soil classification using Soil Taxonomy, visit:
sites.google.com/site/dinpuithai/Home
For more information about describing soils using the USDA-Field Book for Describing and Sampling Soils, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/nrcs142p2_052523...
For more information about describing soils using the USDA-Soil Survey Manual, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/soils/ref/?cid=n...