Rocky Mountains NEON (RMNP) Soil Descriptions

A--0 to 10 centimeters (0.0 to 3.9 inches); black (7.5YR 2.5/1) broken face loam, very dark gray (7.5YR 3/1) broken face, dry; 30 percent sand; 48 percent silt; 22 percent clay; weak fine granular structure; hard, very friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; common very fine roots throughout and common medium roots throughout and common fine roots throughout; 2 percent nonflat subangular indurated 2 to 5-millimeter granite fragments; noneffervescent, by HCl, 1 normal; moderately acid, pH 5.8, pH meter; a thin Oe horizon exists in places; clear smooth boundary. Lab sample # 13N06268 A--0 to 10 centimeters (0.0 to 3.9 inches); black (7.5YR 2.5/1) broken face loam, very dark gray (7.5YR 3/1) broken face, dry; 30 percent sand; 48 percent silt; 22 percent clay; weak fine granular structure; hard, very friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; common very fine roots throughout and common medium roots throughout and common fine roots throughout; 2 percent nonflat subangular indurated 2 to 5-millimeter granite fragments; noneffervescent, by HCl, 1 normal; moderately acid, pH 5.8, pH meter; a thin Oe horizon exists in places; clear smooth boundary. Lab sample # 13N06268

AB--10 to 33 centimeters (3.9 to 13.0 inches); very dark brown (10YR 2/2) broken face gravelly sandy clay loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) broken face, dry; 65 percent sand; 13 percent silt; 22 percent clay; weak fine granular, and weak fine subangular blocky, and weak medium subangular blocky structure; very hard, very friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; common very fine roots throughout and common medium roots throughout and common fine roots throughout and common coarse roots throughout; 28 percent nonflat subangular indurated 2 to 20-millimeter granite fragments; noneffervescent, by HCl, 1 normal; slightly acid, pH 6.1, pH meter; clear wavy boundary. Lab sample # 13N06269 AB--10 to 33 centimeters (3.9 to 13.0 inches); very dark brown (10YR 2/2) broken face gravelly sandy clay loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) broken face, dry; 65 percent sand; 13 percent silt; 22 percent clay; weak fine granular, and weak fine subangular blocky, and weak medium subangular blocky structure; very hard, very friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; common very fine roots throughout and common medium roots throughout and common fine roots throughout and common coarse roots throughout; 28 percent nonflat subangular indurated 2 to 20-millimeter granite fragments; noneffervescent, by HCl, 1 normal; slightly acid, pH 6.1, pH meter; clear wavy boundary. Lab sample # 13N06269

C/B--33 to 84 centimeters (13.0 to 33.1 inches); 60 percent dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) broken face gravelly loamy coarse sand, 60 percent light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) broken face, dry; 80 percent sand; 16 percent silt; 4 percent clay; weak fine subangular blocky parts to weak fine granular, and weak medium subangular blocky parts to weak fine granular, and weak coarse subangular blocky parts to weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; common medium roots throughout and common fine roots throughout; 2 percent nonflat subangular indurated 75 to 250-millimeter granite fragments and 32 percent nonflat subangular indurated 2 to 75-millimeter granite fragments; noneffervescent, by HCl, 1 normal; slightly acid, pH 6.1, pH meter; the C makes up 60% of this C/B horizon(all data for this row is for the C portion of this horizon). Lab sample # 13N06270 C/B--33 to 84 centimeters (13.0 to 33.1 inches); 60 percent dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) broken face gravelly loamy coarse sand, 60 percent light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) broken face, dry; 80 percent sand; 16 percent silt; 4 percent clay; weak fine subangular blocky parts to weak fine granular, and weak medium subangular blocky parts to weak fine granular, and weak coarse subangular blocky parts to weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; common medium roots throughout and common fine roots throughout; 2 percent nonflat subangular indurated 75 to 250-millimeter granite fragments and 32 percent nonflat subangular indurated 2 to 75-millimeter granite fragments; noneffervescent, by HCl, 1 normal; slightly acid, pH 6.1, pH meter; the C makes up 60% of this C/B horizon(all data for this row is for the C portion of this horizon). Lab sample # 13N06270

C/B--33 to 84 centimeters (13.0 to 33.1 inches); 40 percent very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) broken face gravelly coarse sandy loam, 40 percent grayish brown (10YR 5/2) broken face, dry; 70 percent sand; 12 percent silt; 18 percent clay; moderate medium subangular blocky parts to weak fine granular, and moderate coarse subangular blocky parts to weak fine granular structure; hard, very friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; common medium roots throughout and common fine roots throughout; 2 percent nonflat subangular indurated 75 to 250-millimeter granite fragments and 31 percent nonflat subangular indurated 2 to 75-millimeter granite fragments; noneffervescent, by HCl, 1 normal; moderately acid, pH 5.8, pH meter; the B makes up 40% of the C/B horizon(all data for this row relates to the B portion of the horizon); clear wavy boundary. Lab sample # 13N06271 C/B--33 to 84 centimeters (13.0 to 33.1 inches); 40 percent very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) broken face gravelly coarse sandy loam, 40 percent grayish brown (10YR 5/2) broken face, dry; 70 percent sand; 12 percent silt; 18 percent clay; moderate medium subangular blocky parts to weak fine granular, and moderate coarse subangular blocky parts to weak fine granular structure; hard, very friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; common medium roots throughout and common fine roots throughout; 2 percent nonflat subangular indurated 75 to 250-millimeter granite fragments and 31 percent nonflat subangular indurated 2 to 75-millimeter granite fragments; noneffervescent, by HCl, 1 normal; moderately acid, pH 5.8, pH meter; the B makes up 40% of the C/B horizon(all data for this row relates to the B portion of the horizon); clear wavy boundary. Lab sample # 13N06271

C--84 to 123 centimeters (33.1 to 48.4 inches); brown (7.5YR 4/4) broken face very gravelly coarse sand, light brown (7.5YR 6/4) broken face, dry; 90 percent sand; 8 percent silt; 2 percent clay; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; common medium roots throughout and common fine roots throughout; 47 percent nonflat subangular indurated 2 to 75-millimeter granite fragments; noneffervescent, by HCl, 1 normal; moderately acid, pH 6.0, pH meter; clear smooth boundary. Lab sample # 13N06272 C--84 to 123 centimeters (33.1 to 48.4 inches); brown (7.5YR 4/4) broken face very gravelly coarse sand, light brown (7.5YR 6/4) broken face, dry; 90 percent sand; 8 percent silt; 2 percent clay; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; common medium roots throughout and common fine roots throughout; 47 percent nonflat subangular indurated 2 to 75-millimeter granite fragments; noneffervescent, by HCl, 1 normal; moderately acid, pH 6.0, pH meter; clear smooth boundary. Lab sample # 13N06272

Cr--123 to 198 centimeters (48.4 to 78.0 inches); moderately cemented granite bedrock, fractured at intervals of less than 10 centimeters; very high excavation difficulty; 2 percent fine distinct 7.5YR 5/6) and 7.5YR 3/4) masses of oxidized iron at top of horizon and 3 percent medium distinct 7.5YR 5/6) and 7.5YR 3/4) masses of oxidized iron at top of horizon; noneffervescent, by HCl, 1 normal; some pockets of sandy clay material within Cr horizon. Lab sample # 13N06273 Cr--123 to 198 centimeters (48.4 to 78.0 inches); bedrock; very high excavation difficulty; 2 percent fine distinct 7.5YR 5/6) and 7.5YR 3/4) masses of oxidized iron at top of horizon and 3 percent medium distinct 7.5YR 5/6) and 7.5YR 3/4) masses of oxidized iron at top of horizon; noneffervescent, by HCl, 1 normal; some pockets of sandy clay material within Cr horizon. Lab sample # 13N06273

R--198 centimeters (78.0 inches); bedrock; extremely high excavation difficulty; noneffervescent, by HCl, 1 normal. R--198 centimeters (78.0 inches); indurated granite bedrock; extremely high excavation difficulty; noneffervescent, by HCl, 1 normal.