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  1. Data Collection Methods
  2. Soils
  3. Soil Descriptions
  4. North Sterling NEON (STER) Soil Descriptions

North Sterling NEON (STER) Soil Descriptions

Distributed Soils Reports

Pedon Descriptions

Pit‐level observations and field measurements reported using the standard NRCS format. They contain volume estimates for coarse fragments > 20 mm where applicable.

Download

Site Level Plot Summary

A narrative summary that places the sampled soil pedons in the broader context of soils and geomorphology for the entire NEON site.

Download

Megapit Images

soil profile

D10 STER megapit soil profile 0-200 cm

soil profile

D10 STER megapit soil profile 0-58 cm

soil profile

D10 STER megapit soil profile 65-115 cm

soil profile

D10 STER megapit soil profile 115-165 cm

soil profile

D10 STER megapit soil profile 155-199 cm

Download All Images

Megapit Pedon Description

Print Date Jul 22 2015
Description Date Apr 8 2013
Describer Andy Steinert
Site ID S2013CO075001
Site Note Sterling NEON (National Ecological Observatory Network) pit
Pedon ID S2013CO075001
Lab Source ID SSL
Lab Pedon # 13N39573
Soil Name as Described/Sampled Goshen
Classification Fine-silty, mixed, superactive, mesic Pachic Argiustolls
Pedon Type correlates to named soil
Pedon Purpose research site
Taxon Kind series
Physiographic Division Interior Plains
Physiographic Province Great Plains Province
Physiographic Section Colorado Piedmont
Geomorphic Setting drainageway on upland
Upslope Shape linear
Cross Slope Shape concave
Particle Size Control Section 28 to 78 cm.
Description origin Pedon PC 5.1
State Colorado
County Logan
MLRA 72 -- Central High Tableland
Soil Survey Area CO075 -- Logan County, Colorado
5-FTM -- Fort Morgan, Colorado
Map Unit 126 -- Weld loam, 1 to 3 percent slopes
Quad Name Buffalo Springs Ranch NE, Colorado
Std Latitude 40.4598333
Std Longitude -103.0300833
Latitude 40 degrees 27 minutes 35.40 seconds north
Longitude 103 degrees 1 minutes 48.30 seconds west
Datum WGS84
UTM Zone 13
UTM Easting 667024 meters
UTM Northing 4480661 meters
Primary Earth Cover Crop cover
Secondary Earth Cover Close-grown crop
Parent Material local alluvium
Description database KSSL
Diagnostic Features mollic epipedon 0 to 70 cm.
argillic horizon 28 to 121 cm.
calcic horizon 70 to 121 cm.
Slope (%) 2.0
Elevation (meters) 1,369.0
Aspect (deg) 0
Drainage Class well
Horizon Details

Ap1--0 to 11 centimeters (0.0 to 4.3 inches); dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) broken face clay loam, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) broken face, moist; 35 percent sand; 37 percent silt; 28 percent clay; weak fine granular, and weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, moderately sticky, slightly plastic; common very fine roots throughout and common fine roots throughout; noneffervescent, by HCl, 1 normal; neutral, pH 6.8, pH meter; clear smooth boundary. Lab sample # 13N04681

Ap2--11 to 28 centimeters (4.3 to 11.0 inches); dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) broken face clay loam, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) broken face, moist; 32 percent sand; 35 percent silt; 33 percent clay; strong medium angular blocky, and strong coarse angular blocky structure; very hard, firm, moderately sticky, moderately plastic; common very fine roots throughout and common fine roots throughout; 15 percent distinct pressure faces on all faces of peds; noneffervescent, by HCl, 1 normal; neutral, pH 6.7, pH meter; clear smooth boundary. Lab sample # 13N04682

Bt--28 to 70 centimeters (11.0 to 27.6 inches); grayish brown (10YR 5/2) broken face silty clay loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) broken face, moist; 15 percent sand; 51 percent silt; 34 percent clay; strong coarse prismatic parts to strong medium angular blocky, and strong medium prismatic parts to strong medium angular blocky structure; very hard, firm, very sticky, moderately plastic; common very fine roots throughout; 20 percent prominent clay films on all faces of peds; noneffervescent, by HCl, 1 normal; neutral, pH 6.9, pH meter; clear wavy boundary. Lab sample # 13N04683

Btk--70 to 121 centimeters (27.6 to 47.6 inches); light gray (10YR 7/2) broken face silty clay loam, brown (10YR 5/3) broken face, moist; 15 percent sand; 55 percent silt; 30 percent clay; strong coarse prismatic parts to moderate medium angular blocky, and strong medium prismatic parts to moderate medium angular blocky structure; very hard, friable, moderately sticky, moderately plastic; common very fine roots throughout; 5 percent distinct clay films on all faces of peds; carbonate, finely disseminated throughout and 1 percent fine irregular carbonate masses on faces of peds and 2 percent medium irregular carbonate masses on faces of peds; 18.0 Percent CaCO3 (Exists in NASIS Horizon); strong effervescence, by HCl, 1 normal; moderately alkaline, pH 8.1, pH meter; clear wavy boundary. Lab sample # 13N04684

C1--121 to 159 centimeters (47.6 to 62.6 inches); pale brown (10YR 6/3) broken face sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) broken face, moist; 70 percent sand; 20 percent silt; 10 percent clay; massive; soft, very friable, slightly sticky, nonplastic; common very fine roots throughout; carbonate, finely disseminated throughout; 2 percent nonflat subrounded 2 to 5-millimeter calcareous conglomerate fragments; 11.0 Percent CaCO3 (Exists in NASIS Horizon); strong effervescence, by HCl, 1 normal; moderately alkaline, pH 8.2, pH meter; gradual wavy boundary. Lab sample # 13N04685

C2--159 to 213 centimeters (62.6 to 83.9 inches); very pale brown (10YR 7/3) broken face loamy sand, brown (10YR 5/3) broken face, moist; 86 percent sand; 10 percent silt; 4 percent clay; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; carbonate, finely disseminated throughout; 7 percent nonflat subrounded 2 to 75-millimeter calcareous conglomerate fragments; 17.0 Percent CaCO3 (Exists in NASIS Horizon); strong effervescence, by HCl, 1 normal; moderately alkaline, pH 8.4, pH meter. Lab sample # 13N04686

Credits: This megapit soil pedon description was generously created by USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service staff, with particular thanks to Larry West, Jon Hempel, and numerous field staff.

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