Colorado National Monument

Location:Colorado, United States
IUCN Category:III
Area:20,420 acres (8,264 hectares)
Species:All  Endangered  Invasive
Website:View website
Climate:View Climate Data
Land Use:View Land Use Data
Köppen climate classification:BSk (Climate: arid; Precipitation: steppe; Temperature: cold arid)

Ecoregions

Colorado Plateau shrublands

Soils

Protected Area Boundary
 AB
   
Share50 %30 %10 %10 %60 %20 %20 %
Soil TypeCalcaric RegosolsLuvic YermosolsHaplic YermosolsLithosolsCalcaric RegosolsLuvic XerosolsEutric Fluvisols
Topsoil TextureMediumMediumMediumMediumMediumMediumMedium
Reference Depth100 cm100 cm100 cm10 cm100 cm100 cm100 cm
DrainageModerately wellModerately wellModerately wellImperfectlyModerately wellModerately wellPoor
Available Water Capacity100 m150 m150 m15 mm150 m150 m150 m
Phase 1Stony      
Topsoil Properties
Gravel17 %20 %20 %26 %17 %4 %4 %
Sand43 %50 %41 %43 %43 %58 %39 %
Silt35 %29 %39 %34 %35 %18 %41 %
Clay22 %21 %20 %23 %22 %24 %20 %
USDA TextureLoamLoamLoamLoamLoamSandy clay loamLoam
Reference Bulk Density1.4 g/cm³1.42 g/cm³1.41 g/cm³1.39 g/cm³1.4 g/cm³1.42 g/cm³1.41 g/cm³
Bulk Density1.4 g/cm³1.5 g/cm³1.51 g/cm³1.3 g/cm³1.4 g/cm³1.56 g/cm³1.36 g/cm³
Organic Carbon0.77 %0.4 %0.41 %1.4 %0.77 %0.5 %0.9 %
PH87.38.37.687.37.3
Clay Cation Exchange Capacity40 cmol kg⁻¹47 cmol kg⁻¹47 cmol kg⁻¹42 cmol kg⁻¹40 cmol kg⁻¹47 cmol kg⁻¹62 cmol kg⁻¹
Soil Cation Exchange Capacity17 cmol kg⁻¹7 cmol kg⁻¹8 cmol kg⁻¹15 cmol kg⁻¹17 cmol kg⁻¹12 cmol kg⁻¹16 cmol kg⁻¹
Base Saturation100 %100 %100 %100 %100 %98 %91 %
Total Exchangeable Bases31.1 cmol kg⁻¹14 cmol kg⁻¹18.1 cmol kg⁻¹15.6 cmol kg⁻¹31.1 cmol kg⁻¹15.9 cmol kg⁻¹16.4 cmol kg⁻¹
Calcium Carbonate15 %0.5 %1.5 %3.9 %15 %3.8 %1 %
Calcium Sulphate0 %0.1 %0.1 %0 %0 %0 %0 %
Exchangeable Sodium2 %6 %6 %4 %2 %2 %2 %
Electrical Conductivity0.3 dS m-10.1 dS m-11 dS m-10.1 dS m-10.3 dS m-10.1 dS m-10.1 dS m-1
Subsoil Properties
Gravel18 %27 %27 % 18 %3 %8 %
Sand38 %44 %38 % 38 %54 %41 %
Silt36 %28 %40 % 36 %17 %38 %
Clay26 %28 %22 % 26 %29 %21 %
USDA TextureLoamClay loamLoam LoamSandy clay loamLoam
Reference Bulk Density1.36 g/cm³1.37 g/cm³1.39 g/cm³ 1.36 g/cm³1.38 g/cm³1.4 g/cm³
Bulk Density1.52 g/cm³1.47 g/cm³1.49 g/cm³ 1.52 g/cm³1.56 g/cm³1.39 g/cm³
Organic Carbon0.53 %0.28 %0.22 % 0.53 %0.3 %0.4 %
PH8.17.38.3 8.17.87.5
Clay Cation Exchange Capacity50 cmol kg⁻¹58 cmol kg⁻¹42 cmol kg⁻¹ 50 cmol kg⁻¹37 cmol kg⁻¹58 cmol kg⁻¹
Soil Cation Exchange Capacity15 cmol kg⁻¹11 cmol kg⁻¹9 cmol kg⁻¹ 15 cmol kg⁻¹12 cmol kg⁻¹14 cmol kg⁻¹
Base Saturation100 %100 %100 % 100 %100 %97 %
Total Exchangeable Bases41.1 cmol kg⁻¹14.6 cmol kg⁻¹26.8 cmol kg⁻¹ 41.1 cmol kg⁻¹22.1 cmol kg⁻¹15.1 cmol kg⁻¹
Calcium Carbonate15 %3.8 %4.5 % 15 %9 %3.9 %
Calcium Sulphate0 %0.7 %0.7 % 0 %0 %0 %
Exchangeable Sodium1 %4 %5 % 1 %3 %3 %
Electrical Conductivity0.3 dS m-19.7 dS m-13.8 dS m-1 0.3 dS m-10.2 dS m-10.1 dS m-1
Soil data provided by FAO/IIASA/ISRIC/ISSCAS/JRC, 2012. Harmonized World Soil Database (version 1.2). FAO, Rome, Italy and IIASA, Laxenburg, Austria.
Köppen climate classification provided by Kottek, M., J. Grieser, C. Beck, B. Rudolf, and F. Rubel, 2006: World Map of Köppen-Geiger Climate Classification updated. Meteorol. Z., 15, 259-263