Soil texture for Saddle Stream Network, 2017

Soil texture is an important hydrologic control. To measure soil
texture across the Niwot Ridge LTER Saddle Stream Catchment, surface
(0 – 10 cm) soil samples (n = 84) were collected on roughly a 60 x 60
m grid, including sensor network sites. After drying and sieving to
less than 2mm, soil size fractions (percent sand, silt, and clay) and
corresponding soil texture were determined by laser particle size
analysis. Soil size fractions and texture are reported using both
United States Department of Agriculture and World Reference Base soil
classification standards. Soils were one of four textures: loamy sand,
silt loam, sandy loam, and loam. Over half of the soils sampled were
sandy loam. This dataset is useful for hydrologic modeling studies and
other studies related to understanding alpine hydrology.