LOCATION CLAPRYCH WYEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, mesic Ustic Haplocalcids
TYPICAL PEDON: Claprych sandy clay loam on a 1 percent slope in an area of Clarych-Selpats sandy clay loams, 0 to 3 percent slopes, in irrigated cropland. (Colors are for air-dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap1--0 to 4 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) sandy clay loam, dark brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure parting to weak fine and medium granular; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and few fine roots; strongly effervescent, calcium carbonate disseminated; 5 percent gravel; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); abrupt smooth boundary
Ap2--4 to 8 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) sandy clay loam, dark brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure parting to weak very fine and fine subangular blocky; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; common very fine and few fine roots; strongly effervescent, calcium carbonate disseminated; 5 percent gravel; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); abrupt smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of A horizon is 3 to 9 inches)
Bk1--8 to 17 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) sandy clay loam, dark brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak medium and coarse subangular blocky structure parting to weak very fine and fine subangular blocky; hard, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; common very fine and fine roots; common fine discontinuous random irregular pores; strongly effervescent, calcium carbonate disseminated; 5 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; 10 percent gravel; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 18 inches thick)
Bk2--17 to 30 inches; very pale brown (10YR 8/3) very gravelly fine sandy loam, very pale brown (10YR 7/3) moist; massive; hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots; violently effervescent, calcium carbonate disseminated and as pendants on rock fragments; 22 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; 40 percent gravel and 10 percent cobbles; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); gradual wavy boundary. (8 to 35 inches thick)
Bk3--30 to 60 inches; white (10YR 8/2) extremely gravelly sandy loam, pale brown (10YR 6/3) moist; massive; hard, loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; violently effervescent, calcium carbonate disseminated and as pendants on rock fragments; 10 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; 45 percent gravel and 20 percent cobbles; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2).
TYPE LOCATION: Platte County, Wyoming; about 2 miles west of Wheatland, 2,400 feet north and 1,000 feet west of the southeast corner of sec. 9, T. 24 N., R. 68 W
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The surface is covered by 0 to 50 percent gravel and cobbles. The particle size control section averages 13 to 16 percent clay, with greater than 15 percent fine sand or coarser, and averages 35 to 55 percent rock fragments.
The A horizon has value of 4 or 5 dry, 3 or 4 moist, and chroma of 2 through 4. Texture is sandy clay loam, gravelly fine sandy loam, very gravelly fine sandy loam, or very gravelly sandy loam.
The upper part of the Bk horizon has value of 5 or 6 dry, and 4 through 6 moist. Texture is sandy clay loam or gravelly fine sandy loam. The calcium carbonate equivalent ranges from 1 to 10 percent. Total rock fragments range from 0 to 25 percent with 0 to 25 percent gravel and 0 to 10 percent cobbles. It is slightly or moderately alkaline.
The lower part of the Bk horizon has value of 6 through 8 dry, 5 through 7 moist, and chroma of 2 through 4. Texture is very gravelly fine sandy loam, extremely gravelly sandy loam, very gravelly sandy loam, very cobbly sandy loam, or a thin layer of very cobbly loamy sand. The calcium carbonate equivalent ranges from 10 to 25 percent. Total rock fragments range from 40 to 65 percent, with 40 to 45 percent gravel and 0 to 25 percent cobbles.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Buffcreek (WY), Clapper (UT), Ildefonso (NM), Lanver (UT), Placitas (NM), Saraton (CO), Seis (NM), and Strych (UT) series. Buffcreek soils have hues of 5YR. Clapper soils have 18 to 27 percent clay in the particle size control section. Ildefonso and Strych soils have hues of 7.5YR or redder. Lanver, Placitas, Saraton, and Seis soils are 20 to 40 inches deep to lithic or paralithic contacts.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Claprych soils are on terraces, hills, and benches. Slope ranges from 0 to 20 percent. Elevations range from 4,600 to 5,500 feet. These soils formed in alluvium and colluvium from sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic rocks. Mean annual temperature is 46 to 48 degrees F., and the mean annual precipitation is 12 to 15 inches. The frost-free period is about 110 to 130 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Curabith, Featherlegs, Luman, Selpats, and Sweatbee soils. Curabith and Featherlegs soils have a mollic epipedon and the Featherlegs soils have a fine-loamy particle size control section. Luman and Selpats soils have an argillic horizon and the Selpats soil has a fine-loamy control section. Sweatbee soil has a coarse-loamy particle size control section.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; very low or low runoff; moderately or moderately rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for dry cropland, irrigated cropland, and rangeland. Native vegetation is needleandthread, western wheatgrass, blue grama, threadleaf sedge, and big sagebrush.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southeastern Wyoming; MLRA 67; This series is of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Denver, Colorado
SERIES PROPOSED: Platte County, Wyoming, 1997.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features in this pedon include:
Ochric epipedon - 0 to 8 inches (Ap1, Ap2)
Ustic feature - soil moisture regime is aridic bordering on ustic
Calcic horizon - 8 to 30 inches (Bk1, Bk2)