LOCATION WOOSLEY WY+MTEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive Ustic Argicryolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Woosley loam-rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
A--0 to 9 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure parting to strong fine granular; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; 5 percent angular fine limestone gravel; neutral (pH 6.6); clear smooth boundary. (6 to 10 inches thick)
BA--9 to 12 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist, moderate medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few faint clay films on faces of some peds; 10 percent fine angular gravel; neutral (pH 6.7); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 4 inches thick)
Bt--12 to 26 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) clay loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; continuous distinct clay films on faces of peds and as linings in root channels and pores; 10 percent fine angular gravel; neutral (pH 7.2); clear smooth boundary. (7 to 18 inches thick)
Btk--26 to 30 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; hard, very friable, moderately sticky and slightly plastic; few faint clay films on faces of peds; strongly effervescent; lime as common fine soft masses and as filaments in seams; 10 percent fine angular gravel; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); gradual smooth boundary. (3 to 8 inches thick)
Bk--30 to 35 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; massive; hard, very friable; strongly effervescent, lime as common fine soft masses and as filaments; 10 percent angular gravel; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); abrupt smooth boundary. (2 to 10 inches thick)
R--35 inches; hard limestone, fractured at 20-inch intervals in the upper few inches.
TYPE LOCATION: Johnson County, Wyoming; 1/4 mile west of the NE corner of sec. 6, T. 45 N., R. 82 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mollic epipedon is 7 to 15 inches thick. Depth to limestone or hard, fine grained calcareous sandstone is typically 30 to 36 inches but ranges from 20 to 40 inches. The mollic epipedon typically includes the upper part of the argillic horizon. Depth to free carbonates is typically 15 to 30 inches, but some pedons are calcareous at or near the surface due to recharge. The mean annual soil temperature is 38 to 47 degrees F., and the mean summer soil temperature is 50 to 58 degrees F. EC is less than 2 mmhos throughout the soil.
The A horizon has hue of 2.5Y through 7.5YR, value of 3 through 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist, and chroma of 1 through 3. Rock fragments range from 0 to 15 percent fine angular gravel. Reaction is slightly acid through slightly alkaline.
The Bt horizon has hue of 2.5Y through 7.5YR, value of 4 through 6 dry, 3 through 5 moist, and chroma of 2 through 4. Texture is clay loam or silty clay loam with 27 to 35 percent clay, and more than 15 but less than 35 percent fine or coarser sand. Rock fragments range from 0 to 15 percent fine angular gravel. Reaction is neutral or slightly alkaline in the upper part and may range to moderately alkaline in the lower part when free carbonates are present.
The Bk horizon has hue of 5Y through 7.5YR, value of 5 through 7 dry, 4 through 6 moist, and chroma of 2 through 4. Texture is loam, clay loam, gravelly loam, or gravelly clay loam. Rock fragments range from 0 to 35 percent fine angular gravel. Calcium carbonate equivalent ranges from 6 to 15 percent. Reaction is moderately or strongly alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Amsden, Barbarela, Cific, Coldspring, Croftshaw, Dewville, Gelkie, Highrye, Hooligan, Inchau, Kezar, Leavitt, Lucky, Lymanson, Miracle, Monaberg, Morset, Oro Fino, Passcreek, Rainbolt, Tripit, Wellsville, Youga, and Zade series. The Amsden, Croftshaw, Dewville, Gelkie, Leavitt, Monaberg, Morset, Oro Fino, Wellsville, and Youga soils are very deep. The Cific, Hooligan, Inchau, Lymanson, Rainbolt, Tripit, and Zade soils have a paralithic contact at 20 to 40 inches. Coldspring soils have a lithic contact at 40 to 60 inches. Highrye soils have a paralithic contact at 40 to 60 inches. Kezar soils formed in granitic materials and have more than 35 percent fine or coarser sand in the Bt horizon. Barbarela and Lucky soils are noncalcareous throughout. Miracle soils have hue of 5YR through 2.5YR in the Bt horizon and no pedogenetic Bk horizon. Passcreek soils are 10 to 19 inches to horizons of secondary carbonate accumulation.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Woosley soils are on mountain footslopes, toeslopes, and backslopes. These soils formed in calcareous residuum, alluvial and colluvial slopewash weathered from limestone or calcareous fine-grained sandstone. Slopes are 2 to 30 percent. Elevations are 6,500 to 9,000 feet. The mean annual precipitation is about 20 inches and ranges from 15 to about 25 inches of which about half falls as snow or rain in April, May, and June. The mean annual temperature is about 39 degrees F. and ranges from 33 to 44 degrees F. The frost-free season is estimated to be about 45 to 85 days, but frost can occur at any time at higher elevations.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Decross, Nathrop, and Starman soils. Decross soils are deep with overthickened mollic epipedons. They occur in depressional or snowpack areas. Nathrop soils are skeletal and occur near the areas of rock outcrop and along drainages. The Starman soils are shallow or very shallow and occur on slope shoulders near rock outcrop.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; medium runoff; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Rangeland, mountain meadows, and wildlife habitat. Native vegetation is Idaho fescue, slender wheatgrass, spike-fescue, western wheatgrass, and big sagebrush.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Mountains of Wyoming and Montana. The series is of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Johnson County, Wyoming, South Part; 1971.
Remarks: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: a mollic epipedon from the soil surface to 12 inches (A, BA horizons); an argillic horizon which is the particle-size control section from 12 to 30 inches (Bt, Btk horizons); accumulation of secondary calcium carbonate from 26 to 35 inches (Btk, Bk horizons); a lithic contact at 35 inches (R horizon). Woosley soils have a cryic temperature regime and an ustic moisture regime.