LOCATION BLUERIM WYEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Ustic Haplargids
TYPICAL PEDON: Bluerim sandy soil-rangeland. The surface is covered with 15 percent very fine pebbles. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
A--0 to 3 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) sandy loam, very dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate medium and fine granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine, fine, and medium roots; mildly alkaline (pH 7.4); clear smooth boundary. (2 to 4 inches thick)
Bt1--3 to 12 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) sandy clay loam, dark brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak medium prismatic structure that parts to moderate medium angular blocky; hard, friable, sticky and plastic; many fine and medium roots; continuous thin clay films on faces of all peds; 10 percent very fine pebbles; mildly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear smooth boundary. (5 to 10 inches thick)
Bt2--12 to 18 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) sandy clay loam, dark brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate medium angular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few medium roots; continuous thin clay films on faces of peds; 10 percent very fine pebbles; mildly alkaline (pH 7.6); abrupt smooth boundary. (5 to 8 inches thick)
Bw--18 to 24 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) sandy loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; weak medium angular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; few medium roots; few thin clay films on faces of some peds; 10 percent very fine pebbles; mildly alkaline (pH 7.8); clear smooth boundary. (4 to 7 inches thick)
C--24 to 29 inches; light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) sandy loam, olive brown (2.5Y 4/4) moist; massive; soft, very 2 - Bluerim Series
friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; 10 percent very fine pebbles; slightly calcareous, lime in a few masses and seams; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); gradual wavy boundary.
Cr--29 to 60 inches; soft, olive, calcareous sandy shale with seams and nests of lime.
TYPE LOCATION: Sublette County, Wyoming; NW1/4, SE1/4 of sec. 3, T. 30 N. R. 108 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature ranges from 35 to 47 degrees F., and the mean summer soil temperature ranges from 59 to 62 degrees F. Depth to bedded sandy shale is 20 to 40 inches. The soils commonly are noncalcareous. Calcium carbonate accumulation in the lower part of the C horizon is weak and discontinuous. Very fine pebbles range from 0 to 15 percent throughout.
The A1 horizon has hue of 2.5Y or 10YR, value of 4 or 5 dry, 3 or 4 moist, and chroma of 2 through 4 dry and moist. EC is less than 2 mmhos. Reaction is neutral or mildly alkaline.
The Bt2 horizon has hue of 2.5Y through 7.5YR, value of 4 through 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist, and chroma of 3 or 4 dry and moist. Texture is sandy clay loam with 20 to 27 percent clay. EC is less than 2 mmhos. Reaction is neutral or mildly alkaline.
The C horizon has hue of 5Y through 10YR, value of 4 through 7 dry, 5 or 6 moist, and chroma of 2 through 4. It is sandy loam or sandy clay loam. EC is less than 4 mmhos. Reaction ranges from mildly alkaline through strongly alkaline. Visible accumulation of calcium carbonate is discontinuous.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Alcova, Almy, Antonito, Bonfri, Cushool, Diamondville, Elk Hollow, Fluetsch, Forelle, Harsha, Rawah, Regnaps, Rock River, Satanka, and Stunner series. Alcova, Elk Hollow, Fluetsch, Forelle, Harsha, Rock River, and Stunner soils have continuous horizons of secondary calcium carbonate and have bedrock at depths greater than 40 inches. Almy soils have hue of 5YR or 2.5YR in the Bt2 horizon, continuous horizons of secondary calcium carbonate, and bedrock at a depth greater than 40 inches. Antonito soils have a lithic contact. Bonfri, Cushool, Diamondville, and Satanka soils have continuous horizons of secondary calcium carbonate. Regnaps soils are similar but are more moist in July, August, and September. Rawah soils have hue redder than 5YR in the Bt2 horizon; Regnaps soils have continuous horizons of secondary calcium carbonate accumulation and are cryic.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Bluerim soils are on upland hillsides. Slopes are 3 to 20 percent. The soils formed in residuum weathered from calcareous sandy shales interbedded with arkosic sandstone. Elevation is 6,000 to 7,800 feet. The mean annual temperature is 34 to 45 degrees F. Precipitation is 10 to 14 inches. The growing season is 80 to 120 days but frost may occur in any month.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; moderately slow runoff; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used for rangeland and wildlife habitat. Vegetation is big sagebrush, thickspike wheatgrass, Sandberg bluegrass, and needleandthread.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southwestern Wyoming. The series is moderately extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Elbert County, Colorado, West Part; 1977.