LOCATION BRIGGSDALE CO+MT WYEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, mesic Ustic Paleargids
TYPICAL PEDON: Briggsdale loam - grassland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A1--0 to 4 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) light loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; strong very fine granular structure; soft, very friable; noncalcareous; neutral (pH 7.2); abrupt smooth boundary. (2 to 6 inches thick)
A2--4 to 5 inches; light gray (10YR 7/2) light loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) moist; thin platy structure that parts to very fine granular; soft, very friable; noncalcareous; neutral (pH 7.0); abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 2 inches thick)
B2t--5 to 20 inches; light olive brown (2.5Y 5/3) clay, olive brown (2.5Y 4/3) moist; strong fine prismatic structure that parts to strong fine angular blocky; extremely hard, very friable, very plastic; moderate continuous wax-like coatings on faces of peds; wax-like fillings in root channels and in pores; noncalcareous; mildly alkaline (pH 7.4); clear wavy boundary. (9 to 24 inches thick)
B3ca--20 to 26 inches; light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/3) sandy clay loam, light olive brown (2.5Y 5/3) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure that parts to moderate medium angular blocky; extremely hard, firm, plastic; common thin glossy or wax-like patches on faces of peds; glossy or wax-like coatings in root channels and pores; common secondary calcium carbonate concretions; calcareous; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); gradual wavy boundary. (4 to 8 inches thick)
C1ca--26 to 32 inches; light gray (2.5Y 7/2) loam, light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/3) moist; hard, friable; 5 percent partially weathered soft sandstone fragments; visible secondary calcium carbonate as concretions or in finely divided forms; calcareous; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); clear smooth boundary. (4 to 10 inches thick)
C2r--32 to 40 inches; soft calcareous sandstone and interbedded loamstone and shale.
TYPE LOCATION: Morgan County, Colorado; approximately 1,400 feet west and 75 feet north of SE corner of Sec. 9, T. 6 N., R. 59. W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Depth to calcareous material ranges from 10 to 20 inches. Thickness of the solum ranges from 16 to 40 inches and depth to the paralithic contact ranges from 20 to 40 inches. Organic carbon content in the upper 15 inches averages approximately .9 percent. Sand/clay ratios range from less than 1 to 2. Cation exchanges capacity ranges from 60 to 90 milliequivalents/100 grams of clay. Rock fragments range from 0 to 15 percent but are typically less than 10 percent. Mean annual soil temperature ranges from 47 to 58 degrees F and mean summer soil temperature ranges from 60 to 78 degrees F.
The A1 horizon has hue of 2.5Y or 10YR, value of 5 or 6 dry, 3 through 5 moist, and chroma of 2 or 3. It typically has granular structure but has crumb structure in some pedons. This horizon is soft or slightly hard and neutral or mildly alkaline.
The B2t horizon has hue of 2.5Y through 7.5YR, value of 5 or 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist, and chroma of 2 through 4. It is typically clay, but ranges from 35 to 50 percent clay, 5 to 40 percent silt, and 20 to 55 percent sand, with more than 15 percent fine or coarser sand. This horizon has oriented clay films in some part. It is neutral or mildly alkaline.
The Cca horizon has hue of 5Y through 10YR. It is moderately alkaline or strongly alkaline and has approximately 6 to 14 percent calcium carbonate equivalent.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Adena, Bidman, Big Horn, Campo, Gibbler, and Natrona series. Adena, Bidman, Big Horn, Campo and Natrona soils lack a paralithic contact within a depth of 40 inches. Gibbler soils have 5YR or redder hue and have a lithic contact at depth of 20 to 40 inches.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Briggsdale soils are on ridge crests and upland table land. Slopes typically range from 0 to 10 percent. The soils formed in calcareous material weathered from underlying soft sandstone and interbedded sedimentary shale. At the type location the average annual precipitation is 15 inches with peak periods of precipitation during the spring and early summer. The average annual temperature is 48 degrees F and the average summer temperature is 59 degrees F.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Renohill and Wyarno soils. Renohill and Wyarno soils lack an abrupt textural boundary between the A and B2t horizons. Also, Wyarno soils have no bedrock above a depth of 40 inches.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; rapid runoff; slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used principally as native pastureland although they are used for dry cropland or irrigated land in some localities. Principal native vegetation is short grass, cactus, and weeds.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Eastern Wyoming and Colorado. The series is of large extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Denver, Colorado
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Horse and Bush Creek and Big Sandy Soil Erosion District, Colorado, 1942.
REMARKS: Last updated by the state 7/78.