LOCATION BRUSHFIRE WY
Tentative Series
Rev. DMM-RJS
02/2014
BRUSHFIRE SERIES
The Brushfire series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in outwash derived from granite. These soils are on outwash terraces. Slopes are 0 to 6 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 430 mm, and mean annual air temperature is about 1.5 degree C.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive Ustic Haplocryolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Brushfire loam, in rangeland (colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted).
A1--0 to 12 cm; brown (7.5YR 4/3) loam, very dark brown (7.5YR 2.5/2), moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure parting to weak fine subangular blocky; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine, and common fine and medium roots; many fine interstitial pores; 5 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.0); clear smooth boundary.
A2--12 to 27 cm; brown (7.5YR 4/3) loam, very dark brown (7.5YR 2.5/3), moist; weak medium subangular blocky; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine, and common fine and medium roots; common fine tubular pores; 10 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.0); clear smooth boundary. (combined thickness of the A1 & A2 horizons -- 18 to 30 cm)
Bw--27 to 75 cm; strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) very gravelly sandy clay loam, brown (7.5YR 4/4), moist; moderate coarse subangular blocky structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine roots; many fine tubular pores; 30 percent gravel, 10 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 7.0); clear smooth boundary. (40 to 60 cm thick)
BC--75 to 150 cm; strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) very gravelly sandy loam, strong brown (7.5YR 4/6), moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure parting to weak fine subangular blocky; soft, very friable, non-sticky and non-plastic; few very fine and fine roots; common fine interstitial pores; 40 percent gravel, 10 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 7.2).
TYPE LOCATION: Sublette County, Wyoming; USGS New Fork Lakes, Wyoming topographic quadrangle; 43 degrees 1 minute 16.9 seconds north latitude and 109 degrees 58 minutes 29.3 seconds west longitude.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil temperature - 2.5 to 3.5 degrees C.
Mollic epipedon thickness - 18 to 30 cm
Depth to cambic horizon - 18 to 30 cm
Particle-size control section -averages 18 to 27 percent clay
Note: Some pedons may have a C horizon at depths greater than 100 cm.
A1, A2 horizons
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR; dry or moist
Value: 3 or 4 dry; 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3; dry or moist
Texture: sandy loam, loam
Clay content: 16 to 24 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 10 percent gravel
Reaction: pH 6.8 to 7.2
Bw horizon
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR; dry or moist
Value: 4 or 5 dry; 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 4 or 6; dry or moist
Texture: sandy clay loam, sandy loam
Clay content: 18 to 27 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 60 percent--25 to 50 percent gravel, 5 to 15 percent cobbles
Reaction: pH 6.8 to 7.2
BC horizon
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR; dry or moist
Value: 4 or 5 dry; 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 4 to 8; dry or moist
Texture: sandy clay loam, sandy loam
Clay content: 15 to 25 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 60 percent--35 to 60 percent gravel, 0 to 10 percent cobbles
Reaction: pH 7.0 to 7.4
C horizon (when present)
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR; dry or moist
Value: 4 or 5 dry; 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4; dry or moist
Texture: sandy loam, loamy sand
Clay content: 8 to 18 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 60 percent--35 to 60 percent gravel, 0 to 10 percent cobbles
Reaction: pH 7.0 to 7.4
COMPETING SERIES:
Antrobus (CO) - are calcareous throughout
Grafen (CO) - are moderately deep to a paralithic contact
Greyback (WY) - have secondary calcium carbonate accumulations
Handran (CO) - do not have a cambic horizon
Maurice (MT) - have less than 18 percent clay in the Bw horizon
McCort (WY) - averages less than 18 percent clay in the control section
Midelight (WY) - are deep to a lithic contact
Parachute (CO) - are moderately deep to a lithic contact
Sebud (MT) - have greater than 10 percent rock fragments in the A horizons
Supervisor (NM) - are moderately deep to a lithic contact
Surdal (MT) - are moderately deep to a lithic contact
Teemat (WY) - have secondary calcium carbonate accumulations
Thornburgh (CO) - have channers throughout the profile
Tiban (MT) - have secondary calcium carbonate accumulations
Tineman (WY) - have a lithologic discontinuity
Vanwirt (CO) - have clay films
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform - outwash terraces
Elevation - 2,175 to 2,425 meters
Slope - 0 to 6 percent
Parent material - outwash derived from granite
Climate - long, cold winters; cool, moist springs; short, cool summers
Mean annual precipitation - 375 to 500 mm with peak periods of precipitation occurring during the spring
Mean annual air temperature - 1.0 to 2.5 degrees C.
Frost-free period - 25 to 45 days
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: None listed.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained, moderately rapid.
USE AND VEGETATION: Brushfire soils are primarily used for rangeland. The potential native vegetation is mountain big sagebrush, Idaho fescue, bluebunch wheatgrass and antelope bitterbrush.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Brushfire soils are of small extent in southwestern Wyoming. MLRA - 46.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana.
SERIES PROPOSED: Sublette County, Wyoming, 2014. The series name is derived from a local landmark.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - 0 to 27 cm (A1, A2 horizons)
Cambic horizon - 27 to 150 cm (Bw, BC horizons)
Particle-size control section - 25 to 100 cm (part of A2, Bw, part of BC horizons)
Brushfire soils have a cryic temperature regime and an ustic moisture regime.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.