LOCATION CIFIC WYEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive Ustic Argicryolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Cific very gravelly sandy loam, on south facing slope of 6 percent, utilized as rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
A--0 to 2 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) very gravelly sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak fine and medium granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and fine roots; noneffervescent; 35 percent pebbles, 15 percent cobbles; class 3 stoniness; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); abrupt smooth boundary. (1 to 5 inches thick)
Bt1--2 to 7 inches; brown (7.5YR 4/2) gravelly fine sandy loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) moist; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to weak medium subangular blocky; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and fine roots; few faint clay films on faces of peds; noneffervescent; 14 percent pebbles, 2 percent cobbles; moderately alkaline (pH 7.9); clear wavy boundary. (3 to 6 inches thick)
Bt2--7 to 14 inches; reddish brown (5YR 4/4) gravelly clay loam, reddish brown (5YR 4/4) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine and fine roots; continuous distinct clay films on faces of peds; noneffervescent; 14 percent pebbles, 2 percent cobbles; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear wavy boundary. (6 to 12 inches thick)
Bt3--14 to 18 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) gravelly loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak medium prismatic structure parting to weak medium subangular blocky; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine and fine roots; few faint clay films on faces of peds; noneffervescent; 16 percent pebbles, 2 percent cobbles; strongly alkaline (pH 8.6); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 6 inches thick)
Bk--18 to 24 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) gravelly loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; massive, slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine and fine roots; violently effervescent, carbonates disseminated and as many medium and fine soft masses, threads, and thin pendants on coarse fragments; 20 percent pebbles, 2 percent cobbles; very strongly alkaline (pH 9.2); clear wavy boundary. (4 to 7 inches thick)
2Bk--24 to 30 inches; olive (5Y 5/4) channery loam, olive (5Y 4/4) moist; moderate thin platy rock structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine and fine roots; violently effervescent, carbonates disseminated and as few fine soft masses, filaments, and thin pendants on coarse fragments; 15 percent thin shale fragments; very strongly alkaline (pH 9.2); abrupt wavy boundary. (4 to 8 inches thick)
2CR--30 to 60 inches; variegated olive (5Y 5/4) and dark reddish brown (2.5YR 3/4) soft shale interbedded with sandstone.
TYPE LOCATION: Fremont County, Wyoming; about 3 miles north of Oregon Buttes, 200 feet west and 250 feet south of the northeast corner of sec. 18, T. 27 N., R. 101 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Depth to bedrock and the paralithic contact ranges from 20 to 40 inches. Depth to base of the argillic horizon is greater than 12 inches, and depth to the lithologic discontinuity is 16 to 32 inches. The mean annual summer soil temperature is 51 to 59 degrees F.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist, and chroma of 2 through 4 dry and 2 or 3 moist. It is 10 to 18 percent clay. Reaction is slightly or moderately alkaline.
The Bt argillic horizon, has hue of 10YR through 2.5YR, value of 4 or 5 dry, 3 or 4 moist, and chroma of 2 through 6. Texture is sandy clay loam, clay loam, gravelly sandy clay loam, or gravelly clay loam with 20 to 35 percent clay. Rock fragments range from 5 to 25 percent pebbles. Reaction is slightly or moderately alkaline.
The Bk horizon has hue of 10YR through 5YR, value of 4 through 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist, and chroma of 2 through 6. Matrix texture is very fine sandy loam, sandy clay loam, clay loam, or loam with 20 to 27 percent clay and modified with from 5 to 35 percent pebbles. Reaction is moderately alkaline through very strongly alkaline. Carbonate content is 5 to 15 percent.
The 2Bk or 2C horizon has variegated colors with hue of 5Y through 10R, values of 3 through 6 dry, 3 through 5 moist, and chroma of 2 through 6. Matrix texture is loam, clay loam, or sandy clay loam with 20 to 27 percent clay and 5 to 35 percent soft and hard shale fragments. Reaction is strongly or very strongly alkaline. Carbonate content is 5 to 15 percent.
The 2Cr horizon is soft variegated sodic shale interbedded with lenses of soft sandstone. The soil-bedrock interface is a paralithic contact.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Accola, Amsden, Barbarela, Coldspring, Croftshaw, Dewville, Gelkie, Inchau, Kezar, Leavitt, Lucky, Lymanson, Michelson, Miracle, Monaberg, Morset, Oro Fino, Pass Creek, Philipsburg, Rainbolt, Tripet, Wellsville, Woosley, Youga, and Zade series. The Accola, Amsden, Croftshaw, Dewville, Gelkie, Leavitt, Michelson, Monaberg, Morset, Oro Fino, Philipsburg, and Wellsville soils are very deep. Barbarela and Coldspring soils are deep to a lithic contact and do not have horizons of secondary carbonate accumulation. Inchau and Zade soils do not have horizons of secondary carbonate accumulation. The Kezar, Lucky, and Miracle soils are moderately deep to a lithic contact and do not have horizons of secondary carbonate accumulation. The Lymanson, Rainbolt, and Tripit soils do not have a lithologic discontinuity. Passcreek and Woosley soils are moderately deep to a lithic contact. Youga soils are deep or very deep and do not have horizons of secondary carbonate accumulation.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Cific soils are on strath terraces and hill slopes. They formed in glacial fluvial drift underlain by variegated shales. Slopes are 1 to 15 percent. Elevation is 7,000 to 8,500 feet. The mean annual precipitation is 10 to 14 inches with peak periods in the spring and early summer. The mean annual temperature is 33 to 41 degrees F. The frost-free season is about 60 to 90 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Conpeak, Cryluha, Hoodle, and Wellsville series. Conpeak soils have bedrock shallower than 20 inches. Hoodle and Wellsville soils do not have bedrock above 40 inches. Cryluha soils lack argillic horizons.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow and medium runoff; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used principally for rangeland. Principal native vegetation consists of needleandthread, Sandberg bluegrass, sheep fescue, and big sagebrush.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southern Wyoming. The soil is inextensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Fremont County, Wyoming, East Part; 1985.