LOCATION CLAPPER            UT+CO WY
Established Series
Rev. GWL/DAD/SSP
05/1999

CLAPPER SERIES


The Clapper series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in alluvium and colluvium derived from sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic rocks. Clapper soils are on fan remnants, hillslopes, and mesas. Slopes range from 1 to 65 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 11 inches and the mean annual temperature is about 47 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, mesic Ustic Haplocalcids

TYPICAL PEDON: Clapper gravelly loam, rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)

The surface is covered by about 25 percent gravel and 15 percent cobbles.

A--0 to 3 inches; strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) gravelly loam, brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; weak thick platy structure parting to weak fine subangular blocky; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine roots; few fine and very fine tubular pores; 15 percent gravel, 5 percent cobbles; slightly effervescent; calcium carbonate is disseminated; 5 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; strongly alkaline (pH 8.5); clear smooth boundary. (2 to 8 inches thick)

Bw--3 to 7 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/4) gravelly loam, brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure parting to moderate fine and very fine subangular blocky; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine, medium, and coarse roots; few fine and common very fine tubular pores; 15 percent gravel, 5 percent cobbles; strongly effervescent; calcium carbonate is disseminated; 16 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; strongly alkaline (pH 8.5); clear smooth boundary. (4 to 11 inches thick)

Bk1--7 to 13 inches; pink (7.5YR 8/4) gravelly loam, light brown (7.5YR 6/4) moist; weak medium and fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine and medium roots; few fine and common very fine tubular pores; 15 percent gravel, 5 percent cobbles; strongly effervescent; calcium carbonate is disseminated and in few thin veins and coatings on underside of rocks; 35 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; strongly alkaline (pH 8.6); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 10 inches thick)

Bk2--13 to 21 inches; pink (7.5YR 8/4) very cobbly loam, light brown (7.5YR 6/4) moist; massive; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine and common very fine roots; few fine and common very fine tubular pores; 25 percent gravel, 10 percent cobbles, 5 percent stones; violently effervescent; calcium carbonate is disseminated and in few thin veins and in moderately thick coatings on underside of rocks; 38 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; strongly alkaline (pH 8.8); gradual wavy boundary. (5 to 25 inches thick)

Bk3--21 to 36 inches; pink (7.5YR 8/4) very cobbly loam, light brown (7.5YR 6/4) moist; massive; very hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine and fine roots; few fine and many very fine tubular pores; 20 percent gravel, 10 percent cobbles, 5 percent stones; strongly effervescent; calcium carbonate is disseminated and in many coarse nodules; 31 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; strongly alkaline (pH 9.0); gradual wavy boundary. 0 to 18 inches thick)

Bk4--36 to 49 inches; pink (7.5YR 7/4) very cobbly loam, brown (7.5YR 5/4) moist; massive; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very and fine roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; 35 percent gravel and 20 percent cobbles; slightly effervescent; 21 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; calcium carbonate is disseminated and in few fine veins and moderately thick coatings on rocks; strongly alkaline (pH 8.9); clear wavy boundary. (5 to 18 inches thick)

Bk5--49 to 60 inches; pink (7.5YR 7/4) very cobbly sandy clay loam, brown (7.5YR 5/4) moist; massive; very hard, friable, sticky and plastic; few very fine roots; common fine and many very fine tubular pores; 25 percent gravel, 35 percent cobbles; slightly effervescent; calcium carbonate is disseminated and in few medium and coarse veins; 19 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; strongly alkaline (pH 8.9). (0 to 25 inches thick)

TYPE LOCATION: Uintah County, Utah; about 2 miles west of Maeser; located about 400 feet south and 2,200 feet west of the northeast corner of sec. 25, T. 4 S., R. 20 E.; Vernal NW, Utah USGS quadrangle; lat. 40 degrees 28 minutes 22 seconds N. and long. 109 degrees 37 minutes 16 seconds W., NAD 27

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: The soil moisture control section is affected by precipitation that is evenly distributed throughout the year with a slight increase in late summer and early fall. Aridic moisture regime bordering on Ustic.
Mean annual soil temperature: 47 to 51 degrees F
Depth to calcic horizon: 6 to 19 inches
Particle-size control section (weighted average):
Clay content: 18 to 27 percent
Rock fragments averages: 35 to 70 percent gravel or cobbles
Surface rock fragments: 20 to 70 percent gravel and cobbles

A horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 3 to 5 moist
Chroma: 2 to 6
Rock fragments: 15 to 50 percent gravel or cobbles
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 5 to 15 percent
Reaction: moderately alkaline or strongly alkaline

Bw horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 5 to 7 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 2 to 5
Texture: loam modified by 15 to 60 percent gravel, cobbles and stones

Calcium carbonate equivalent: 10 to 40 percent
Reaction: moderately alkaline or strongly alkaline

Bk1 horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 5 to 7 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 2 to 5
Texture: loam or sandy clay loam modified by 15 to 70 percent gravel and cobbles

Calcium carbonate equivalent: 15 to 40 percent
Reaction: moderately alkaline or strongly alkaline

Bk2, Bk3, Bk4, Bk5 horizon (if present):
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 6 to 8 dry, 4 to 7 moist
Chroma: 1 to 6
Texture: sandy loam, loam or sandy clay loam modified by 15 to 70 percent gravel or cobbles

Calcium carbonate equivalent: 15 to 40 percent
Reaction: moderately alkaline to very strongly alkaline

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Buffcreek, Ildefonso, Lanver, Placitas, Saraton, Seis, and Strych series.

Buffcreek: hues of 5YR and 12 to 18 percent clay in the control section.
Ildefonso and Strych: less than 18 percent clay in the control section.
Lanver, Placitas, Saraton, and Seis: moderately deep over a lithic or paralithic contact.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: alluvium and colluvium derived from sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic rocks
Landform: fan remnants, hillslopes, and mesas
Slopes: 1 to 65 percent
Elevation: 5,300 to 8,400 feet
Mean annual temperature: 45 to 50 degrees F
Mean annual precipitation: 8 to 14 inches
Frost-free period: 90 to 150 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Abracon, Hanksville, Montwel and Splimo, , series.

Abracon soils have a fine-loamy particle-size control section and are on fan remnants.

Hanksville and Montwel soils have a paralithic contact between 20 and 40 inches and are on hillslopes.

Splimo soils have a lithic contact within 20 inches and are on hillslopes.
.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained, very low to very high runoff, moderate permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are mainly used for rangeland, woodland, wildlife habitat, recreation, and energy production. Potential native vegetation is Wyoming big sagebrush, galleta, needleandthread, Indian ricegrass, bud sagebrush, winterfat and shadscale. This soil has been correlated to the Semidesert Loam (Wyoming Big Sagebrush) (034XY205UT) range site at the type location in Utah.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northeastern and central Utah, western Colorado, and Wyoming; LRR D, MLRA 34 and 35; This series is of moderate extent.

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Big Horn county, Montana, 1970.

REMARKS: Type location was moved from Yellowstone County, Montana to Uintah County, Utah.

Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Particle-size control section - from 10 to 40 inches (Bk1 through Bk4 horizons)
Ochric epipedon - from 0 to 3 inches (A horizon)
Calcic horizon - from 7 to 60 inches (Bk1, Bk2, Bk3, Bk4, and Bk5 horizons)

The assignment of the cation-exchange activity class is inferred from lab data from similar soils in the surrounding area.

Taxonomic version: Eighth Edition, 1998.

ADDITIONAL DATA: This soil was reclassified from Ustollic Calciorthids to Ustic Haplocalcids in 9/94.


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.