LOCATION COUTIS WY+COEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive Pachic Haplocryolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Coutis fine sandy loam - on a northwest facing 7 percent slope utilized as rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
A1--0 to 4 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) fine sandy loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; weak medium angular blocky structure parting to moderate fine granular; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many fine and very fine roots; many fine and very fine pores; neutral (pH 6.6); clear smooth boundary. (3 to 10 inches thick)
A2--4 to 25 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) fine sandy loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; weak medium prismatic structure parting to moderate fine granular; soft, very friable,nonsticky and nonplastic; common fine and medium, and few medium and coarse roots; neutral (pH 7.2); gradual smooth boundary. (10 to 25 inches thick)
A3--25 to 40 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) fine sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak medium prismatic structure parting to weak fine granular; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); gradual smooth boundary. (0 to 20 inches thick)
C--40 to 60 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) fine sandy loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6)
TYPE LOCATION: Washakie County, Wyoming; 1,400 feet east, 650 feet south of NW corner of sec. 5, T. 47 N., R. 86 W.
Onion Gulch Quadrangle. 44 degrees 4 minutes 32 seconds north latitude and 107 degrees 13 minutes 26 seconds west longitude.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mollic epipedon is 16 to 60 inches thick. The mean annual soil temperature is 43 to 46 degrees F. The control section is fine sandy loam or sandy loam and has 13 to 18 percent clay. Rock fragments, mainly less than 3 inches in diameter, range from 0 to 15 percent in the 10 to 40 inch particle size control section.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist, and chroma of 2 or 3. This horizon is sandy loam or fine sandy loam. Reaction ranges from slightly acid through slightly alkaline.
A Bw horizon is present in about half the pedons and has the same range as the A except dry value may be 6 and moist value may be 4.
The C horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 4 through 6 dry, 3 through 5 moist, and chroma of 2 through 4. Reaction ranges from slightly acid through slightly alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Aycab, Cinderspring (T), Earcree, Foxvire, Gardner's Fork, Hailman, Moonlight, Naz, Razorba, Shook, Skyway, Taral,and Tosp series. Aycab soils have a paralithic contact at depths of 24 to 40 inches. Cinderspring soils have a lithologic discontinuity consisting mostly of cinders. Earcree, Foxvire, Gardner's Fork, Hailman, and Razorba soils have over 15 percent rock fragments throughout the control section. Moonlight soils have a cambic horizon. Naz soils have less than 13 percent clay in the particle size control section Shook soils have granite bedrock at 30 to 50 inches. Skyway soils have a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches. Taral soils have mean annual soil temperatures 32 to 35 degrees F. Tosp soils are not dry 45 or more consecutive days in the four months following the summer solstice.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Coutis soils are on gently sloping to steep alluvial fans aprons, toeslopes, footslopes, backslopes, and shoulders. Slopes are 2 to 60 percent. The soils formed in alluvium and eolian deposits weathered from sandstone. Elevation is 6,000 to 9,800 feet. The mean annual precipitation is 15 to 23 inches. The mean annual temperature is 41 to 44 degrees F. The frost-free season is 60 to 90 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Greenman and Whaley soils. Greenman soils have an argillic horizon. Whaley soils are sandy and have a lithic contact at less than 20 inches.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow through rapid runoff depending upon slope; moderately rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for rangeland and wildlife habitat. Native vegetation is Idaho fescue, Columbia needlegrass, Canby bluegrass, and big sagebrush.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: The mountain ranges of Wyoming and Colorado The series is of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Washakie County, Wyoming; 1976.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - 0 to 40 inches (A1,A2,A3)
MLRR- E
SIR- WY0387, WY1006, WY1401