LOCATION CRYLUHA WYEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Ustic Haplocalcids
TYPICAL PEDON: Cryluha gravelly sandy loam - on a south facing convex slope of 6 percent under native range. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
A1--0 to 5 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) gravelly sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak fine and medium granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine and fine roots; strongly effervescent, carbonates disseminated; 20 percent pebbles; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear wavy boundary.
A2--5 to 13 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) gravelly loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; weak very fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and fine roots; strongly effervescent, carbonates disseminated; 20 percent pebbles; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear wavy boundary. (A horizon is 4 to 14 inches thick)
Bk1--13 to 19 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) gravelly fine sandy loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; weak very fine subangular blocky structure parting to weak very fine granular; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine and fine roots; strongly effervescent, carbonates disseminated and as many large masses and seams; 20 percent pebbles; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); clear wavy boundary.
Bk2--19 to 27 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) gravelly loam, pale brown (10YR 6/3) moist; moderate medium angular blocky structure parting to moderate very fine angular blocky; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine and fine roots; strongly effervescent, carbonates disseminated and as many fine soft masses and seams; 20 percent pebbles; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); abrupt wavy boundary. (The Bk horizon is 10 to 30 inches thick)
Cr1--27 to 30 inches; light gray (10YR 7/2) weakly consolidated calcareous sandstone that breaks down to sandy loam, few very fine and fine roots in fissures.
Cr2--30 to 60 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) weakly consolidated calcareous sandstone.
TYPE LOCATION: Fremont County, Wyoming; 2,350 feet north and 1,000 feet east of the SW corner of sec. 13, T. 27 N., R. 100 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Depth to bedrock and the paralithic contact ranges from 20 to 40 inches. The mean annual soil temperature ranges from 39 to 45 degrees F., and the mean summer soil temperature ranges from 50 to 56 degrees F. The texture of the particle size control section, when averaged, is loam, fine sandy loam, or sandy loam with 10 to 18 percent clay modified with from 5 to 35 percent coarse fragments. About one-fourth of the coarse fragments in any horizon break down upon pretreatment. Coarse fragments may be subrounded pebbles or channers.
The A horizon has hue of 2.5Y or 10YR, value of 5 or 6 dry, 3 through 5 moist, and chroma of 2 through 4. Reaction is mildly or moderately alkaline.
A Bw horizon is present in about half the pedons observed and is calcareous throughout.
The Bk horizon has hue of 2.5Y or 10YR, value of 6 through 8 dry, 5 through 8 moist, and value of 2 through 4. Calcium carbonate equivalent ranges from 15 to 30 percent throughout. Reaction is moderately or strongly alkaline.
The Cr horizon is weakly consolidated sandstone interbedded with thin lenses of siltstone and discontinuous lenses of consolidated sandstone. The sandstone is calcareous and some lenses contain sodium and gypsum. In some pedons the bedrock has been weathered sufficiently in the upper few inches to allow a C horizon, but the paralithic contact is always above 40 inches.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Amesha, Fiveoh, and McFadden series. These soils are deep and have frigid soil temperatures. In addition, Amesha soils have less than 5 percent coarse fragments in the control section, and Fiveoh soils have hue of 7.5YR or 5YR in the Bk horizon.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Cryluha soils are on sloping, dissected pediments, fan aprons, and toeslope positions. These soils are cryic, but relatively dry due to wind action and snow sublimation. Slopes are 1 to 15 percent. Elevations are 6,800 to 8,000 feet. The mean annual precipitation is about 10 to 14 inches with about half falling as snow or rain in April, May, and early June. The mean annual temperature is about 38 degrees F. and ranges from 33 to 41 degrees F. The frost-free season is estimated to range from 60 to 90 days, but frost may occur at any time depending upon aspect, elevation, and air drainage.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Cific, Conpeak, Coutis, Hoodle, Lymanson, Sublette, and Wellsville series. The Cific, Coutis, Hoodle, Lymanson, Sublette, and Wellsville soils have a mollic epipedon. In addition, the Cific, Hoodle, Lymanson, Sublette, and Wellsville soils have an argillic horizon. The Conpeak soils are shallow.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow runoff; permeability is moderate or moderately rapid.
USE AND VEGETATION: Cryluha soils are used primarily for rangeland and wildlife habitat. Native vegetation at the type location is bluebunch wheatgrass, threadleaf sedge, Sandberg bluegrass, rubber rabbitbrush, big sagebrush, pussytoes, and phlox.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: West central Wyoming. The series is of minor extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Fremont County, Wyoming, East Part; 1985.