LOCATION CRYSTALGYP AZEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, gypsic, thermic Typic Haplogypsids
TYPICAL PEDON: Crystalgyp sandy loam - rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A--0 to 1 inch; gray (10YR 5/1) cryptogams, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) sandy loam, light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) moist; weak thin platy structure under the lichens; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine roots; many fine vesicular pores; many fine gypsum crystals throughout; noneffervescent to slightly effervescent in spots, 7 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear smooth boundary. (1 to 2 inches thick)
By--1 to 10 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/4) sandy loam, light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) moist; weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine and fine and few medium roots; few fine tubular pores; many very fine and fine gypsum crystals throughout; noneffervescent to slightly effervescent in spots; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); abrupt smooth boundary. (5 to 10 inches thick)
Cy1--10 to 17 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/4) loam, brown (7.5YR 5/4) moist; massive; hard, friable, slightly sticky and plastic; common fine roots; few fine tubular pores; common fine gypsum filaments; common fine and medium soft and hard gypsum masses; many very fine and fine crystalline gypsum clusters, weakly cemented together between seams; noneffervescent to slightly effervescent in spots; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); abrupt wavy boundary.
Cy2-- 17 to 30 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/3) loam, brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; massive; hard, friable, sticky and plastic; common fine roots matted between seams; few fine tubular pores; common fine gypsum filaments; common fine and medium soft and hard gypsum masses; many very fine and fine crystalline gypsum clusters, weakly cemented between seams; noneffervescent to slightly effervescent in spots; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); abrupt smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the Cy horizons is 15 to 25 inches)
Cr--30 to 60 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/4) weathered gypsiferous sandstone, brown (7.5YR 5/4) moist; noneffervescent to slightly effervescent in spots.
TYPE LOCATION: Cochise County, Arizona; located in at a latitude of 31 degrees, 51 minutes, 39 seconds North and longitude of 110 degrees, 15 minutes, 13 seconds West; about 3180 feet east and 400 feet south from the northwest corner of Section 24, T. 18 S., R. 19 E. Along the El Paso gasline.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture - Intermittently moist in some part of the soil moisture control section during July - September and December - February. Driest during May and June. Typic aridic soil moisture regime.
Soil Temperature: 62 to 69 degrees F.
Reaction: slightly to moderately alkaline
Clay content: less than 10 percent
Depth to gypsic horizon: 1 to 30 inches
Depth to buried layers: Interbedded layers with clay textures occur below the Cr in some pedons.
Depth to weathered bedrock: 30 to 40 inches
A horizon
Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR
Value: 5 through 8, dry or moist
Chroma: 2 through 4, dry or moist
Texture: sandy loam, loamy sand
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 0 to 10 percent
Gypsum content: 5 to 10 percent
By horizon
Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR, 2.5Y
Value: 4 through 8, dry or moist
Chroma: 2 or 4, dry or moist
Texture: sandy loam, loamy sand
Calcium carbonate equivalent: o to 3 percent
Gypsum content: 10 to 50 percent
Cy horizon
Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR
Value: 4, 5 or 8, dry or moist
Chroma: 2 through 4, dry or moist
Texture: loam, sandy loam
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 0 to 3 percent
Gypsum content: 20 to 80 percent
COMPETING SERIES: This is the Zalvidea (CA) series. Zalvidea soils are somewhat poorly drained with a water table at 5 feet or more.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Crystalgyp soils are on dissected relict lake beds at elevations of 3,800 to 4,100 feet. Slopes range from 5 to 60 percent. These soils formed in mixed alluvium or residuum from gypsiferous sedimentary rocks. The mean annual precipitation is 10 to 12 inches and occurs as thunderstorms during July to September and as gentle rains during December to February. The mean annual air temperature is 60 to 67 degrees F. The frost-free period is 190 to 230 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Monzingo, Redington, Ugyp, Borderline and Contention soils. All these soils are very deep.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; medium to very rapid runoff; moderately rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used for livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. Vegetation includes black grama, creosotebush, tobosa, bush muhly, alkali sacaton and whitethorn.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southern Arizona. Crystalgyp soils are of moderate extent. MLRA is 41.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Phoenix, Arizona
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Cochise County, Arizona. Soil survey of Cochise County, Arizona, Douglas - Tombstone Part; 1996.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - The zone from 0 to 1 inch (A horizon)
Gypsic horizon - The zone from 1 to 30 inches (By, Cy1, Cy2 horizons)
Paralithic contact - The boundary at 30 inches (Cr horizon)
Soil Taxonomy Second Edition, 1999