LOCATION GRENOBLE WYEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy-skeletal, mixed, frigid Aquic
Torriorthents
TYPICAL PEDON: Grenoble gravelly loamy sand on a nearly level southeast-facing slope in irrigated native grass hay. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
A--0 to 9 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) gravelly loamy sand, dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium granular structure; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; about 20 percent medium and fine igneous pebbles; slightly acid (pH 6.2); clear smooth boundary. (2 to 9 inches thick)
C--9 to 60 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) very gravelly sand, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; single grain, loose, loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; about 55 percent well rounded igneous pebbles and about 5 percent igneous cobble; slightly acid (pH 6.2).
TYPE LOCATION: Albany County, Wyoming; about 200 feet west and 150 feet south of the NE corner of sec. 25, T. 14 N., R. 76 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Depth to a seasonal high water table ranges from 36 to 60 inches. The mean annual soil temperature ranges from 40 to 45 degrees F., and the mean summer soil temperature ranges from 60 to 68 degrees F. 0 to 50 percent of the surface is covered with igneous pebbles. The particle-size control section commonly has 2 to 12 percent clay and 35 to 75 percent coarse fragments. Reaction of the profile is slightly acid to mildly alkaline.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR; value of 4 or 5 dry; and chroma of 2 or 3 dry and moist. Texture commonly is gravelly sandy loam or gravelly loamy sand.
The C horizon has value of 5 or 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist, and chroma of 4 through 6 dry and moist. Matrix texture is loamy sand or sand with very gravelly or extremely gravelly modifiers.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Grenoble soils are on floodplains, low alluvial terraces, and in old stream channels. They formed in mixed stream alluvium of high igneous gravel content. Slopes range from 0 to 3 percent. Elevation is 6,500 to 7,800 feet. Precipitation ranges from 10 to 14 inches. The mean annual temperature ranges from 40 to 45 degrees F. The frost-free season is 85 to 110 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Alcova, Bosler, Fola, and Pahlow series. Alcova and Bosler soils have diagnostic argillic horizons. Fola and Pahlow soils have loamy-skeletal particle size control sections and diagnostic cambic horizons. All these soils occur on adjacent upland or older terraces.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat poorly drained; rapidly permeable; slow runoff.
USE AND VEGETATION: Grenoble soils are used for rangeland and irrigated hay and pasture. Native vegetation is alkali sacaton, Indian ricegrass, tufted hairgrass, and thin stands of cottonwood and willows.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southeastern Wyoming. The series is of limited extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Albany County (Albany County Area), Wyoming; 1991.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon--0 to 9 inches (A)
Aquic feature - A water table is present within 36 to 60 inches during late spring and early summer. Organic matter typically is not apparent below the surface horizon, possibly due to the coarseness of the material.