LOCATION GROBUTTE WY+UTEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, calcareous, frigid Ustic Torriorthents
TYPICAL PEDON: Grobutte gravelly loam, rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A1--0 to 4 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) gravelly loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate fine and very fine granular structure; soft, very friable, sticky and plastic; 15 percent gravel; calcareous; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); clear smooth boundary. (4 to 10 inches thick)
C1--4 to 10 inches; light gray (10YR 7/2) gravelly loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure that parts to moderate fine and very fine granular structure; slightly hard, friable, sticky and plastic; 15 percent gravel; calcareous, lime disseminated; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 20 inches thick)
C2--10 to 60 inches; light gray (10YR 7/2) very gravelly sandy loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure that parts to moderate fine and very fine granular structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky; 50 percent gravel and cobbles; calcareous, lime disseminated; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4).
TYPE LOCATION: Teton County, Wyoming; along old road cut on the north side of the mouth of Horsethief Canyon; SW1/4 of sec. 27, T.40N., R.116W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature is about 42 degrees to 44 degrees F. The mean summer soil temperature is about 60 degrees to 65 degrees F. Gravel and cobbles range from 35 to 75 percent.
The A horizon has hue of 2.5Y or 10YR, value of 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist, and chroma of 2 or 3. It is moderately or strongly alkaline.
The C horizon has hue of 2.5Y or 10YR. It is moderately or strongly alkaline. Calcium carbonate equivalent ranges from 1 to 14 percent.
COMPETING SERIES: This is the Southace (T) series. Southace soils have 5YR hue.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Grobutte soils are on south and west exposures on steep hill sides and mountainsides. Slopes are 30 to 60 percent. The soils formed in gravelly or very gravelly alluvium or colluvium. Elevation is 6,000 to 7,500 feet. Average annual precipitation for the area is about 15 to 20 inches, but snow is blown from these soils, and snowmelt runs off rapidly. The mean annual air temperature is about 35 percent to 38 degrees F. The frost-free season is less than 60 to 90 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Starman and Thayne soils. Starman soils have a lithic contact at depths of 10 to 20 inches. Thayne soils are fine-loamy and have a mollic epipedon.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; rapid runoff; moderately rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for rangeland, recreation, and wildlife habitat. Native vegetation is wheatgrass, big sagebrush, and balsamroot.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: In the mountains and hills of western Wyoming. The series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Teton County, wyoming, Grand Teton National Park Area, 1975.
REMARKS:
The superactive cation exchange activity class was added in 03/2003 to the taxonomic classification by the National Soil Survey Center on request of the Reno MLRA office, without review of the soil series property data. The remainder of this document has not been updated.