LOCATION ROGRUBE COEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Ustic Calcigypsids
TYPICAL PEDON: Rogrube loam - on a southeast facing slope of 2 percent in rangeland at an elevation of 6,810 feet. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A--0 to 3 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; moderate medium platy structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; strong effervescence, 10 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; strongly alkaline (pH 9.0); abrupt smooth boundary. (2 to 3 inches thick)
Bk1--3 to 13 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; moderate medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; strong effervescence, 16 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; calcium carbonate disseminated; strongly alkaline (pH 9.0); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 16 inches thick)
Bk2--13 to 20 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) clay loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; violent effervescence, 35 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; strongly alkaline (pH 9.0); clear smooth boundary. (7 to 20 inches thick)
Bk3--20 to 28 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) clay loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; massive; hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; violent effervescence; 16 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; strongly alkaline (pH 8.8); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 10 inches thick)
Bky--28 to 36 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) sandy clay loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; massive; very hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; strong effervescence, 14 percent calcium carbonate equivalent, 13 percent calcium sulfate; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); clear wavy boundary. (7 to 12 inches thick)
By1--36 to 48 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) clay loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; massive; very hard, very firm, slightly sticky and plastic; slight effervescence, 9 percent calcium carbonate equivalent, 15 percent calcium sulfate; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear smooth boundary. (8 to 14 inches thick)
By2--48 to 60 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) sandy clay loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) moist; massive; hard, firm, slightly sticky slightly plastic; slight effervescence, 9 percent calcium carbonate equivalent, 10 percent calcium sulfate; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2).
TYPE LOCATION: Moffat County, Colorado; 17 miles west of Powderwash, Colorado; 800 feet north and 100 feet east of the southwest corner of Sec. 5, T. 11 N., R. 100 W. Longitude: 108 degrees, 39 minutes, 59 seconds west. Latitude: 40 degrees, 56 minutes, 13 seconds north.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Mean annual soil temperature is 43 to 47 degrees F. and mean summer soil temperature is 61 to 66 degrees F. The moisture control section is dry in all parts more than three-fourths of the time (cumulative) that the soil temperature is 41 degree7 F. or higher at a depth of 20 inches. The particle size control section averages 18 to 34 percent clay. Depth to the calcic horizon is 2 to 20 inches; depth to the gypsic horizon is 17 to 45 inches. The product of the percentage of gypsum and the thickness in centimeters of the gypsic horizon above a depth of 60 inches is 400 to 1,500. The calcic horizon averages 20 to 30 percent calcium carbonate equivalent.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR value of 5 or 6, 4 or 5 moist. Textures are sandy loam, loam, or clay loam. Reaction is mildly alkaline through strongly alkaline.
The Bk horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR value of 5 or 6, 4 or 5 moist, and chroma of 3 through 5. Texture is sandy clay loam, clay loam, silty clay loam, or loam. Calcium carbonate ranges from 15 to 35 percent and is both disseminated and concentrated in white filaments. Reaction is moderately alkaline or strongly alkaline.
The By horizon has hue of 5Y through 7.5YR, value of 5 through 7, 5 or 6 moist, and chroma of 3 through 6. Texture is sandy clay loam, loam, clay loam, or silty clay loam. The content of gypsum ranges from 5 to 25 percent in individual subhorizons and occurs as white powders, filaments, and sometimes visible crystals. Reaction is mildly alkaline and moderately alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: This is the Luvar (T)(WY) series. The Luvar soils receive more spring precipitation. The soil moisture control section is moist in some parts for a longer period during April through June.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Rogrube soils are on slightly convex portions of dissected plateaus. These soils formed in loess and residuum derived from gypsiferous shales. Elevation is 6,600 to 7,500 feet. Slopes range from 1 to 12 percent. The mean annual precipitation ranges from 9 to 12 inches. Over 50 percent of the precipitation occurs as snow. Mean annual temperature is 40 to 45 degrees F., and the mean summer temperature is 63 to 67 degrees F. The frost-free period is 60 to 95 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are Leswill, Boltus, Beamton, and Talamantes soils. Leswill soils lack a calcic horizon and have fine-silty particle size control sections. Boltus soils are shallow to shales and Beamton soils are moderately deep to shales. Talamantes soils lack calcic and gypsic horizons.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; moderate runoff; slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for rangeland. Native vegetation is Wyoming big sagebrush, shadscale, wheatgrass, needleandthread, and Indian ricegrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northwest Colorado and Northeast Utah. The series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Henry's Fork Soil Survey Area in Utah and Wyoming, 1990.
REMARKS: The name is coined. Diagnostic horizons recognized in this pedon are: the ochric epipedon - the zone from 0 to 3 inches; calcic horizon - the zone from 3 to 28 inches; and the gypsic horizon - the zone from 28 to 60 inches. Last updated by the state 12/90.