LOCATION RYPOD UTEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, frigid Calcic Pachic Argixerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Rypod very cobbly loam - rangeland. (Colors are for air dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A--0 to 3 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) very cobbly loam, very dark brown (7.5YR 2/2) moist; weak medium platy structure parting to moderate very fine subangular blocky; slightly hard, friable, sticky and plastic; few medium and common very fine roots; common fine and very fine vesicular pores; 25 percent gravel and 25 percent cobbles and stones on and in the horizon; neutral (pH 7.2); abrupt smooth boundary. (3 to 4 inches thick)
BA--3 to 7 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) gravelly clay loam, very dark brown (7.5YR 2/2) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure parting to moderate very fine subangular blocky; slightly hard, firm, sticky and plastic; few fine and common very fine roots; few fine and common very fine random tubular pores; 5 percent cobbles and 25 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.2); clear smooth boundary. (3 to 5 inches thick)
Bt1--7 to 12 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) gravelly clay loam, very dark brown (7.5YR 2/2) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure parting to strong very fine subangular blocky; hard, firm, sticky and plastic; few fine and very fine roots; few medium and common very fine random tubular pores; few moderately thick clay films on faces of peds; 5 percent cobbles and 25 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.2); clear wavy boundary. (5 to 13 inches thick)
Bt2--12 to 17 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) very gravelly clay loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure parting to moderate fine subangular blocky; very hard, firm, sticky and plastic; few fine and very fine roots; common fine and very fine random tubular pore; common moderately thick clay films on faces of peds; 10 percent cobbles and 35 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.2); clear wavy boundary. (5 to 10 inches thick)
Bt3--17 to 27 inches; brown (7.5YR 4/3) very gravelly clay loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/3) moist; weak medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; very hard, firm, sticky and plastic; few fine and very fine roots; few medium and common fine and very fine random tubular pores; many moderately thick clay films on faces of peds; 15 percent cobbles and 25 percent gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); clear irregular boundary. (O to 10 inches thick)
Bk1--27 to 31 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/4) very gravelly sandy clay loam, brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure parting to moderate fine and very fine subangular blocky; hard, firm, sticky and plastic; few fine and very fine roots; few medium and common fine and very fine random tubular pores; 10 percent cobbles and 25 percent gravel; slightly effervescent, carbonates are disseminated and as thin coatings on gravel and few thin veins; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 4 inches thick)
Bk2--31 to 43 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/3) very gravelly sandy clay loam, brown (7.5YR 4/3) moist; weak medium and fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine and common very fine roots; few medium and many very fine random tubular pores; 5 percent cobbles and 35 percent gravel; slightly effervescent, carbonates are in few fine accretions; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); gradual irregular boundary. (12 to 15 inches thick)
C--43 to 60 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/2) extremely gravelly sand, dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) moist; single grain; loose; few fine and very fine roots; few medium and common fine interstitial pores; 60 percent gravel; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2).
TYPE LOCATION: Iron County, Utah; one mile east of Poorman Ranch Canyon road and two miles south of the Iron-Beaver County line in the northeast quarter of section 10, T. 31., R. 8 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature ranges from 44 degrees to 47 degrees F. The mean summer soil temperature is 60 degrees to 64 degrees F.
The mollic epipedon is 20 to 30 inches thick, and extends into the upper part of the argillic horizon. The solum above the layer of carbonate accumulation is 25 to 46 inches thick. The depth to bedrock is more than 60 inches. Rock fragments range from 30 to 50 percent in the A horizon; 35 to 50 percent in the Bt horizon; 35 to 60 percent in the Bk and C horizons.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist and chroma of 2 or 3. It is stony loam, very gravelly loam, gravelly loam or very cobbly loam. This horizon is neutral or slightly alkaline.
The Bt horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 4 or 5 dry, 2 through 4 moist and chroma of 2 through 4. It is gravelly clay loam or very gravelly clay loam. The horizon is neutral to moderately alkaline and ranges from 15 to 25 inches thick. Lower subhorizons have calcium carbonate equivalent ranging from 0 to 5 percent.
The Bk and C horizons have hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist and chroma of 2 to 4. They are gravelly clay loam, very gravelly sandy clay loam, very gravelly sandy loam or extremely gravelly sand. These horizons are slightly to moderately alkaline. Calcium carbonate equivalent ranges from 10 to 20 percent in the Bk horizons and 5 to 10 percent in the C horizons.
COMPETING SERIES: This is the Nomara (NV) series. Nomara soils are 20 to 40 inches deep to bedrock.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Rypod soils occur on mountain slopes, foothills and old dissected alluvial fans at elevations of 6,800 to 8,400 feet. Slopes range from 15 to 40 percent. These soils formed in residuum, colluvium and alluvium from mixed intermediate igneous rocks. The average annual precipitation is 14 to 16 inches. The mean annual temperature is 43 to 45 degrees F. The mean summer temperature is 60 degrees to 65 degrees F., and the frost-free period is 70 to 100 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Birdow, Doyce, Ocambee, Pavant, Pernty and Vosset soils. Birdow and Pavant soils do not have an argillic horizon. Doyce soils have less than 36 percent rock fragments in 4 the control section. Ocambee soils have more than 35 percent clay in the control section. Pernty soils are less than 20 inches deep to bedrock. Vosset soils have a mesic temperature regime and lack a calcic horizon.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; moderate to rapid runoff; moderate or moderately slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used mainly For rangeland, wildlife habitat and recreation. Vegetation is dominantly big sagebrush, bitterbrush, bluebunch wheatgrass, squirreltail, Indian ricegrass and lupine.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southern Utah. This soil is inextensive. MLRA 28A.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Phoenix, Arizona
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Iron County, Utah, Iron-Washington Area, 1997.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Pachic feature - the mollic epipedon deeper than 20 inches (A, BA, Bt1, Bt2, and Bt3 horizons).
Argillic horizon - the zone from 7 to 27 inches (Bt1, Bt2, and Bt3 horizons).
Calcic horizon - the zone from 27 to 43 inches (Bk1 and Bk2 horizons).
Classification is based on the "Keys to Soil Taxonomy, Eighth Edition, 1998".
Revision of 4/2009 adds CaCO3 equivalent information from NASIS to better represent the series concept. The remainder of the description was not updated.