LOCATION WIBAUX WY+MTEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal over fragmental, mixed, superactive, nonacid, mesic Ustic Torriorthents
TYPICAL PEDON: Wibaux channery fine sandy loam, on a 4 percent north facing slope - utilized as range land. (Colors are for dry soils unless otherwise stated)
A--0 to 3 inches; reddish brown (5YR 5/4) channery fine sandy loam, reddish brown (5YR 4/4) moist; weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; noneffervescent; 25 percent angular scoria channers; slightly alkaline; clear wavy boundary. (3 to 6 inches thick)
C--3 to 16 inches; reddish brown (5YR 5/4) very channery loam, reddish brown (5YR 4/4) moist; massive; soft, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; noneffervescent; 55 percent angular scoria channers; slightly alkaline; clear wavy boundary. (4 to 17 inches thick)
2C--16 to 60 inches; fractured porcelanite.
TYPE LOCATION: Campbell County, Wyoming; about 1600 feet west and 150 feet south of the northeast corner of Sec. 14, T 41 N, R 70 W.; USGS Piney Canyon SW, WY topographic quadrangle; lat. 43 degrees 32 minutes 3 seconds N. and long. 105 degrees 12 minutes 42 seconds W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Depth to the fragmental substrata ranges from 7 to 20 inches. These soils typically are noncalcareous throughout the loamy-skeletal part of the control section but some pedons have carbonates within 6 inches. The fragmental materials in some pedons are inconsistently calcareous. The weighted average organic carbon content of the surface 15 inches or that portion of the solum above the fragmental beds ranges from approximately 0.4 to 1.0 percent. Conductivity is typically less than 2 mmhos/cm and exchangeable sodium percentage is normally less than 3 percent. The mean annual soil temperature ranges from 47 to 53 degrees F. The soil temperature at 20 inches is 41 degrees F. or higher for 175 to 210 days. The fragmental material contains interstices ranging from 2 mm to over 2 cm in diameter. These are devoid of any fine earth material.
The A horizon has hue of 5YR, 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 5 to 7 and 3 to 6 moist, and chroma of 2 to 6. When the value of the A horizon is as dark as 5 and 3 moist, the horizon is too thin or contains too little organic matter to be a mollic epipedon. Texture is loam or fine sandy loam, or channery or very channery analogues of these textures. Rock fragments range from 5 to 40 percent, with 0 to 5 percent flagstone. Reaction is neutral or slightly alkaline. Some pedons have an AC horizon.
The C horizon has hue of 2.5YR, 5YR, 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 4 to 7 and 3 to 6 moist, and chroma of 2 to 8. Texture is very channery or extremely channery loam or fine sandy loam. Rock fragments range from 35 to 90 percent, with 0 to 15 percent flagstones and 0 to 5 percent stones. Reaction is neutral to slightly alkaline. Moderately alkaline reactions may occur where baked shale is sodic.
The 2C horizon consists of fractured and/or folded porcelanite beds. A soil matrix is uncommon but when present is less than 5 percent. Colors of the rock are quite variable but commonly have 10R or 2.5YR hue. Hues of 5Y have been recorded in some areas.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing soils.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Wibaux series occurs on hillslopes, knolls and the crests and shoulders of ridges. Slopes range from 0 to 75 percent. The soil is developing in thin mantels of medium to moderately fine textured, noncalcareous, channery materials weathered principally from porcelanite beds. The average annual precipitation ranges from 10 to 14 inches with peak periods of precipitation occurring in April, May and June. The mean annual temperature is 46 degrees F., and the mean summer temperature is 65 degrees F. Elevation is 3,500 to 5,800 feet. The frost-free season is 105 to 130 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Lawver, Shingle, Taluce, Teckla, Theedle and Turnercrest soils. Lawver and Teckla soils occur on uplands and footslopes. They have argillic horizons. Shingle, Taluce, Theedle and Turnercrest occur on similar landscape positions as Wibaux soils lack fragmental discontinuities. Redhills soils are moderately deep to fractured porcelanite.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well to somewhat excessively drained; runoff is medium; permeability is moderate over very rapid.
USE AND VEGETATION: They are used as native rangeland. Native vegetation includes sage, prairie junegrass, Sandberg bluegrass and needleandthread. Some areas have ponderosa pine and juniper.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Wyoming, Montana and South Dakota. The series is of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Denver, Colorado.
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Campbell County, Wyoming; 1940.
Ochric epipedon - 3 inches (A horizon)
Fragmental discontinuity - 16 inches (top of 2C horizon)
Ustic subgroup of the aridic moisture regime.