LOCATION WORFSTONE WYEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, frigid Lithic Calciargids
TYPICAL PEDON: Worfstone sandy loam-rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
A--0 to 2 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many fine roots; mildly alkaline (pH 7.4); clear wavy boundary. (1 to 3 inches thick)
Bt--2 to 6 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) very gravelly sandy clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, sticky and plastic; many fine roots; common distinct clay bridges on faces of peds; 40 percent pebbles; mildly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear wavy boundary. (3 to 10 inches thick)
Bk1--6 to 11 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) extremely gravelly sandy loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many fine roots; violently effervescent, carbonate disseminated and as common threads, soft masses, and coatings on pebbles; 70 percent pebbles; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear wavy boundary.
Bk2--11 to 17 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) extremely gravelly sandy loam, pale brown (10YR 6/3) moist; hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine roots; violently effervescent, carbonates disseminated and as coatings on pebbles; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); abrupt smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bk horizon is 3 to 15 inches)
R--17 inches; hard, calcareous conglomerate.
TYPE LOCATION: Natrona County, Wyoming; Blackjack Ranch Quadrangle; 2,390 feet south and 1,640 feet west of the NE corner of sec. 2, T. 31 N., R. 89 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Depth to hard conglomerate bedrock and lithic contact ranges from 10 to 20 inches. The mean annual soil temperature is 44 to 47 degrees F., and the mean annual summer soil temperature is 59 to 63 degrees F. Organic matter averages 1 to 2 percent in the upper part of the soil.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist, and chroma of 3 or 4. It is neutral or mildly alkaline.
The Bt horizon has hue of 7.5YR through 2.5Y, value of 5 or 6 dry, 3 through 5 moist, and chroma of 3 or 4. This horizon is sandy clay loam or gravelly sandy clay loam in the upper part and very gravelly sandy clay loam or extremely gravelly sandy clay loam in the lower part. The matrix is 20 to 30 percent clay. When mixed, however, coarse fragments range from 35 to about 60 percent throughout. It is mildly alkaline or less commonly moderately alkaline.
The Bk horizon has hue of 7.5YR through 2.5Y, value of 6 or 7 dry, 5 or 6 moist, and chroma of 2 through 4. It is extremely sandy loam with 10 to 20 percent clay and 65 to 80 percent pebbles. Calcium carbonate equivalent ranges from 15 to 30 percent. It is moderately alkaline or strongly alkaline. EC is less than 2 mmhos.
The bedrock consists of hard conglomerate bedrock many feet thick. The rock fragments are dominantly pebbles with a few scattered cobble in the matrix.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no other series in the family.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Worfstone soils are on ridges and hillsides. Slopes range from 2 to 50 percent. They formed in residuum derived dominantly from conglomerate. Elevation is 6,400 to 7,000 feet. The mean annual precipitation is 10 to 14 inches, the mean annual temperature is 40 to 42 degrees F., and the frost-free season is 100 to 110 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Brownsto, McFadden, and Rawlins soils. Brownsto and McFadden soils are deep and do not have an argillic horizon. Rawlins soils are deep.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; medium or rapid runoff; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Worfstone soils are used mainly for livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. Native vegetation is mainly bluebunch wheatgrass, western wheatgrass, Indian ricegrass, and black sagebrush.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: South central Wyoming. The series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Natrona County, Wyoming; 1985.