LOCATION ALDERON WYEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Typic Haplustalfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Alderon sandy loam on a convex northeast-facing slope of 25 percent used as grazeable woodland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
Oi--0 to 1 inches; slightly decomposed forest litter
Oe--1 to 2 inches; moderately decomposed needles, twigs, and bark
A--2 to 4 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) sandy loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; weak medium granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; common fine, medium, and few coarse roots; 10 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.0); abrupt wavy boundary. (0 to 6 inches thick)
E--4 to 9 inches; light brown (7.5YR 6/4) sandy clay loam, dark brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; weak fine platy structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; common fine, medium, and few coarse roots; 10 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.0); abrupt smooth boundary. (3 to 12 inches thick)
Bt--9 to 28 inches; yellowish red (5YR 4/6) gravelly sandy clay loam, reddish brown (5YR 4/4) moist; strong coarse and medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, moderately sticky, moderately plastic; few medium and coarse roots; few prominent clay films on faces of peds; 30 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.2); clear wavy boundary. (8 to 19 inches thick)
C--28 to 41 inches; brown (7.5YR 4/4) very gravelly coarse sandy loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) moist; single grain; loose, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; few coarse roots; 45 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.2); clear wavy boundary. (6 to 15 inches thick)
Cr--41 inches; weathered granite.
TYPE LOCATION: Albany County, Wyoming. 600 feet north and 1100 feet east of the southwest corner, Section 14, T21N, R71W. 41 degrees 47 minutes 13 seconds north latitude and 105 degrees 19 minutes 35 seconds west longitude.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: (Depths are measured from the top of the mineral soil surface.)
Depth to paralithic contact: 20 to 40 inches to weathered granite
Depth to the top of the argillic horizon: 4 to 16 inches
Reaction: neutral through moderately alkaline throughout
Particle-size control section: 20 to 35 percent clay, with greater than 35 percent fine sand or coarser, and 10 to 35 percent rock fragments that 2 to 40 mm.
A horizon:
Value: 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 2 through 4 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Texture: sandy loam or gravelly sandy loam
Rock fragments: 5 to 25 percent gravel
E horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 2 or 4 moist
Chroma: 3 or 4 dry or moist
Texture: sandy clay loam or sandy loam, or gravelly sandy loam
Rock fragments: 10 to 30 percent gravel
Bt horizon:
Hue: 5YR through 10YR
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 4 through 6 moist
Chroma: 3 through 6 dry or moist
Rock fragments: 10 to 35 percent gravel
C horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 3 through 5 moist
Chroma: 4 through 6 dry and moist
Texture: very gravelly sandy loam, very gravelly coarse sandy loam, or very gravelly sandy clay loam, or gravelly sandy loam
Rock fragments: 30 to 45 percent gravel
COMPETING SERIES: Current competitors are the Allens Park, Bayerton, Belltower, Elbeth, Elbuck, Elmark, Hoyt, Jemco, Kunz, Lumpgulch, Northrim, Plome, Shoemaker, Sweetweed, and Tunitcha series. Previous competitors are the Fairport, Gateson, Haugan, Lakoa, Lengby, Nebish, Onaway, and Snellman series.
Allens Park,
Bayerton,
Fairport,
Jemco,
Lumpgulch, Shoemaker: have a lithic contact between 20 and 40 inches deep
Belltower: have accumulations of secondary calcium carbonate
Elbeth,
Elbuck, Haugon,
Hoyt,
Kunz,
Lakoa,
Lengby,
Nebish,
Northrim,
Onaway,
Plome,
Snellman, Sweetweed: do not have a lithic or paralithic contact within 60 inches of the surface
Elmark: have a lithic contact between 40 and 60 inches deep
Gateson: have less than 35 percent fine sand or coarser
Tunitcha: have a paralithic contact between 40 and 60 inches deep
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: slope alluvium and colluvium over residuum derived from granite
Landform: foothills and mountain slopes
Elevation: 6000 to 7800 feet
Average annual precipitation: 17 inches and ranges from 15 to 19 inches with about half falling as snow and rain in April, May, and early June
Mean annual temperature: 40 to 45 degrees F.
Frost-free season: 85 to 110 days, depending upon elevation, aspect, and air drainage.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Boyle, Cathedral, and Lininger series. Boyle and Cathedral soils have a lithic contact. Boyle and Lininger soils have mollic epipedons.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; runoff is medium or rapid; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for recreation, wildlife habitat, and production of posts and poles. Native vegetation is lodgepole pine, limber pine, and ponderosa pine with an understory of common juniper, Oregon-grape, spike fescue, western yarrow, and kinnikinnick.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: The mountains of southeastern Wyoming, LRR D. The series is of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Albany County Area, Wyoming; 1991.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - 2 to 4 inches (A)
Argillic horizon - 9 to 28 inches (Bt)
Paralithic contact - 41 inches (Cr).
Classification was changed from Typic Eutroboralfs to superactive, frigid Typic Haplustalfs 05/1999.
Taxonomic version: Eighth Edition, 1998.