LOCATION HILAND WY+MTEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Ustic Haplargids
TYPICAL PEDON: Hiland fine sandy loam - on northeast facing slope of 3 percent; utilized as rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated)
A--0 to 2 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) fine sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak medium granular structure parting to weak fine granular; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine and common fine roots; neutral (pH 7.2); abrupt smooth boundary. (2 to 5 inches thick)
E--2 to 6 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) fine sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak thin platy structure parting to moderate fine and medium granular; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine and common fine roots; neutral (pH 7.2); abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 5 inches thick)
Bt1--6 to 12 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/4) sandy clay loam, brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; strong medium prismatic structure parting to strong fine and medium angular blocky; hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; many very fine roots in a mat at the top of the horizon and common very fine roots between peds; many fine pores; many prominent continuous dark brown (7.5YR 3/3) clay films on faces of peds; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); clear wavy boundary.
Bt2--12 to 17 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) sandy clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; common fine and medium distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) and common fine light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) relic redoximorphic features; strong medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine roots between peds; many fine pores; common prominent continuous dark brown (10YR 3/3) clay films on faces of peds and occur as fillings in root channels and pipes; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); gradual wavy boundary.
Bt3--17 to 31 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) sandy clay loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; common fine and medium distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) common fine light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) relic redoximorphic features; moderate coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine roots between peds; many fine pores; few distinct continuous brown (10YR 4/3) clay films on faces of peds and occur as fillings in root channels and pipes; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); gradual wavy boundary. (Combined Bt horizons 13 to 32 inches thick)
Bk--31 to 60 inches; light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/3) fine sandy loam, light olive brown (2.5Y 5/3) moist; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate medium and coarse subangular blocky; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine roots; many fine pores; few fine and medium rounded light gray (10YR 7/2) masses of carbonate throughout; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); gradual smooth boundary.
TYPE LOCATION: Converse County, Wyoming; about 3,200 feet south and 500 feet west of the northeast corner of Sec. 3, T. 33 N., R. 69 W. USGS The Park, WY topographic quadrangle; lat. 42 degrees 51 minutes 33 seconds N. and long. 105 degrees 7 minutes 6 seconds W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Gravel ranges from 0 to 15 percent in the solum and from 0 to 30 percent in the 2C or Bk horizons. The base of the Bt or Btk ranges from 15 to 35 inches. Depth to continuous carbonate accumulation ranges from 14 to 32 inches. The soil is dry in the moisture control section more than half the time cumulative that the soil temperature at a depth of 20 inches is 41 degrees F. and is never moist in all parts for as long as 60 consecutive days when the soil temperature at a depth of 20 inches is 41 degrees F., which occurs about April 21-27, but is dry in all parts of the moisture control section for at least 60 consecutive days from July 15 to October 25 and for at least 90 cumulative days during this period. The mean annual soil temperature is 47 to 52 degrees F., and the soil temperature at a depth of 20 inches is 41 degrees F. or more for 175 to 192 days. EC ranges from 0 to 2 mmhos from the surface to the base of the Bt and from 1 to 4 mmhos below the base of the Bt. Bedrock is deeper than 60 inches.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 4 to 6 dry and 3 to 5 moist, and chroma of 2 to 4. It is sandy loam, fine sandy loam, very fine sandy loam, sandy clay loam or loamy sand. Vesicular crust occurs on some pedons. This horizon is neutral to moderately alkaline.
The E horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 4 to 6 and 3 to 5 moist, and chroma of 2 to 4. It is fine sandy loam, very fine sandy loam, sandy loam, sandy clay loam or loamy sand. It is neutral or slightly alkaline.
The Bt horizon has hue of 2.5Y to 7.5YR, value of 4 to 6 dry and 3 to 5 moist, and chroma of 2 to 4. It has a weighted clay content of 20 to 35 percent and is sandy clay loam; however, parts of this horizon may be sandy loam. This horizon is typically noncalcareous. Reaction is neutral to moderately alkaline.
If a Btk horizon is present, it has the same ranges as defined for the Bt except that it is replugged with carbonate and reaction ranges from moderately to strongly alkaline.
The Bk horizon has hue of 2.5Y or 10YR, value of 5 to 7 dry and 4 to 7 moist, and chroma of 2 to 4. It is sandy loam, loamy sand, fine sandy loam or sandy clay loam; or, when other textures occur, the horizon average must be sandy loam, loamy sand or fine sandy loam. It is not a calcic horizon. It does not have 5 percent more calcium carbonate equivalent than the underlying horizon or has less than 5 percent secondary carbonates. It is moderately or strongly alkaline. Exchangeable sodium is less than 15 percent even though field tests indicate strongly alkaline reactions.
Some pedons have a 2Bk, 2C or C horizon. The 2C and 2Bk horizons may contain more rock fragments. Contrasting textures of sand may occur below 40 inches. It is calcareous but typically has less than 5 percent calcium carbonate equivalent.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Balon, Blancot, Bowbac, Buckle, Cambria, Cerrillos, Cushman, Decolney, Doakum, Forkwood, Fort, Gaddes, Gapbutte, Gapmesa, Hagerman, Hagerwest, Los Alamos, Mentmore, Oelop, Olney, Palacid, Penistaja, Pokeman, Potts, Pugsley, Quagwa, Redpen, Spangler, Spenlo, Sundance, Teckla and Yenlo soils (it is assumed Gaddes and Yenlo are competing pending an update of the classification). Balon soils are noncalcareous. Blancot soils have discontinuous horizons of carbonate accumulation. Bowbac, Cerrillos, Cushman, Gaddes, Gapmesa, Hagerman, Pokeman, Pugsley and Spangler soils are moderately deep. Buckle Hagerwest, Mentmore, Palacid and Quagwa soils are driest during May and June. Cambria soils have Bt horizons that have a base at depths of less than 10 inches from the soil surface. Cerrillos, Potts and Spenlo soils have hues of 7.5YR or redder throughout the profile. Decolney soils have carbonates at deeper than 40 inches. Doakum soils have annual average soil temperatures of 52 to 56 degrees F. Forkwood soils have less than 35 percent fine sand and coarser in the particle-size control section. Los Alamos soils have pumice and ash at depths of 20 to 50 inches. Oelop, Palacid, Penistaja and Yenlo soils are moist in some or all parts of the moisture control section for 60 consecutive days following July 15 and are moist in some parts for at least 90 cumulative days when the soil temperature at 20 inches is 41 degrees F. Olney soils are moist in some part of the soil moisture control section for at least 90 cumulative days when the soil temperature at 20 inches is 41 degrees F. or more. Redpen soils have hue of 2.5YR. Sundance and Teckla soils have lithologic discontinuities.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Hiland soils are on relict surfaces consisting of terraces, fan remnants, pediments, fans, ridges, hills and stabilized dunes. Slopes are 0 to 20 percent. They formed in moderately coarse alluvium and eolian material derived predominantly from sandstone. Elevations are 3,500 to 6,300 feet. The average annual precipitation is about 12 inches with over half of the annual precipitation falling in April, May, and June and less than one inch falling in each month of July, August, September, and October. Precipitation ranges from 10 to 14 inches. The mean annual air temperature is 43 to 51 degrees F. The frost-free season is 105 to 130 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the competing Bowbac, Decolney and Forkwood soils and the Absted, Arvada, Haverdad, Kishona, Keyner, Shingle and Taluce soils. Arvada, Absted and Keyner soils have a natric horizon. Decolney soils have carbonates at depths of more than 40 inches. Haverdad and Kishona soils lack an argillic horizon. Shingle and Taluce soils are shallow.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; low or medium runoff; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used principally for grazing. Principal native vegetation is big sagebrush, silver sagebrush, rhizomatous wheatgrass, blue grama, and needleandthread.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Big Horn Basin and eastern Wyoming.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Denver, Colorado
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Converse County, Wyoming; 1983.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - 0 to 6 inches (A and E horizons)
Argillic horizon - 6 to 31 inches (Bt1, Bt2 and Bt3 horizons)
SIR- WY1343
LRR- G