LOCATION NATHALE WY+MTEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive Ustic Argicryolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Nathale gravelly fine sandy loam on a south-facing concave slope of 45 percent-rangeland. The surface is covered with 60 percent cobbles and pebbles. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
A--0 to 4 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) gravelly fine sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; many very fine, fine, and common medium roots; slightly effervescent, carbonates disseminated; 30 percent coarse pebbles; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear smooth boundary. (2 to 10 inches thick)
Bt--4 to 11 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) very cobbly very fine sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine and medium roots; common moderately thick clay films on faces of peds; strongly effervescent, carbonates disseminated; 25 percent small angular cobbles and 15 percent coarse pebbles; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear smooth boundary. (6 to 21 inches thick)
Bk1--11 to 17 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) very cobbly very fine sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine and medium roots; strongly effervescent, carbonates disseminated and as pendants on rock fragments; 25 percent cobbles and 15 percent coarse pebbles; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); clear smooth boundary. (6 to 15 inches thick)
Bk2--17 to 24 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) very cobbly fine sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; violently effervescent, carbonates disseminated and as pendants on rock fragments; 40 percent small cobbles and 20 percent coarse pebbles; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); abrupt irregular boundary. (0 to 8 inches thick)
R--24 inches; hard, fractured limestone; fractures widely spaced.
TYPE LOCATION: Albany County, Wyoming; 1,500 feet south and 1,900 feet west of the NE corner of sec. 23, T. 15 N., R. 72 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Depth to bedrock typically is 20 to 30 inches but ranges to 40 inches. The mean annual soil temperature ranges from 35 to 45 degrees F., and the mean summer soil temperature ranges from 50 to 59 degrees F. The mollic epipedon is 7 to 12 inches thick. Content of rock fragments in the particle size control section ranges from 35 to 60 percent with 0 to 15 percent coarse pebbles, 25 to 50 percent angular cobbles, and 0 to 10 percent stones larger than 10 inches.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, and chroma of 2 or 3 dry and moist. Reaction is neutral to moderately alkaline.
The Bt horizon has hue of 7.5YR to 2.5Y; value of 4 through 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist; and chroma of 3 or 4 dry and moist. Texture is very fine sandy loam, sandy clay loam, or loam modified with 35 to 70 percent rock fragments. Sand content is more than 35 percent fine sand or coarser. Clay content ranges from 18 to 25 percent. Reaction is neutral to moderately alkaline.
The Bk horizon has hue of 7.5YR to 2.5Y; value of 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist; and chroma of 3 through 6 dry and moist. Texture is very fine sandy loam, fine sandy loam, and sandy clay loam modified with 25 to 60 percent cobble and 0 to 30 percent stones. Clay content ranges from 10 to 25 percent. Reaction is mildly or moderately alkaline. This horizon is a diagnostic calcic.
COMPETING SERIES: Current competitors are the Blaine, Bowen, Fornor, Fourmile, Geertsen, Hoodle, Hodden, Lagarita, Libeg, Maciver, Norriston, Parkview, Quander, Ratiopeak, Spanpeak, Teeler, and Woodhall series.
Blaine: have less than 35 percent fine or coarser sand in the Bt horizon and formed in igneous materials
Bowen, Woodhall: do not have calcic horizons
Fornor,
Fourmile,
Hodden,
Hoodle,
Lagarita,
Libeg,
Maciver,
Norriston,
Quander,
Ratiopeak,
Spanpeak, Teeler: do not have a lithic contact within 60 inches of the surface
Geertsen: have a lithic contact below 40 inches of the surface
Parkview: have a paralithic contact between 20 and 40 inches below the surface
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Nathale soils are on sloping to very steep mountainsides, canyon walls, and cuestas. Slopes range from 5 to 60 percent and aspect typically is toward the south. These soils formed in residuum and colluvium derived from interbedded limestone and sandstone, and slate. Elevation is 5,500 to 9,500 feet. Annual precipitation is 15 to 19 inches. The mean annual temperature is 34 to 40 degrees F. The frost-free season is less than 60 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Eyre, Miracle, Passcreek, and Starley series. Eyre and Starley soils have hard sedimentary bedrock at depths of 10 to 20 inches and are on cuesta dipslopes and backslopes. Miracle soils are on lesser slopes and have less than 15 percent coarse fragments. Passcreek soils have less than 15 percent coarse fragments in the control section and typically occupy north-facing slopes.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow to rapid runoff; moderately rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for grazing and recreation. Vegetation is bluebunch wheatgrass, Idaho fescue, and prairie junegrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: The mountains and foothills of southeastern Wyoming and southwestern Montana. The series is of small extent, less than 10,000 acres.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Albany County (Albany County Area), Wyoming; 1991. Nathale is a coined name.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - 0 to 11 inches (A, Bt)
Argillic horizon - 4 to 11 inches (Bt)
Calcic horizon - 11 to 24 inches (Bk1, Bk2)