LOCATION ARWITE WYEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Aridic Haplustalfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Arwite fine sandy loam - on a southeast-facing slope of 8 percent in rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated)
A--0 to 5 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) fine sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable; nonsticky and nonplastic, many fine and very fine roots throughout; common fine interstitial pores throughout; neutral (pH 7.0); clear smooth boundary. (2 to 8 inches thick)
Bt1--5 to 14 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) sandy clay loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to moderate fine and medium angular blocky; hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately slightly plastic; common distinct discontinuous dark brown (10YR 3/3) clay films on faces of peds; many fine and very fine roots throughout; common fine tubular pores throughout; neutral (pH 7.2); clear wavy boundary.
Bt2--14 to 24 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) sandy clay loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to moderate fine and medium angular blocky; hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common distinct discontinuous dark brown (10YR 3/3) clay films on faces of peds; many fine and very fine roots throughout; common fine tubular pores throughout; neutral (pH 7.2); gradual wavy boundary. (Combined Bt horizons 10 to 32 inches thick)
Btk--24 to 32 inches; light olive brown (2.5Y 5/3) sandy clay loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate medium angular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many distinct discontinuous brown (10YR 4/3) clay films on faces of peds; common fine and very fine roots throughout; common fine tubular pores throughout; few fine light gray (10YR 7/2) irregular carbonate threads throughout; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 15 inches thick)
Bk1--32 to 45 inches; light olive brown (2.5Y 5/3) fine sandy loam, olive brown (2.5Y 4/3) moist; moderate medium angular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable; nonsticky and nonplastic, common fine and very fine roots throughout; common fine vesicular pores throughout; few fine light gray (10YR 7/2) irregular carbonate threads throughout; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear smooth boundary.
Bk2--45 to 60 inches; light olive brown (2.5Y 5/3) fine sandy loam, olive brown (2.5Y 4/3) moist; weak fine and medium angular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable; few fine and very fine roots throughout; few fine vesicular pores throughout; few fine light gray (10YR 7/2) irregular carbonate threads throughout; carbonates are disseminated throughout; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0).
TYPE LOCATION: Campbell County, Wyoming; about 1,800 feet west and 1,200 feet south of the northeast corner of section 13, T.56N., R.74W. USGS topoquadrangle Homestead Draw, SW, Wyoming, 44 degrees 50 minutes 11 seconds north latitude and 105 degrees 42 minutes 16 seconds west longitude.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Depth to the base of the argillic horizon ranges from 15 to 35 inches. Depth to calcium carbonate is 24 to 60 inches or more. Depth to the base of the argillic horizon ranges from 14 to 35 inches. Rock fragments range from 0 to 10 percent channers. The moisture control section is usually moist in some part in March through June. The average annual soil temperature is 47 to 50 degrees F.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 4 to 6 and 3 or 4 moist, and chroma of 2 or 3. It has texture of fine sandy loam, sandy loam, very fine sandy loam or sandy clay loam. It is neutral or slightly alkaline.
The Bt horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 5 to 7 and 4 or 5 moist, and chroma of 2 to 6. It has texture of sandy clay loam. It has 20 to 35 percent clay and 35 to 55 percent fine and coarser sand. It is neutral or slightly alkaline.
The Btk horizon has hue of hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 5 to 7 and 4 or 5 moist, and chroma of 2 to 6. It is sandy clay loam. It has 20 to 35 percent clay and 35 to 55 percent fine and coarser sand. It is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline.
The Bk horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 5 to 7 dry and 4 or 5 moist, and chroma of 3 or 4. It is fine sandy loam, sandy loam, sandy clay loam, or loamy sand. It has 8 to 18 percent clay and more than 35 percent fine and coarser sand. It is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline. It has up to 5 percent calcium carbonate equivalent.
Some pedons have a C horizon with colors and textures similar to the Bk horizon.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Arnor, Augustine, Bigbow, Bosonoak, Carri, Celacy, Celavar, Dalhart, Deekay, Dermala, Elwop, Evpark, Flugle, Fort Collins, Gateson, Goesling, Iwela, Lykorly, Maia, Nomrah, Nyjack, Oldwolf, Olnest, Orlie, Parkelei, Pinitos, Rauzi, Ribera, Rockybutte, Stoneham, Toluca and Wagonhound series. Arnor soils have more than 15 percent rock fragments. Augustine, Dermala, Flugle, Goesling, Lykorly, Maia and Pinitos soils are moist in some part of the moisture control section during the 120 days following the winter solstice. Bigbow soils have buried horizons at depths of less than 40 inches. Bosonoak soils have a silty clay loam or clay loam Bt horizon, occur above elevations of 6500 feet and receive most of their precipitation between July and October. Carri, Celavar, Evpark, Nyjack and Ribera soils have a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches. Celacy, Elwop, Gateson and Oldwolf soils have a paralithic contact at 20 to 40 inches. Dalhart soils have average annual temperatures of 52 to 59 degrees F. Deekay and Fort Collins soils have 15 to 35 percent fine and coarser sand in the particle size control section. Iwela, Nomrah, Orlie, and Parkelei soils are usually dry in the moisture control section in May and June. Stoneham soils have secondary calcium carbonate accumulations at 10 inches or less and the base of the argillic horizon is less than 15 inches. Olnest soils have a frost-free period of more than 135 days. Rauzi soils have 5YR or 7.5YR hues in the Bt horizon. Rockybutte soils are moderately deep to porcellanite. Toluca and Wagonhound soils have carbonates at depths of less than 25 inches.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Arwite soils are on fan remnants, alluvial fans, terraces, hills and ridges. They formed in alluvium or eolian deposits derived from mixed sedimentary sources. Slopes are 0 to 15 percent. Elevations are 3,500 to 4,800 feet. The mean annual precipitation ranges from 15 to 17 inches, half of which falls as rain or wet snow from March through June. The mean annual air temperature ranges from 44 to 50 degrees F. The frost-free period is about 105 to 130 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the competing Deekay and Elwop soils and the Moskee, Vonalf and Xema soils. Deekay, Moskee and Vonalf soils are on similar positions as the Arwite soils. Elwop and Xema soils are on shoulder and summits of hills and ridges above the Arwite soils. Moskee soils have a mollic epipedon. Vonalf and Xema soils are coarse-loamy. In addition, Xema soils are moderately deep to a paralithic contact.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; low to medium runoff; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are utilized as rangeland, hayland and pasture, nonirrigated cropland, and wildlife habitat. The native vegetation is mainly Indian ricegrass, little bluestem, needleandthread, and prairie sandreed. Winter wheat, oats, and alfalfa are the primary cultivated crops.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Arwite soils occur in northeast and north-central Wyoming. The series is of limited extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Denver, Colorado
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Campbell County, Wyoming, Southern Part; 1995.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - 0 to 5 inches (A)
Argillic horizon - 5 to 32 inches (Bt1, Bt2, Btk)
LRR- G
SIR- WY1361