LOCATION BATESON WYEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Ustic Haplargids
TYPICAL PEDON: Bateson loam--rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
A--0 to 3 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate fine granular structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many fine roots; neutral (pH 7.2); clear smooth boundary. (2 to 5 inches thick)
BA--3 to 6 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, sticky and plastic; common fine roots; few faint clay skins on faces of peds; neutral (pH 7.2); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 4 inches thick)
Bt1--6 to 12 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to strong medium angular blocky; very hard, firm, sticky and plastic; common fine roots; many prominent clay skins on faces of peds; neutral (pH 7.2); clear wavy boundary.
Bt2--12 to 18 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) sandy clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; hard, friable, sticky and plastic; common fine roots; many distinct clay bridges and common distinct clay skins on faces of peds; mildly alkaline (pH 7.8); gradual wavy boundary. (combined thickness of the Bt horizons is 11 to 21 inches)
2Bk--18 to 60 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) very gravelly coarse sandy loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; massive; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; matrix slightly effervescent, common extremely coarse rounded soft masses of carbonate, thin carbonate coatings on undersides of rock fragments; common silt and sand sized glass shards; 45 percent pebbles, 5 percent cobbles; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2)
TYPE LOCATION: Natrona County, Wyoming; McCleary Reservoir Quadrangle; 2,600 feet north, 2,000 feet east of the SW corner of Sec. 30, T. 32 N., R. 84 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Depth to tuffaceous, loamy-skeletal material ranges from 14 to 28 inches. The mean annual soil temperature ranges from 42 to 46 degrees F., and the mean summer soil temperature is 59 to 63 degrees F.
The A horizon has value of 4 through 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist, and chroma of 2 or 3. Rock fragments, mainly pebbles, are commonly less than 15 percent but range to 30 percent in some pedons. It is neutral or mildly alkaline.
The Bt horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 4 through 6 dry, 3 through 5 moist, and chroma of 3 through 6. It averages clay loam or sandy clay loam with 25 to 35 percent clay. Commonly, the upper part of this horizon has more than 35 percent clay. In some pedons the lower part is loam or sandy loam. Rock fragments, mainly pebbles, are typically less than 15 percent but range to 30 percent in some pedons. It is neutral or mildly alkaline.
The 2Bk horizon, or 2C horizon in some pedons, has hue of 7.5YR to 2.5Y, value of 5 through 8 dry, 4 through 7 moist, and chroma of 3 through 6. Carbonates are irregular, occurring as isolated pockets in some pedons, and are mainly authigenic. However, some movement is evident in most pedons. The matrix is composed largely of tuffaceous materials and is mainly coarse sandy loam or sandy loam. It is loamy coarse sand or loamy sand in the lower part of some pedons. Field texturing is difficult because of the tuffaceous materials and high percentages of coarse sand and fine pebbles. Rock fragments range form 35 to 60 percent and are mainly pebbles with 0 to 10 percent cobbles. It is commonly mildly alkaline or moderately alkaline. However, some pockets of carbonate are strongly alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Alcova, Almy, Alogia, Anchutz, Antonito, Bluerim, Bonfri, Cushool, Cutback(T), Diamondville, Diamonkit(T), Fluetsch, Fonce(T), Forelle, Grubrob(T) Harsha, Hickey(T), Maysprings(T), Rawah, Regnaps, Rock River, Satanka, Stunner, Stylite(T), Taffom(T), and Wycolo(T) series. Alcova soils do not have tuffaceous material containing glass shards. Almy, Alogia, Anchutz, Fluetsch, Forelle, Harsha, Hickey, Maysprings, Regnaps, Rock River, Stunner, Stylite, and Taffom soils do not have very gravelly Bk and C horizons. Antonito, Bluerim, Bonfri, Cushool, Cutback, Diamondville, Diamonkit, Grubrob, Rawah, Regnaps, Satanka, and Wycolo soils are moderately deep. Alogia, Anchutz, Fonce, Hickey, Stunner, and Wycolo soils have calcic horizons.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Bateson soils are on broad plateaus and piedmont slopes. Slopes range from 0 to 15 percent. They formed in alluvium or water- reworked eolian deposits overlying material derived from tuffaceous conglomerate. Elevation is 6,700 to 7,500 feet. The mean annual precipitation is 10 to 14 inches, and the mean annual temperature is 37 to 42 degrees F. The frost-free season is 85 to 110 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Diamondville, Forelle, Ulric, and Whiteriver soils. Diamondville soils are moderately deep. Forelle, Ulric, and Whiteriver soils do not have very gravelly Bk or C horizons. Also, Ulric and Whiteriver soils are fine.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; runoff is medium or rapid; permeability is moderately slow in the upper part and moderately rapid in the lower part.
USE AND VEGETATION: Bateson soils are used mainly for livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. Native vegetation is mainly western wheatgrass, prairie junegrass, mutton bluegrass, and big sagebrush.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: South-central Wyoming. The series is of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Natrona County, Wyoming; 1985.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and properties recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon--0 to 3 inches (A)
Argillic horizon--6 to 18 inches (Bt1,Bt2)
Borollic feature--1.17 to 2.14 percent organic carbon in the A horizon and a frigid temperature regime meet the requirements for the borollic subgroup.