LOCATION CEDAK WYEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Aridic Argiustolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Cedak loam-rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
A--0 to 1 inch; brown (10YR 5/3) loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium platy structure parting to moderate fine granular; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many fine and very fine roots; neutral (pH 7.0); abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 2 inches thick)
Bt--1 to 16 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) clay loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium and coarse prismatic structure parting to strong medium angular blocky; hard, friable, sticky and plastic; common fine roots to 6 inches, few fine roots to 14 inches; common distinct clay films on all faces of peds; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); clear smooth boundary. (10 to 20 inches thick)
Bk1--16 to 20 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; strongly effervescent, calcium carbonate as common fine and very fine seams and soft masses; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); clear smooth boundary.
Bk2--20 to 31 inches; light gray (10YR 7/2) very fine sandy loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; violently effervescent, calcium carbonate as many fine and medium soft masses and seams; moderately alkaline, (pH 8.4); clear smooth boundary. (Thickness of Bk horizon is 10 to 20 inches)
Cr--31 to 60 inches; weakly consolidated, calcareous, fine grained sandstone.
TYPE LOCATION: Sheridan County, Wyoming; SW1/4, NW1/4 of sec. 15, T. 54 N., R. 82 W. Verona WY Quadrangle. 44 degrees 39 minutes 17 seconds north latitude and 106 degrees 43 minutes 32 seconds west longitude.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Depth to weakly consolidated bedrock and the paralithic contact is 20 to 40 inches. The mollic epipedon ranges from 7 to 20 inches thick and typically includes the upper part of the argillic horizon. The mean annual soil temperature is 47 to 52 degrees F. The soil moisture control section is usually moist in April, May, and early June. It is dry for 90 cumulative days from mid June to mid October, and 60 consecutive days during this same period.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist, and chroma of 2 or 3. It is loam, fine sandy loam or very fine sandy loam. Reaction is neutral to moderately alkaline.
The Bt horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 through 6 dry, 2 through 4 moist, and chroma of 2 through 4. Texture is loam or clay loam with 18 to 35 percent clay and more than 15 but less than 35 percent fine or coarser sand. Reaction is neutral to moderately alkaline.
The Bk horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 6 or 7 dry, 4 through 6 moist, and chroma of 2 through 4. Texture is typically loam or clay loam but silt loam, fine sandy loam or very fine sandy loam substrata occur in some pedons. Calcium carbonate ranges from 15 to 25 percent. Reaction is moderately alkaline or strongly alkaline.
Bedrock consists of weakly consolidated calcareous fine grained sandstone interbedded in some areas with thin to moderately thick beds of shale.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Ascalon, Asparas, Belfon (T), Bresser, Capulin, Chacuaco (T), Critchell, Dagflat, Datil, Featherlegs, Hargreave, Harlan, Hemingford, Hiarc, Kirtley, Lavate, Loarc, Moskee, Noden, Palmer Canyon, Recluse, Rosebud, Ryegate, Satanta, Shalona, Sugardee, Wages, and Wolf series. The Ascalon, Asparas, Bresser, Capulin, Critchell, Datil, Featherlegs, Harlan, Lavate, Loarc, Moskee, Noden, Palmer Canyon, Recluse, Satanta, Shalona, Sugardee, Wages, and Wolf soils are deep. Chacuaco, Dagflat and Ryegate soils have a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches. Hargreave soils are noncalcareous throughout. Hemingford soils do not have a calcic horizon. Hiarc and Rosebud soils are not dry in all parts of the moisture control section for 90 consecutive days in the four months following July 15 in most years. Hiarc soils also have a mean annual soil temperature of more than 52 degrees F. Kirtley soils have hue of 5YR or 2.5YR in the Bt horizon.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Cedak soils are on hills, alluvial fans, hillslopes and valley floors. These soils formed in alluvium and residuum from fine grained calcareous sandstone. Slopes range from 0 to 15 percent and are typically simple. Elevations range from 3,500 to 5,300 feet. The mean annual precipitation ranges from 12 to 19 inches of which about half falls as snow or rain in April, May, and early June. The mean annual temperature ranges from 43 to 47 degrees F. The frost-free period is estimated to range from 110 to 120 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Satanta and Taluce soils and competing Recluse soils. Satanta soils occur in more convex parts of the landscape and do not have a mollic epipedon. Taluce soils are shallow and occur on summits, shoulders and backslopes.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow or medium runoff; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Primarily rangeland and wildlife habitat with small areas used for dry cropland (fallow). Native vegetation consists of needleandthread, western wheatgrass, blue grama, and big sagebrush in the southern plains and green needlegrass, spike fescue, rhizomatous wheatgrass, and big or silver sagebrush in the northern plains.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northeastern Wyoming. The soil is of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Denver, Colorado
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Sheridan County, Wyoming; 1987.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
mollic epipedon - 0 to 16 inches (A,Bt)
argillic horizon - 1 to 16 inches (Bt)
calcic horizon - 16 to 31 inches (Bk1,Bk2)
paralithic contact - 31 inches (Cr)
MLRR- G
SIR- WY0681, WY0938, WY1002, WY1251