LOCATION DIAMONDVILLE WYEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Ustic Haplargids
TYPICAL PEDON: Diamondville loam-rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
A--0 to 4 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; strong fine granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; neutral (pH 7.2); clear smooth boundary. (2 to 6 inches thick)
Bw--4 to 7 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky parting to fine granular structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few faint clay films on faces of some peds; 2 percent gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear smooth boundary. (3 to 4 inches thick)
Bt--7 to 16 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) clay loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; hard, very friable, sticky and plastic; many prominent clay films on faces of peds and in root channels; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); clear wavy boundary. (6 to 22 inches thick)
Btk--16 to 20 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) clay loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, sticky and plastic; common distinct clay films on faces of peds and on inside of root channels; strongly effervescent; common distinct soft, rounded masses, seams, and threads of secondary calcium carbonate; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); diffuse boundary. (3 to 5 inches thick)
Bk--20 to 28 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; massive; very hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; violently effervescent; many small, soft, rounded masses and threads of secondary calcium carbonate; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); diffuse boundary. (5 to 25 inches thick)
Cr--28 to 60 inches; soft, calcareous loamstone interbedded with sandstone.
TYPE LOCATION: Lincoln County, Wyoming; approximately 924 feet south and 16 feet west of the E1/4 corner of sec. 33, T. 21 N., R. 116 W. Kemmerer, Wyoming quadrangle. 41 degrees 45 minutes 26 seconds north latitude and 110 degrees 34 minutes 39 seconds west longitude.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Depth to a paralithic contact is 20 to 40 inches. Depth to uniformly calcareous material ranges from 3 to 20 inches. The mean annual soil temperature ranges from 40 to 47 degrees F. The mean summer soil temperature ranges from 59 to 66 degrees F. Rock fragments range from 0 to 15 percent and are either gravel or channers.
The A horizon has hue of 5Y through 7.5YR, value of 4 to 6 dry, 3 to 6 moist, and chroma of 2 or 3. It is neutral through moderately alkaline.
The Bt horizon has hue of 5Y through 7.5YR, value of 4 to 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist, and chroma of 2 to 4. It is loam, clay loam, or sandy clay loam, averaging 18 to 35 percent clay and less than 35 percent fine or coarser sand. It is neutral through moderately alkaline.
The Bk horizon has hue of 5Y through 7.5YR, value of 5 to 8 dry, 4 to 7 moist, and chroma of 2 through 4. It is clay loam, loam, or sandy clay loam. Calcium carbonate equivalent ranges from 4 to 14 percent. This horizon is moderately or strongly alkaline. In some pedons the Bk horizon has textures of fine sandy loam or very fine sandy loam.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Alcova, Almy, Bateson, Bluerim, Forelle, Maysprings, Satanka, Simanni, and Taffom soils. Alcova, Almy, Bateson, Forelle, Maysprings, Simanni, and Taffom soils do not have a paralithic contact above 40 inches. Bluerim soils do not have continuous horizons of secondary calcium carbonate accumulation. Satanka soils have more than 35 percent fine sand or coarser in the particle-size control section.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Diamondville soils are on fan remnants, plateaus, hills and ridges of cold intermountain basins. Slopes are 0 to 15 percent. The soils formed in material weathered from soft, calcareous loamstone and sandstone. Elevations are 4,600 to 7,500 feet. The mean annual precipitation is 10 to 15 inches of which about half occurs mainly in the spring. The mean annual temperature is about 39 to 45 degrees F., and the mean summer temperature is 58 to 65 degrees F. The frost-free season is 80 to 120 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Boettcher and Kemmerer soils. Boettcher soils have more than 35 percent clay in the argillic horizon. Kemmerer soils have a cambic horizon.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; medium runoff; moderately slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used mainly for range. They are irrigated in some areas for the production of hay and pasture. Native vegetation is big sagebrush, western wheatgrass, and needleandthread.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: In the high, cold intermountain basins of Wyoming. The series is moderately extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Fremont County (Lander area), Wyoming; 1975.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon--0 to 4 inches (A)
Argillic horizon--7 to 20 inches (Bt,Btk)
Paralithic contact--28 inches (Cr)
Aridic moisture regime bordering on Ustic.
This description (7/07) reflects a change in cation-exchange activity class from active to superactive.