LOCATION DIAMONKIT WYEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Ustic Argigypsids
TYPICAL PEDON: Diamonkit sandy loam on a concave, west-facing slope of 4 percent with native grass vegetation utilized as rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
A--0 to 1 inch; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak fine granular structure; soft, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many fine roots; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); abrupt smooth boundary. (1 to 4 inches thick)
Bt--1 to 3 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) sandy clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; weak thin platy structure parting to weak fine granular; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many fine roots, few very fine pores; few distinct clay films on faces of peds; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 9 inches thick)
Btk--3 to 11 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) sandy clay loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; strong medium and coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many fine roots, common very fine pores; many prominent clay films on faces of peds; violently effervescent, calcium carbonate disseminated and as common distinct threads and soft masses, calcium carbonate equivalent of 10 percent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); gradual smooth boundary. (8 to 17 inches thick)
Bky1--11 to 19 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine roots, common very fine pores; few distinct clay films on faces of peds; violently effervescent, calcium carbonate disseminated and as common medium threads and soft masses, calcium carbonate equivalent of 7 percent; common fine soft masses of gypsum; EC of 0.4 mmhos; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 22 inches thick)
2Bky2--19 to 33 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) clay loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist massive; slightly hard, firm, sticky and plastic; few fine roots, few very fine pores; strongly effervescent, calcium carbonate disseminated and as few fine threads, calcium carbonate equivalent of 7 percent; common distinct threads and soft masses of gypsum; EC of 4.6 mmhos; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); gradual wavy boundary. (9 to 14 inches thick)
2Cr--33 inches; soft sandstone interbedded with shale; many feet thick.
TYPE LOCATION: Albany County, Wyoming; about 15 miles north of Laramie; 1,250 feet south and 725 feet east of the NW corner of Sec. 12, T. 18 N., R. 74 W. Bosler, Wyoming Quadrangle. 41 degrees 33 minutes 11 seconds north latitude and 105 degrees 39 minutes 7 seconds west longitude.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: The soil is dry in all parts more than half the time cumulative that the soil temperature at a depth of 20 inches is above 41 degrees F. and never moist in some or all parts for as long as 60 consecutive days when the soil temperature at a depth of 20 inches is above 41 degrees F. Aridic moisture regime bordering on Ustic.
Mean annual soil temperature: 42 to 46 degrees F.
Mean summer soil temperature: 59 to 63 degrees F.
Depth to secondary calcium carbonate: 3 to 13 inches
Depth to the base of the argillic horizon: 11 to 26 inches
Depth to gypsum accumulations: 9 to 26 inches
Depth to gypsic horizon: 9 to 28 inches
Depth to paralithic contact: 20 to 40 inches to weathered sandstone interbedded with shale
Particle-size control section: 24 to 32 percent clay with 25 to 45 percent fine sand or coarser and 0 to 5 percent coarse fragments
A horizon:
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 5 or 6 dry
Chroma: 3 or 4 moist
Rock fragments: 0 to 5 percent pebbles
Reaction: slightly or moderately alkaline
Bt and Btk horizon:
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 4 through 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 3 or 4 dry or moist
Texture: loam, clay loam, or sandy clay loam
Rock fragments range from 0 to 5 percent pebbles
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 0 to 15 percent
Reaction: moderately or strongly alkaline
2Bky horizon:
Hue: 10YR through 5Y
Value: 5 through 7 dry, 4 through 6 moist
Chroma: 2 through 4 dry or moist
Texture: loam, clay loam, silty clay loam
Rock fragments: 0 to 10 percent pebbles
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 5 to 15 percent
Gypsum: 5 to 15 percent
Reaction: moderately or strongly alkaline
COMPETING SERIES: There are no current competitors in this family.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: slope alluvium over residuum derived from soft, calcareous sandstone and shale
Landform: strath terrace breaks and hillslopes
Slopes: 3 to 15 percent
Elevation: 5,600 to 7,800 feet
Mean annual precipitation: 10 to 15 inches of which about half falls in spring
Mean annual temperature: 40 to 45 degrees F.
Frost-free period: 85 to 110 days
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Stunner and Stylite soils and the Luvar soils which do not have bedrock above a depth of 40 inches.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; medium runoff; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for rangeland. Native vegetation is bluebunch wheatgrass, western wheatgrass, and needleandthread.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: High intermountain basins of Wyoming. LRR D, MLRA 34. The series is inextensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Albany County, (Albany County Area), Wyoming; 1991.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon--0 to 1 inch (A).
Argillic horizon--1 to 11 inches (Bt, Btk).
Gypsic horizon--19 to 33 inches (2Bky2)
Paralithic contact--33 inches (Cr).
Classification was changed from Ustic Haplargids to Ustic Argigypsids 5/1999.
Taxonomic version: Eighth Edition, 1998.