LOCATION ECHETA WYEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, mesic Torrertic Haplustepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Echeta clay loam -- on a southeast facing slope of 8 percent, utilized as rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated)
A--0 to 3 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) clay loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; moderate medium and strong fine granular structure; slightly hard, firm, sticky and plastic; many fine and very fine, few coarse and medium roots; slightly effervescent, calcium carbonate disseminated; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); clear smooth boundary. (2 to 5 inches thick)
Bw1--3 to 7 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) clay loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate medium and fine angular blocky structure; hard, firm, sticky and plastic; common fine and very fine, few coarse and medium roots; slightly effervescent, calcium carbonate disseminated; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); clear smooth boundary.
Bw2--7 to 15 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) clay, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate coarse and medium angular blocky; very hard, very firm, very sticky and very plastic; common fine and very fine, few coarse and medium roots; slightly effervescent, calcium carbonate mostly disseminated; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bw horizon is 10 to 18 inches.)
Bk1--15 to 37 inches; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) clay, grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) moist; weak coarse and medium subangular blocky structure; very hard, very firm, very sticky and very plastic; few medium, fine, and very fine roots; strongly effervescent, common fine, few medium and coarse irregularly shaped filaments and soft masses of calcium carbonate; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); clear wavy boundary.
Bk2--37 to 60 inches; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) clay, dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) moist; massive; very hard, firm, very sticky and very plastic; few fine and very fine roots; strongly effervescent, few medium and fine irregularly shaped soft masses of calcium carbonate; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2).
TYPE LOCATION: Campbell County, Wyoming; about 340 feet east and 750 feet north of the southwest corner of section 1, T. 50 N., R. 73 W. 44 degrees 20 minutes 08 seconds north latitude and 105 degrees 35 minutes 20 seconds west longitude.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The soils are typically effervescent to the surface, but may be leached to 10 inches in some pedons. The particle-size control section has 35 to 55 percent clay and 10 to 20 percent fine and coarser sand. Rock fragments range from 0 to 15 percent throughout. Cracks .25 to .75 inches wide extend from the surface through the Bw horizon in some pedons when the soils are dry, but slickensides or wedge-shaped aggregates do not occur in any horizon. The base of the cambic horizon is at depths of 11 to 23 inches. The moisture control section is usually moist in March through June. The average annual soil temperature is 47 to 50 degrees F.
The A horizon has value of 5 or 6 dry and 4 or 5 moist, and chroma of 2 or 3. It is clay loam, loam, clay or silty clay loam. It is neutral or slightly alkaline.
The Bw horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 5 or 6 dry and 4 or 5 moist, and chroma of 2 or 3. Texture is clay loam, silty clay, silty clay loam or clay. It is slightly alkaline to moderately alkaline.
The Bk horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 5 through 7 dry and 4 or 5 moist, and chroma of 2 through 4. Texture is clay loam, silty clay, silty clay loam or clay. It has 3 to 12 percent calcium carbonate equivalent which typically decreases with depth. It is slightly alkaline or strongly alkaline. Electrical conductivity is less than 4 millimhos per centimeter. A C horizon occurs below the Bk horizon in some pedons.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Denby, Gojiya and Kanorado series. Denby soils have an SAR of more than 10 within a depth of 10 inches and a 2C horizon of stratified alluvium within a depth of 40 inches. Gojiya soils have saturation within depths of 50 inches. Kanorado soils have a paralithic contact at 40 to 60 inches.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Echeta soils are on alluvial fans, fan remnants, terraces, ridges and hills. They formed in alluvium derived primarily from shale. Slopes are 0 to 15 percent. Elevations are 3,500 to 5,000 feet. The mean annual precipitation ranges from 15 to 17 inches, half of which falls as rain or snow from March through June. The mean annual air temperature ranges from 44 to 50 degrees F. The frost-free season is about 105 to 130 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Moorhead and Cromack soils. Moorhead soils have argillic horizons. Cromack soils are moderately deep.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; medium to high runoff; slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are utilized as rangeland, hayland and pasture, and wildlife habitat. The native vegetation is mainly green needlegrass, western wheatgrass, and blue grama.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Echeta soils occur in the Powder River basin of north-central and northeastern 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 3 inches (A)
Cambic horizon - 3 to 15 inches (Bw1, Bw2)
Aridic subgroup of ustic soil moisture regime.
SIR- WY1370
LRR- G