LOCATION EMBLEM WYEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy over sandy or sandy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, mesic Typic Haplocalcids
TYPICAL PEDON: Emblem sandy loam-rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
A--0 to 2 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) sandy loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; moderate fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and fine roots; noneffervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear wavy boundary. (1 to 6 inches thick)
Bw--2 to 10 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure parting to moderate fine subangular blocky; hard, very firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine roots; slightly effervescent, carbonates disseminated; mildly alkaline (pH 7.8); clear wavy boundary. (4 to 10 inches thick)
Bk--10 to 20 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure parting to moderate very fine subangular blocky; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine roots to 15 inches, few very fine and fine roots 15 to 20 inches; violently effervescent, carbonates disseminated, and as many very fine and fine soft masses and as thin coatings on the undersides of pebbles; 10 percent pebbles; strongly alkaline (pH 8.6); clear smooth boundary. (8 to 16 inches thick)
2Bkl--20 to 30 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) gravelly loamy sand, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; single grain; loose; few very fine and fine roots; violently effervescent, carbonates disseminated and as many fine and medium soft masses, seams and as moderately thick coatings on the underside of pebbles; 30 percent pebbles; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); clear wavy boundary. (5 to 12 inches thick)
2Bk2--30 to 60 inches; light gray(10YR 7/2) very gravelly loamy sand, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; single grain; loose, few very fine and fine roots; violently effervescent, carbonates disseminated and as common fine soft masses and as moderately thick coatings on the undersides of rock fragments; 45 percent pebbles, 10 percent cobbles; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4).
TYPE LOCATION: Fremont County (Eastern Part), Wyoming; 3,200 feet north and 200 feet east of the southwest corner sec. 6, T. 36 N., R. 93 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Depth to the contrasting sand and
gravel ranges from 15 to 32 inches. The particle size control section is from 10 to 40 inches. The upper part has a loam, clay loam, or sandy clay loam matrix with 18 to 35 percent clay and more than 15 but less than 35 percent fine sand or coarser. Total sand can range up to 60 percent. The matrix may be modified with 5 to 35 percent rock fragments when averaged. Pebbles range from 5 to 35 percent and cobbles from 0 to 10 percent. The lower part of the particle size control has a loamy sand or sand matrix with an average of 40 to 70 percent rock fragments. Pebbles range from 30 to 45 percent and cobbles 10 to 25 percent. The mean annual soil temperature ranges from 47 to 53 degrees F.
The A horizon has hue of 5Y through 10YR, value of 5 through 7
dry, 3 through 6 moist, and chroma of 2 through 4. EC ranges from 0 to 4 mmhos. Reaction is typically moderately alkaline but may range to mildly alkaline in some pedons.
The Bw horizon has hue of 5Y through 10YR, value of 4 through 6 dry, 3 through 5 moist, and chroma of 2 through 4. Matrix texture is loam, clay loam, or sandy clay loam when averaged and may be modified with 5 to 35 percent rock fragments. EC ranges from 0 to 4 mmhos. Reaction is mildly through strongly alkaline. Free carbonates are present in this horizon.
The Bk calcic horizon has hue of 5Y through 10YR, value of 6 through 8 dry, 4 through 7 moist, and chroma of 2 through 4. Matrix texture is loam, clay loam, or sandy clay loam when averaged and may be modified with 5 to 35 percent rock fragments. Calcium carbonate equivalent ranges from 15 to 30 percent. EC is less than 4 mmhos. Reaction is typically moderately alkaline but may range through strongly alkaline in some pedons.
The 2Bk horizon has hue of 5Y through 7.5YR, value of 5 through 7 dry, 4 through 6 moist, and chroma of 2 through 0.6. Texture of the matrix is loamy sand or sand modified with 40 to 70 percent rock fragments. This concentration of carbonates in this horizon ranges from 15 to 30 percent but may drop below 40 inches. The upper 20 inches of this horizon always qualifies as a calcic horizon. EC is less than 4 mmhos. Reaction is moderately alkaline or strongly alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: This is the Lieberman series in the same class and the similar Brownsto, Clifsand, and Crago series. Lieberman soils have durinodes or lime-cemented sheets or both in the profile. Brownsto soils are skeletal throughout the control section and are frigid. Clifsand soils are skeletal throughout the control section. Crago soils have carbonatic mineralogy and are frigid.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Emblem soils are on dissected fan aprons, terraces, and on hill footslopes and toeslopes. These soils formed in alluvium from high energy discharges overlain by alluvium finer in texture. The alluvium is from mixed sources. Elevations range from 3,800 to 6,400 feet. The simple and complex slopes range from 0 to 10 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 7 inches and ranges from 6 to 9 inches of which about half falls as snow or rain in April, May, and early June. The mean annual temperature ranges from 43 degrees at higher elevations to 52 degrees at lower elevations. The frost-free season is estimated to range from 110 to 135 days depending upon elevation, aspect, and air drainage.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the similar Clifsand soils and the Frisite and Rairdent soils. Frisite soils are fine-loamy control. The Rairdent soils are fine-loamy throughout and have gypsic horizons.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow or medium runoff; moderate permeability in the upper part and rapid in the lower part.
USE AND VEGETATION: Rangeland and wildlife habitat. Native vegetation is big sagebrush, bluebunch and western wheatgrass, needleandthread, and Indian ricegrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: North-central and western Wyoming. The series is of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Big Horn County (Big Horn River Irrigated
Area), Wyoming; 1972.