LOCATION EMELLE WY
Tentative Series
DPG/DJP/CBR
05/2020
EMELLE SERIES
The Emelle series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in slope alluvium or colluvium derived from calcareous shale. These soils are on hillslopes. Slopes are 6 to 20 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 305 mm and mean annual air temperature is about 3.9 degrees C.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, frigid Torrertic Calciustepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Emelle loam, in rangeland (colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted).
A--0 to 8 cm; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; many fine roots throughout; common very fine and fine irregular pores; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline (pH 7.7); clear wavy boundary. (2 to 8 cm thick)
Bk1--8 to 26 cm; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) clay loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; moderate fine angular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; common fine and medium roots throughout; common very fine and fine irregular pores; finely disseminated carbonate; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); gradual wavy boundary.
Bk2--26 to 50 cm; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) clay loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky, moderately plastic; common fine roots throughout; common very fine and fine irregular pores; 2 percent carbonate masses in the matrix; strongly effervescent; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); gradual wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bk1 and Bk2 horizons 30 to 50 cm)
Bk3--50 to 88 cm; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) clay, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; strong medium subangular blocky structure; hard, very firm, moderately sticky, very plastic; common fine roots throughout; common fine irregular pores; 5 percent carbonate masses in the matrix; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); gradual wavy boundary. (35 to 44 cm thick)
BCk--88 to 127 cm; light gray (10YR 7/2) clay, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; moderately hard, firm, slightly sticky, moderately plastic; common fine roots in cracks; common very fine and fine irregular pores; 5 percent carbonate masses in matrix; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.1); gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 50 cm thick)
C--127 to 200 cm; light gray (10YR 7/2) clay, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) moist; massive; moderately hard, very firm, slightly sticky, moderately plastic; common fine irregular pores; finely disseminated carbonate; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0).
TYPE LOCATION: Lincoln County, WY; USGS Warfield Creek topographic quadrangle; latitude 41 degrees 41 minutes 59.1 seconds north, longitude 110 degrees 39 minutes 58.2 seconds west, datum WGS84.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mean annual soil temperature--3.2 to 6.7 degrees C
Depth to calcic horizon--32 to 58 cm
Particle-size control section (weighted averages)
Clay content--37 to 46 percent
Total rock fragment--0 to 2 percent
A horizon
Hue--10YR or 2.5Y
Value--4 to 7 dry, 2 to 5 moist
Chroma--1 or 2
Clay content--14 to 18
Rock fragments--0 to 2 percent gravel
Reaction--pH 7.4 to 7.8
Bk1 and Bk2 horizons
Hue--10YR or 2.5Y
Value--5 to 8 dry, 4 to 5 moist
Chroma--2 to 4
Texture (less than 2 mm fraction)--clay loam, clay
Clay content--28 to 42
Rock fragments--0 to 2 percent gravel
Calcium carbonate equivalent-- 3 to 15 percent
Reaction--pH 7.4 to 8.2
Bk3 horizon
Hue--10YR or 2.5Y
Value--5 to 8 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma--2 to 4
Texture (less than 2 mm fraction)--clay, clay loam
Clay content--38 to 46
Rock fragments--0 to 2 percent gravel
Calcium carbonate equivalent--15 to 25 percent
Reaction--pH 8.0 to 8.4
BCk horizon (when present)
Hue--10YR or 2.5Y
Value--5 to 8 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma--2 to 4
Texture (less than 2 mm fraction)--clay loam, clay
Clay content--38 to 46
Rock fragments--0 to 2 percent gravel
Calcium carbonate equivalent--13 to 18 percent
Reaction--pH 8.0 to 8.4
C horizon
Hue--10YR or 2.5Y
Value--5 to 8 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma--2 to 4
Texture (less than 2 mm fraction)--clay, silty clay
Clay content--42 to 50
Rock fragments--0 to 2 percent gravel
Calcium carbonate equivalent--15 to 20 percent
Reaction--pH 7.9 to 8.4
COMPETING SERIES:
There are no competing series.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform--hillslopes
Elevation--2,070 to 2,290 meters
Slope--6 to 20 percent
Parent material--slope alluvium or colluvium derived from calcareous shale
Climate--long, cold winters; cool, moist springs; short, warm summers
Mean annual precipitation--250 to 375 mm
Mean annual air temperature--2.2 to 5.7 degrees C
Frost-free period--30 to 80 days
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: None listed.
DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: well drained, 0.5 to 1.5 um/sec
USE AND VEGETATION: Emelle soils are primarily used for grazing. The potential native vegetation is early sagebrush, bottlebrush squirreltail, thickspike wheatgrass, Sandberg bluegrass, winterfat, and other grasses and forbs.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Emelle soils are of moderate extent in southwestern Wyoming; MLRA 46.
SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES PROPOSED: Lincoln County, Wyoming, 2020. The Emelle series is derived from a local landmark.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon:
Ochric epipedon--0 to 8 cm (A horizon)
Calcic horizon--50 to 88 cm (Bk3 horizon)
Secondary calcium carbonate accumulation--26 to 127 cm (Bk2, Bk3, and BCk horizons)
Particle-size control section--25 to 100 cm
Emelle soils have a frigid temperature regime and an ustic moisture regime bordering on aridic.
Taxonomic version: Twelfth Edition, 2014
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.