LOCATION EMIGHA WYEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-silty, mixed, superactive, mesic Ustifluventic Haplocambids
TYPICAL PEDON: Emigha loam -- on an east facing slope of 1 percent, utilized as rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
A--0 to 1 inch; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; weak fine platy structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many fine and very fine roots; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); abrupt smooth boundary. (1 to 3 inches thick)
Bw1--1 to 8 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) silty clay loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate medium and fine prismatic structure parting to weak fine subangular blocky; hard, friable, sticky and plastic; many fine and very fine roots; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear smooth boundary.
Bw2--8 to 19 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) silty clay loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate medium and fine prismatic structure parting to weak fine subangular blocky; slightly hard, friable, sticky and plastic; common fine and very fine roots; slight effervescence, few faint seams and masses of calcium carbonate; strongly alkaline (pH 8.6); clear smooth boundary. (Combined Bw horizons 9 to 18 inches thick)
Bk1--19 to 30 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) silty clay loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, sticky and plastic; few fine and very fine roots; strong effervescence, common seams and masses of calcium carbonate; strongly alkaline (pH 8.6); gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 25 inches thick)
Bk2--30 to 60 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) clay loam, stratified with thin layers of silty clay loam, silt loam, and loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, sticky and plastic; few very fine roots; strong effervescence, many seams and masses of calcium carbonate; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4).
TYPE LOCATION: Campbell County, Wyoming; about 1,320 feet east and 550 feet north of the southwest corner of section 31, T. 46 N., R. 73 W. 43 degrees 54 minutes 47 seconds north latitude and 105 degrees 41 minutes 4 seconds west longitude.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Depth to the base of the cambic horizon ranges from 12 to 20 inches. Depth to stratified material ranges from 14 to 30 inches. Depth to calcium carbonate ranges from 0 to 10 inches. The soil is usually dry. It is moist in April, May, and early June. The mean annual soil temperature is 47 to 51 degrees F.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 5 or 6 dry, and chroma of 2 through 4.
The Bw horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 5 or 6 dry, and chroma of 2 to 4. Texture is silty clay loam or silt loam with 28 to 35 percent clay, and less than 15 percent fine and coarser sand. Exchangeable sodium ranges from 1 to 15 percent. Reaction is moderately alkaline or strongly alkaline.
The Bk horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 5 or 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist, and chroma of 2 to 4. Textures are commonly stratified loam, silt loam, clay loam, and silty clay loam with 20 to 35 percent clay, and less than 15 percent fine and coarser sand. Exchangeable sodium is typically less than 15 percent, but may be slightly higher in some pedons. Electrical conductivity ranges from 0 to 8 millimhos per centimeter. Reaction is moderately alkaline or strongly alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series in this Family.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Emigha soils are on upland toeslopes and low terraces. They formed in alluvium derived primarily from shale. Slopes are 0 to 4 percent. Elevations are 3,600 to 5,200 feet. The mean annual precipitation ranges from 10 to 14 inches, half of which falls as rain and snow from late 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 Absted, Arvada, Kishona and Skilak soils. Absted and Arvada soils are fine and have argillic horizons. Kishona soils are fine-loamy and lack cambic horizons. Skilak soils lack cambic horizons.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; medium runoff; moderate to slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are utilized for rangeland, wildlife habitat, and for limited hayland and pasture. The native vegetation is mainly western wheatgrass, needleandthread, blue grama and green needlegrass. Alfalfa and winter wheat are the principle crops.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Emigha soils occur in northeast 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 1 inch (A horizon); Cambic horizon - 1 to 19 inches (Bw1, Bw2 horizons); Ustifluventic subgroup - Organic carbon at a depth of 125 centemeters is 0.3 percent. (Lab. sample S91WY-5-004)
SIR- WY9449
LRR=G