LOCATION JAYWEST WYEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, mesic Aridic Paleustalfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Jaywest loam -- on a northeast facing slope of 3 percent, utilized as rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated)
E--0 to 7 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate thick platy structure; soft, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many fine and very fine, few medium roots; neutral (pH 6.8); abrupt wavy boundary. (2 to 9 inches thick)
Bt1--7 to 12 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; many very fine and fine roots throughout and common medium throughout; few faint dark brown (10YR 3/3) clay films on faces of peds; neutral (pH 6.8); clear wavy boundary.
Bt2--12 to 27 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) clay, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; strong coarse prismatic structure parting to strong coarse and medium angular blocky; extremely hard, very firm, very sticky and very plastic; common fine and very fine, few medium roots; few faint dark brown (10YR 3/3) clay films on faces of peds and lining pores; neutral (pH 7.2); clear wavy boundary. (Combined Bt horizons 10 to 25 inches thick)
Btk--27 to 36 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) clay, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; moderate medium and fine prismatic structure parting to strong medium angular blocky; very hard, very firm, very sticky and very plastic; few medium, fine, and very fine roots; few faint dark brown (10YR 3/3) clay films on faces of peds; common fine irregular light gray (10YR 7/2) carbonate threads; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 20 inches thick)
Bk--36 to 60 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) clay loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; weak coarse and medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, sticky and plastic; few fine and very fine roots; common fine irregular light gray (10YR 7/2) threads and common fine rounded light gray (10YR 7/2) masses of carbonate; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4).
TYPE LOCATION: Campbell County, Wyoming; about 450 feet west and 500 feet north of the southeast corner of section 4, T. 49 N., R. 73 W. USGS Foru Bar J Ranch, WY topographic quadrangle; 44 degrees 14 minutes 48 seconds north latitude and 105 degrees 37 minutes 59 seconds west longitude.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Depth to the base of the argillic horizon ranges from 15 to 36 inches. Depth to accumulations of calcium carbonate ranges from 13 to 27 inches. Rock fragments typically average less than 5 percent channers throughout but range from 0 to 15 percent channers. The moisture control section is usually moist in some or all parts in March through June. The average annual soil temperature is 47 to 50 degrees F. Some pedons have an A horizon. Some pedons are stratified below the argillic horizon with sandy clay loam, silty clay loam, loam, clay loam or fine sandy loam.
The E horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 to 7 dry and 3 or 4 moist, and chroma of 2 to 4. In pedons where the color requirements are met for a mollic epipedon, the horizon is either too thin or lacks the organic carbon requirements for a mollic epipedon. It is slightly acid to slightly alkaline. Some pedons have an EB horizon up to 5 inches thick.
The Bt horizon has hue of 7.5YR, 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 5 or 6 dry and 3 or 4 moist, and chroma of 2 to 4. Texture is clay loam, silty clay, silty clay loam or clay. It has 35 to 55 percent clay and 15 to 35 percent sand, less than 20 percent of which is fine and coarser sand. It is neutral or slightly alkaline.
The Btk horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 5 or 6 dry and 4 or 5 moist, and chroma of 2 to 4. Texture is clay loam, silty clay, silty clay loam or clay. It averages 35 to 50 percent clay, but may have subhorizons with 30 to 35 percent clay. It is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline. Calcium carbonate equivalent is 3 to 12 percent.
The Bk horizon has hue of 10YR, 2.5Y or 5Y, value of 5 to 7 dry and 4 or 5 moist, and chroma of 2 to 4. Texture is commonly loam or clay loam and less commonly sandy clay loam. It has 5 to 14 percent calcium carbonate equivalent. It is moderately alkaline or strongly alkaline. It has an EC of 8 to 16 mmhos/cm in some pedons.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Bleumont, Brislawn and Spottedhorse series. Bleumont soils are usually dry in May and June and have more than 35 percent rock fragments in the lower part. Brislawn soils have fragmental material consisting of porcelanite at depths of 20 to 40 inches. Spottedhorse soils are moderately deep.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Jaywest soils are on relict terraces, alluvial fans, fan remnants, hills, ridges and valley filling positions. They formed in alluvium derived from shale. Slopes are 0 to 15 percent. Elevations are 3,500 to 5,000 feet. The mean annual precipitation ranges from 15 to 19 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: This is the Moorhead (T) soil and the competing Spottedhorse soil. Moorhead soils lack E horizons and do not have an abrupt textural boundary between the A and Bt horizons.
These are the Cromack (P), Deekay, Moorhead, Oldwolf, Samsil, and Spottedhorse soils. Cromack and Samsil lack argillic horizons and are calcareous throughout. Deekay and Oldwolf soils are fine-loamy in the particle-size control section. Moorhead soils lack E horizons and do not have an abrupt textural boundary between the A and Bt horizons. Spottedhorse soils are moderately deep. Cromack, Oldwolf, Samsil, and Spottedhorse soils occur on shoulders and crests of hills and ridges. Deekay and Moorhead are on footslopes.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow to medium runoff; slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are utilized as rangeland, hayland and pasture, nonirrigated cropland, and wildlife habitat. The native vegetation is mainly needleandthread, western wheatgrass, blue grama, and green needlegrass. Winter wheat, oats, barley, and alfalfa are the principle cultivated crops.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Jaywest 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:
Albic horizon - 0 to 7 inches (E horizon)
Argillic horizon - 7 to 36 inches (Bt1, Bt2 and Btk horizons)
An absolute increase in clay of greater than 15 percent
within a vertical distance of 1 inch at the upper
boundary of the Bt horizon.
Aridic subgroup of ustic soil moisture regime.
SIR- WY1374
LRR- G