LOCATION KEMMERER WYEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, frigid Ustic Haplocambids
TYPICAL PEDON: Kemmerer clay loam - rangeland (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated).
A--0 to 4 inches; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) clay loam, dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) moist; strong medium granular structure; weakly platy in the upper 1/2 inch; soft, very friable, sticky and plastic; few fine roots; slightly effervescent, carbonates disseminated; moderately alkaline,(pH 8.2); clear smooth boundary. (3 to 6 inches thick)
Bw--4 to 12 inches; light olive brown (2.5Y 5/3) clay loam, olive brown (2.5Y 4/3) moist; weak medium prismatic structure that parts to moderate medium subangular blocky; hard, friable, sticky and plastic; few fine roots; strongly effervescent, carbonates disseminated; moderately alkaline, (pH 8.4); gradual wavy boundary. (5 to 17 inches thick)
Bk--12 to 24 inches; light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/3) clay loam, light olive brown (2.5Y 5/3) moist; massive; very hard, firm, sticky and plastic; 2 percent gravel; visible accumulation of secondary carbonate as concretions or in thin seams and streaks; strongly effervescent, carbonates disseminated and as soft masses, seams, and streaks; strongly alkaline (pH 8.6 ); diffuse wavy boundary. (4 to 32 inches thick)
Cr--24 inches; soft calcareous interbedded shale and loamstone.
TYPE LOCATION: Lincoln County, Wyoming; 325 feet east and 2640 feet south of the northwest corner of section 34, T12N, R116W.
Typically these soils are calcareous throughout but may be leached as deep as 10 inches in some pedons. Depth to the paralithic contact ranges from 20 to 40 inches. Depth to visible accumulations of calcium carbonate ranges from 10 to 25 inches. The mean annual soil temperature ranges from 40 to 45 degrees F., and the mean summer temperature ranges from 59 to 63 degrees F. Rock fragments range from 0 to 30 percent throughout and are dominantly gravel size. The particle-size control section has 35 to 50 percent clay, 10 to 50 percent silt, and 15 to 45 percent sand with 15 to 35 percent being fine sand or coarser.
The A horizon has hue of 5Y through 7.5YR, value of 5 or 6 dry, 3 through 5 moist, and chroma of 2 through 4. Reaction is neutral through moderately alkaline.
The Bw has hue of 5Y through 7.5YR, value of 5 or 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist, and chroma of 2 through 4. Reaction is moderately or strongly alkaline.
The Bk horizon has hue of 5Y through 7.5YR, value of 5 or 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist, and chroma of 1 through 3. Reaction is mildly through strongly alkaline. Calcium carbonate equivalent typically ranges from 4 to about 14 percent.
COMPETING SERIES: These include the Bundyman, Glassner(T), Kobar, Megonot(T), Nunemaker, Pricecreek(T), Teigen(T), and Welter(T) series. The Bundyman soil has summer soil temperatures less than 59 degrees F. The Glassner, Kobar, Nunemaker, Pricecreek, and Teigen soils are more than 60 inches deep. The Megonot soil has mildly alkaline reactions. The Welter soil has strongly through extremely acid reactions.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: These soils occur on undulating to steep upland hillslopes, pediments, and ridges. Slopes typically range from 0 to 65 percent. The average annual precipitation is 10 to 14 inches with peak periods occurring in April, May and early June. The average annual air temperature is 42 degrees F. The mean annual soil temperature is 45 degrees F., and the mean summer soil temperature is 61 degrees F. Elevation is 6,000 to 7,800 feet. The frost-free season is about 60 to 110 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These include the Blazon, Chaperton, and Diamondville series. The Blazon soil is shallow. The Chaperton soil has less clay in the profile. The Diamondville soil has an argillic horizon.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well-drained. Runoff is slow to very rapid depending on slope. Permeability is slow.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used mainly as rangeland. Native vegetation is mainly western wheatgrass, bottlebrush squirreltail, and Indian ricegrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: High mountain valleys of Colorado and Wyoming. The series is of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Albany County, Wyoming, 1991.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and properties recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon--0 to 4 inches (A)
Cambic horizon--4 to 12 inches (Bw). The organic carbon content of this horizon is 0 to .5 percent. Colors are lithochromic.
Borollic feature--Organic carbon content of the A horizon is 0.6 to 1.0 percent and the temperature regime is frigid.