LOCATION KISHONA WY+MTEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, calcareous, mesic Ustic Torriorthents
TYPICAL PEDON: Kishona loam - in rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated)
A--0 to 4 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate medium and fine granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; common fine roots throughout; slightly alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (1 to 6 inches thick)
Bk--4 to 24 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) silty clay loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; weak medium and coarse angular structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine and very fine roots throughout; common fine masses of carbonates; strongly effervescent; strongly alkaline; gradual smooth boundary. (0 to 30 inches thick)
C--24 to 60 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, slight sticky and nonplastic; few very fine roots throughout; carbonates are disseminated throughout; slightly effervescent; strongly alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Niobrara County, Wyoming; about 2,500 feet south and 2,500 feet east of the northwest corner of sec. 30, T. 40 N., R. 66 W. lat. 43 degrees 24 minutes 59 seconds north and long. 104 degrees 49 minutes 42 seconds west.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Rock fragments ranges from 0 to 15 percent. The mean annual soil temperature ranges from 48 to 53 degrees F., and the soil temperature at a depth of 20 inches is 41 degrees F. or more for 190 to 202 days. The depth to carbonates ranges from 0 to 10 inches. Saline phases are recognized. The soil is dry in the moisture control section more than half the time cumulative that the soil temperature at a depth of 20 inches is 41 degrees F. and is never moist in some or all parts for as long as 90 consecutive days when the soil temperature at a depth of 20 inches is 48 degrees F. or more. This soil is moist for 60 consecutive days when the soil temperature at a depth of 20 inches is 41 degrees F., which occurs April 21-27, but is dry in all parts of the moisture control section for at least 60 consecutive days from July 15 to October 25 and for at least 90 cumulative days during that period.
The A horizon has hue of 2.5Y or 10YR, value of 4 to 6 dry, 3 to 5 moist, and chroma of 2 to 4. It is very fine sandy loam, fine sandy loam, loam, silt loam, silty clay loam or clay loam. It is neutral to moderately alkaline.
Some pedons have a thin, noncalcareous Bw horizon that has its base at a depth of less than 10 inches.
The Bk and C horizons have hue of 5Y, 2.5Y or 10YR, value of 5 to 7 dry, 4 or 5 moist, and chroma of 2 to 4. They are loam, clay loam or silty clay loam and have 20 to 35 percent clay, 20 to 55 percent silt, and 15 to 35 percent fine sand or coarser. Reaction ranges from moderately alkaline to very strongly alkaline. Carbonates in the Bk horizon range from 3 to 14 percent and occur as accumulations in small masses, streaks or seams that decrease with increasing depth, or they are disseminated throughout. The Bk horizon has an EC of 0 to 8 mmhos/cm.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the El Rancho, Mikim, Neville, Paradox, Pojoaque, Shavano, Thedalund, Theedle and Tsosie series (El Rancho, Neville, Pogoaque and Shavano are presumed to be competing pending an update of the classification). El Rancho, Neville, Paradox and Pojoaque soils have hue of 7.5YR or redder. Mikim soils are moist in some or all parts of the moisture control section for at least 90 cumulative days when the soil at a depth of 20 inches is 41 degrees F. or more and are moist for 45 consecutive days following July 15. Pojoaque soils have 15 to 35 percent rock fragments. Shavano, Theedle and Thedalund soils have bedrock at a depth of 20 to 40 inches. Tsosie soils are stratified in the C horizon and are dry in the moisture control section between April 15 and July 1.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Kishona soils are on dissected alluvial fans, fan remnants, fan aprons, hills, ridges and terraces. Slopes are typically 0 to 6 percent but range up to 30 percent on dissected slopes. The soils formed in alluvium derived from sandstones and shales. Elevation is 3,500 to 6,700 feet. The average annual precipitation ranges from 10 to 14 inches with over one-half falling in April, May and June and less than one inch falling in each month of July, August, September, and October. The mean annual air temperature is about 45 degrees F. but ranges from 43 to 51 degrees F. The frost-free season is about 105 to 130 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the competing Theedle soils and the Cushman, Forkwood, Haverdad and Shingle soils. Theedle and Cushman soils are on shoulder slopes and summits of hills and ridges. Cushman and Forkwood soils have an argillic horizon. Forkwood soils are on more stable positions. Haverdad soils have a stratified control section in which the organic carbon decreases irregularly with increasing depth. They are on flood plains. Shingle soils have bedrock at a depth of 4 to 20 inches. They are on ridges and scarps.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow and medium runoff; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils support native vegetation utilized by domestic livestock and wildlife. Where irrigation water is available, they are irrigated and cropped to small grains and used for hay and pastureland. Native vegetation at the type location is Gardner saltbush, western wheatgrass, bottlebrush squirreltail, and bud sagebrush.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Big Horn Basin, central Wyoming, Powder River Basin, northeastern Wyoming and western Colorado.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Denver, Colorado
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Washakie County, Wyoming; 1978.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - 0 to 4 inches (A horizon)
SIR- WY0944
LRR- G