LOCATION KOONICH WYTentative Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy, mixed, frigid Typic Torriorthents
TYPICAL PEDON: Koonich sandy loam - rangeland. (Colors are for air dry unless otherwise noted.)
A1--0 to 3 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) sandy loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; weak fine crumb structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; many very fine and fine roots; neutral (pH 6.8); clear smooth boundary (2 to 5 inches thick).
C1--3 to 13 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) sandy loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; many very fine and fine roots; neutral (pH 6.8); clear smooth boundary (7 to 12 inches thick)
C2--13 to 23 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; few fine roots; neutral (pH 6.8); clear smooth boundary (7 to 12 inches thick).
IIC3--23 to 40 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) fine sand, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) moist; single grained; loose, nonsticky, nonplastic; neutral (pH 700); gradual wavy boundary (12 to 24 inches thick)
IIC4--40 to 60 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) sand, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; single grained; loose, nonsticky, nonplastic; neutral (pH 7.0)
TYPE LOCATION: Sublette County, Wyoming; NE1/4, NW1/4, T30N, R108W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature is 36 to 47 degrees F. The mean summer soil temperature is 59 degrees to 62 degrees F. Depth to sand is 15 to 25 inches. The soils are noncalcareous throughout. The control section is sandy loam with more than 50 percent fine sand or coarser in the upper part and sand in the lower part averaging loamy sand or loamy fine sand. Coarse angular sandstone fragments less than 3 inches in size are 5 to 15 percent. The A and C horizons have hue of 2.5Y or 10YR; value of 5 or 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist; and chroma of 2 or 3 dry and moist. They are neutral or mildly alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: This is the tentative Littlebear series. Littlebear soils have continuous horizons of secondary calcium carbonate accumulation and 10 to 30 percent exchangeable sodium.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Koonich soils are on nearly level or gently sloping alluvial fans. Slopes range from 0 to 6 percent. They formed in noncalcareous sandy alluvial sediments. Mean annual temperature is 34 degrees to 45 degrees F. Precipitation is 6 to 9 inches. Elevation is 6,000 to 7,000 feet. The growing season is 80 to 110 days, but frost may occur in any month.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Laney soils. Laney soils are fine loamy and have more than 15 percent exchangeable sodium.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow runoff; moderately rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used for rangeland and wildlife habitat. Vegetation is big sagebrush and needleandthread.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southwestern Wyoming. The series is inextensive.
Series Proposed: Sublette County, Wyoming; 1973. The name is a coined name.
OSED scanned by NSSQA. Last revised by state on 2/73.