LOCATION LISCO NEEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, calcareous, mesic Typic Halaquepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Lisco very fine sandy loam on 1 percent, north-facing slope, in native grass. (Colors are for dry soils unless otherwise stated.)
A--0 to 2 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) very fine sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak medium granular structure; slightly hard, very friable; slightly acid; clear smooth boundary. (0 to 7 inches thick)
E--2 to 4 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) very fine sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak medium granular structure; slightly hard, very friable; slightly alkaline; abrupt wavy boundary. (0 to 5 inches thick)
Bw1--4 to 7 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) very fine sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate coarse columnar structure; hard, friable; exchangeable sodium percentage greater than 15; strong effervescence; very strongly alkaline; gradual smooth boundary.
Bw2--7 to 13 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) very fine sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate coarse prismatic structure; hard, friable; exchangeable sodium percentage greater than 15; moderately saline; strong effervescence; very strongly alkaline; gradual smooth boundary.
Bw3--13 to 22 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) fine sandy loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; weak coarse prismatic structure; slightly hard, very friable; exchangeable sodium percentage greater than 15; strongly saline; violent effervescence; very strongly alkaline; gradual smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of B horizon is 10 to 32 inches.)
C1--22 to 48 inches; light gray (10YR 7/2) fine sandy loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) moist; few distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/4 moist) iron masses in the soil matrix; massive; slightly hard, very friable; exchangeable sodium percentage greater than 15; moderately saline; strong effervescence; very strongly alkaline; gradual smooth boundary.
C2--48 to 80 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) loamy fine sand, light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) moist; massive; soft, very friable; strong effervescence; strongly alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Morrill County, Nebraska; about 6 miles west of Broadwater; 1,000 feet east and 900 feet north of southwest corner, sec. 22, T. 19 N., R. 49 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Thickness of the solum ranges from 10 to 44 inches. Free carbonates are at a depth of 0 to 10 inches.
The A and E horizons have hue of 10YR, value of 5 through 7 and 3 through 5 moist with chroma of 1 or 2. They are typically very fine sandy loam, but range to include loam and fine sandy loam. They are typically slightly alkaline through very strongly alkaline.
The Bw horizon and BC horizon, where present, have hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 5 through 7 and 3 through 5 moist with chroma of 1 or 2. They are typically very fine sandy loam, but range to include fine sandy loam, sandy loam, loamy very fine sand, and loam. They are typically very strongly alkaline, but range to include strongly alkaline. They have an exchangeable sodium percentabe (ESP) of 15 or more, or an SAR of 13 or more in half or more of the soil volume within 20 inches (50 cm) of the mineral surface which decreases in value with increasing depth below 20 inches (50 cm).
The C horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 6 through 8 and 4 through 7 moist with chroma of 1 through 3. It is typically fine sandy loam and loamy fine sand, but ranges to include all textures from loam to gravelly sand. The sand and gravelly sand are at depths greater than 40 inches. Reaction ranges from moderately alkaline through very strongly alkaline. Free carbonates are commonly present, but are absent in the lower part of some pedons.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no other series in this family.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Lisco soils are nearly level with slope gradients of 0 to 2 percent. They formed in loamy and sandy alluvium that has, in places, been reworked by wind. They are on flood plains and low stream terraces. The range of mean annual precipitation is 14 to 18 inches, and the range of mean annual air temperature is 47 to 51 degrees F.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Bankard, Craft, Gering, Glenberg, Janise, Las Animas, Marlake, McGrew, Valent, and Yockey soils. All the above soils, except Marlake and Valent are on similar landscapes and lack the saline-alkali characteristics of Lisco soils. The Bankard soils are sandy and stratified. The Craft soils are coarse-silty and stratified. Gering soils are fine-loamy over sandy or sandy skeletal. The Glenberg soils have a water table at depths greater than 6 feet and are stratified. Las Animas soils are very deep and stratified. The Marlake soils have a seasonal high water table at +2.0 to 1.0 feet and are in depressions. McGrew soils are coarse-loamy and have coarse sand or gravelly sand at depths of 20 to 40 inches. The Valent soils are sandy and are on higher landscapes. Yockey soils are coarse-silty and stratified.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat poorly drained or poorly drained. Runoff is low. Permeability is moderately rapid. Flooding is rare or occasional for brief duration. The apparent seasonal high water table ranges from a depth of 1.5 to 3.0 feet.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most of the acreage is in native grass and used for grazing or haying. The dominant species are inland saltgrass, alkali sacaton, and western wheatgrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Western Nebraska and possibly southern South Dakota, eastern Wyoming, and northeastern Colorado. The series is of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Denver, Colorado
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Box Butte County, Nebraska, July 1980.
REMARKS: Lisco soils were formerly correlated as Sandy saline-alkali soils, Saline-alkali land, and Janise soils. The above typical pedon (S76NE-123-44) was analyzed by the National Soil Survey Laboratory as sample numbers 76PO803-76PO809. Diagnostic horizons and other features recognized in this pedon are: ochric epipedon--the zone from the surface of the soil to 4 inches (A and E horizons); cambic horizon--the zone from 4 to 22 inches (Bw1, Bw2 and Bw3 horizons).