LOCATION LUVAR WYEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Ustic Calcigypsids
TYPICAL PEDON: Luvar loam on a convex, southeast facing slope of two percent with native grass vegetation; utilized as rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.) The surface has 10 percent pebbles.
A--0 to 2 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak very fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; many fine and few medium roots; many very fine discontinuous pores; slightly effervescent, carbonates disseminated; moderately alkaline (pH 7.9); clear smooth boundary. (1 to 3 inches thick)
Bw--2 to 6 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; many fine and few medium roots; many very fine discontinuous pores; slightly effervescent, carbonates disseminated; mildly alkaline (pH 7.4); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 6 inches thick)
Bk1--6 to 12 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; moderate medium columnar structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine roots; common very fine discontinuous pores; violently effervescent, carbonates disseminated and as many fine soft masses (12 percent calcium carbonate equivalent by calcimeter method); moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); gradual wavy boundary. (6 to 8 inches thick).
Bk2--12 to 32 inches; very pale brown (10YR 8/3) clay loam, light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) moist; weak medium columnar structure parting to weak medium subangular blocky; hard, friable, sticky and slightly plastic; few fine roots; common very fine discontinuous pores; violently effervescent, carbonates disseminated and as many medium and few large soft masses (17 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); strongly alkaline (pH 8.6); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 20 inches thick)
By1--32 to 38 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, sticky and slightly plastic; few fine roots; common very fine discontinuous pores; strongly effervescent, carbonates as few fine soft masses; gypsum as many (25 percent) medium and common (15 percent) large soft masses and few (2 percent) medium concretions; mildly alkaline (pH 7.6); gradual wavy boundary. (6 to 27 inches thick)
By2--38 to 45 inches; light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) clay loam, light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, sticky and slightly plastic; few fine roots; common very fine discontinuous pores; strongly effervescent, carbonates as few fine small masses; gypsum as common (20 percent) medium soft masses; 10 percent gravel; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); gradual wavy boundary. (7 to 10 inches thick)
By3--45 to 60 inches; light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) clay loam, light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, sticky and slightly plastic; few fine roots; few very fine discontinuous pores; slightly effervescent, carbonates disseminated; gypsum as common (15 percent) medium soft masses; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4). (0 to 15 inches thick)
TYPE LOCATION: Albany County, Wyoming; 1,475 feet west, 2,460 feet south of the northeast corner of section 12, T.15 N., R.76 W. 41 degrees 17 minutes 7 seconds north latitude and 105 degrees 52 minutes 9 seconds west longitude.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The surface is covered with 0 to 20 percent gravel. Depth to horizons of continuous carbonate accumulations ranges from 1 to 8 inches. Depth to visible accumulations of gypsum range from 8 to 32 inches. Gypsum content ranges from 10 to 50 percent visible gypsum crystals in the gypsic horizon. The mean annual soil temperature is 40 to 47 degrees F., and the mean summer soil temperature is 59 to 65 degrees F. The particle-size control section ranges from 20 to 30 percent clay with 15 to 35 percent fine sand or coarser and 0 to 10 percent gravel.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 3 through 6 dry and 4 or 5 moist, and chroma of 3 or 4 dry and moist. It is mildly or moderately alkaline.
The Bw horizon, when present, has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 through 6 dry and 3 through 5 moist, and chroma of 3 or 4 dry and moist. Texture is loam or clay loam. Reaction is mildly or moderately alkaline.
The Bk horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 5 through 8 dry and 4 through 6 moist, and chroma of 3 or 4 dry and moist. Texture is commonly loam or clay loam but the range includes sandy clay loam. Carbonates range from 10 to 20 percent. It is moderately alkaline or strongly alkaline.
The By horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 through 8 dry and 5 or 6 moist, and chroma of 2 through 6 dry and moist. Texture is loam and clay loam, but the range includes sandy clay loam and sandy loam. Gypsum ranges from 15 to 30 percent. Rock fragments range from 0 to 10 percent gravel. It is mildly through strongly alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: This is the Rogrube series. Rogrube soils receive less total precipitation mainly during the winter, and is dry in the spring.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Luvar soils are on low ridges and hillslopes. Slopes are 1 to 8 percent. Elevation is 6,500 to 7,500 feet. The mean annual precipitation ranges from 10 to 14 inches with peak periods occurring in April, May, and early June. The frost-free season is 85 to 110 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Forelle, Luhon, and Stunner soils. These soils do not have a gypsic horizon.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow to medium runoff; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Luvar soils are used for rangeland and wildlife habitat. Native vegetation is western wheatgrass, needleandthread, green needlegrass, and bluebunch wheatgrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southeastern Wyoming. MLRA 34. This soil is not extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Albany County (Albany County Area), Wyoming; 1991.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - 0 to 2 inches (A)
Calcic horizon - 12 to 32 inches (Bk2)
Gypsic horizon - 32 to 60 inches (Bky1, Bky2, By)
SIR- WY0776