LOCATION MEETEETSE WYEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, mesic Typic Natrargids
TYPICAL PEDON: Meeteetse loam-grassland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
E--0 to 3 inches; pinkish gray (7.5YR 6/2) loam, brown (7.5YR 5/2) moist; moderate medium platy structure that parts to moderate fine granules; soft, very friable; calcareous; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); abrupt smooth boundary. (1 to 4 inches thick)
Btn--3 to 18 inches; reddish brown (5YR 5/3) clay, reddish brown (5YR 4/3) moist; moderate medium columnar structure parting to strong medium angular blocky; extremely hard, very plastic; thin clay films on faces of peds; strongly effervescent, lime disseminated; very strongly alkaline (pH 9.6); gradual wavy boundary. (10 to 18 inches thick)
Btnky--18 to 24 inches; reddish brown (5YR 5/3) heavy clay loam, reddish brown (5YR 4/3) moist; weak medium angular and subangular blocky structure; extremely hard; continuous thin clay films on horizontal and vertical faces of peds; violently effervescent, lime as common soft masses; common crystals of gypsum; strongly alkaline (pH 8.5); clear wavy boundary. (4 to 8 inches thick)
Bky--24 to 60 inches; light brown (7.5YR 6/3) sandy clay loam, brown (7.5YR 5/3) moist; massive; hard, very friable; violently effervescent, lime as common soft masses; common gypsum crystals; strongly alkaline (pH 8.5).
TYPE LOCATION: Park County, Wyoming; 5.4 miles along Highway 20 west of the county line and 100 feet north of the road, in the NE1/4 NW1/4 of sec. 20, T. 52 N., R. 98 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: These soils are typically calcareous at or near the surface, but they are leached to depths of 4 to 6 inches in some pedons. Thickness of the natric horizon ranges from 15 to 30 inches. The mean annual soil temperature ranges from 47 to 51 degrees F. and the mean summer soil temperature from 58 to 63 degrees F.
2- Meeteetse Series
The E horizon has hue from 10YR through 5YR, value of 6 or 7 dry, 5 or 6 moist, and chroma of 2 through 4. This horizon has platy or granular structure. Dry consistence ranges from slightly hard to soft. Reaction ranges from pH 7.8 to 8.6.
The Btn horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 5YR, value of 5 or 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist, and chroma of 3 or 4. When the hue is yellower than 5YR, the peds have low strength. Clay ranges from 35 to 60 percent. Rock fragments range from 0 to 35 percent but are typically less than 10 percent. Reaction ranges from pH 9.0 to 10.0, and exchangeable sodium percentage exceeds 15 percent. Reaction is buffered by gypsum salts.
The Bky or Bnky horizons have hue of 7.5YR through 2.5YR. When the hue is yellower than 5YR, the peds have low strength. Reaction ranges from pH 8.2 to 9.0. Calcium carbonate equivalent ranges from approximately 6 to 12 percent. Reaction is buffered by gypsum salts and exchangeable sodium exceeds 15 percent in most pedons.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Churchill, Effington, Updike, and Uvada series. Churchill soils have tuff fragments in the solum, have sola less than 15 inches thick, and are somewhat poorly and moderately well drained. Effington soils have hue of 10YR or yellower and have less distinct columnar structure. Updike and Uvada soils lack visible accumulations of soluble salts in the lower part of their sola and in their substrata.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Meeteetse soils are on alluvial fans below outcrops of reddish sedimentary rocks. Slope gradients typically range from 1 to 12 percent. The soils formed in thick, reddish brown strongly or very strongly alkaline alluvial fan sediments derived from reddish sedimentary rocks. At the type location the mean annual precipitation is about 6 inches with peak periods of precipitation in the spring and summer. The mean annual temperature is 43 degrees F., and the mean summer temperature is 66 degrees F.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the competing Effington soils and the Apron soils. Apron soils are coarser textured and lack natric horizons.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; medium to rapid runoff; slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used principally as rangeland. Native vegetation is mainly bluebunch wheatgrass, birdfoot sage, and Sandberg bluegrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Basin areas of central and northern Wyoming and western Colorado. The series is of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: The Shoshone Area Survey, Wyoming; 1927.