LOCATION MULEHERDER WYEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal over fragmental, mixed, superactive, mesic Aridic Haplustepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Muleherder channery loam - utilized as range land. (Colors are for dry soils unless otherwise stated)
A--0 to 2 inches; reddish brown (5YR 4/3) channery loam, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/3) moist; weak fine granular structure; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; 15 percent angular porcelanite channers; neutral; clear smooth boundary. (2 to 6 inches thick)
Bw1--2 to 12 inches; reddish brown (5YR 4/4) channery loam, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/4) moist; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; 15 percent angular porcelanite channers; neutral; clear smooth boundary.
Bw2--12 to 16 inches; red (2.5YR 5/6) channery loam, red (2.5YR 4/6) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; 20 percent angular porcelanite channers; neutral; clear wavy boundary. (Combined Bw horizons 6 to 20 inches thick)
BCk1--16 to 28 inches; light reddish brown (5YR 6/4) very channery fine sandy loam, reddish brown (5YR 5/4) moist; massive; loose, loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; few distinct discontinuous light gray (10YR 7/2) carbonate coats on rock fragments; strongly effervescent; 40 percent angular porcelanite channers; moderately alkaline; clear wavy boundary.
BCk2--28 to 33 inches; red (2.5YR 5/6) extremely channery fine sandy loam, red (2.5YR 4/6) moist; massive; loose, loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; few distinct discontinuous light gray (10YR 7/2) carbonate coats on rock fragments; strongly effervescent; 65 percent angular porcelanite channers; moderately alkaline; clear wavy boundary. (Combined BCk horizons 0 to 20 inches thick)
2C--33 to 80 inches; fractured porcelanite.
TYPE LOCATION: Campbell County, Wyoming; about 200 feet west and 900 feet south of the northeast corner of Sec. 7, T 57 N, R 73 W.; USGS Corral Creek, WY topographic quadrangle; lat. 44 degrees 56 minutes 36 seconds N. and long. 105 degrees 40 minutes 31 seconds W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Depth to the fragmental substratum ranges from 20 to 40 inches. Depth to carbonates ranges from 0 to 24 inches. The fragmental materials in some pedons are inconsistently calcareous. The weighted average organic carbon content of the surface 15 inches or that portion of the profile above the fragmental beds ranges from approximately 0.4 to 1.0 percent. Electrical conductivity is typically less than 2 mmhos/cm and exchangeable sodium percentage is normally less than 3 percent. The fragmental material contains interstices ranging from 2 mm. to over 2 cm. in diameter. These are devoid of any fine earth material.
The A horizon has hue of 5YR, 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 4 to 7 dry, 3 to 6 moist, and chroma of 2 to 6. When the value of the A horizon is as dark as 5 dry and 3 moist, the horizon is too thin or contains too little organic matter to be a mollic epipedon. Texture is channery loam, very channery loam, loam, channery fine sandy loam, very channery fine sandy loam or fine sandy loam. Reaction is neutral or slightly alkaline. Rock fragments range from 0 to 40 percent, with 0 to 5 percent flagstones and stones. Some pedons have an AC horizon.
The Bw and BCK horizons have hue of 2.5YR, 5YR, 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 4 to 7 dry, 3 to 6 moist, and chroma of 3 to 6. Texture is channery to extremely channery, loam, sandy clay loam, silt loam, clay loam or fine sandy loam. Reaction is neutral to moderately alkaline. Rock fragments range from 15 to 90 percent, with 0 to 5 percent stones and 0 to 15 percent flagstones. Some pedons have a C horizon above the Cr horizon.
The 2C horizon consists of fractured or collapsed porcelanite beds. Fine earth material is uncommon but when present is less than 5 percent. Colors of the rock are quite variable but commonly have 10R or 2.5YR hue. Hues of 5YR have been recorded in some areas. Flagstones make up from 15 to 45 percent and channers 50 to 85 percent of this horizon.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series in the same family.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Muleherder series occurs on hills, knolls, and the crests and shoulders of ridges. Slopes range from 0 to 75 percent. The soil formed in moderately deep, medium to moderately fine textured, channery materials weathered principally from beds of porcelanite. The average annual precipitation ranges from 15 to 17 inches with peak periods of precipitation occurring in April, May, and June. The mean annual air temperature ranges from 44 to 50 degrees F., and the mean summer temperature is 65 degrees F. Elevation is 3,500 to 5,800 feet. The frost-free season is 105 to 130 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Deekay, Fairburn, Ironbutte (T), Mittenbutte and Moorhead soils. Deekay and Moorhead soils occur on uplands and footslopes. Fairburn, Ironbutte and Mittenbutte occur on similar positions as Muleherder soils. Deekay, Fairburn, Mittenbutte and Moorhead soils lack fragmental discontinuities. In addition, Deekay and Moorhead soils have argillic horizons. Ironbutte soils are shallow to fractured porcelanite.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; runoff is negligible to high depending on slope; permeability is moderate over very rapid.
USE AND VEGETATION: They are used as native rangeland. Native vegetation includes sage, prairie junegrass, Sandberg bluegrass and needleandthread.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northeastern Wyoming and possibly southeastern Montana, and western South Dakota. The series is of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Denver, Colorado.
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Campbell County, Southern Part, Wyoming, 2001.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - 0 to 2 inches (A horizon)
Cambic horizon - 2 to 16 inches (Bw1 and Bw2 horizons)
Fragmental discontinuity - 33 inches (top of 2C horizon)