LOCATION MOSKEE WYEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Aridic Argiustolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Moskee fine sandy loam on a south facing slope of 3 percent-rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated)
A1--0 to 5 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) fine sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many fine and medium roots; neutral (pH 7.2) clear smooth boundary.
A2--5 to 10 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) fine sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many fine and medium roots; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); clear smooth boundary. (Combined A horizons 6 to 12 inches thick)
Bt1--10 to 22 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) sandy clay loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine roots; common faint dark brown (10YR 3/3) clay films on ped faces and as bridges between sand grains; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear smooth boundary.
Bt2--22 to 31 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) sandy clay loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, sticky and slightly plastic; few fine roots; few faint dark brown (10YR 3/3) clay films on faces of peds and as bridges between sand grains; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear smooth boundary. (Combined Bt horizons 9 to 24 inches thick)
Btk--31 to 34 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) sandy loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; few fine roots; few faint very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) clay films on faces of peds and as bridges between sand grains clay films on faces of peds and as bridging between sand grains; strongly effervescent, few fine light gray (10YR 7/2) carbonate threads; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 8 inches thick)
Bk--34 to 60 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) sandy loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine roots to 42 inches; strongly effervescent; carbonates disseminated throughout; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2).
TYPE LOCATION: Niobrara County, Wyoming; 1300 feet south and 2300 feet east of the northwest corner of section 21, T.31 N., R.65 W. 42 degrees 39 minutes 0 seconds north latitude and 104 degrees 40 minutes 5 seconds west longitude.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mollic epipedon ranges from 7 to 20 inches thick and may include the upper part of the Bt horizon. Depth to the base of the argillic horizon ranges from 15 to 35 inches. Depth to accumulation of secondary carbonates is 10 to 35 inches. The mean annual soil temperature ranges from 47 to 53 degrees F. Rock fragments are typically absent but may range from 0 to 15 percent throughout. These soils are usually dry but are moist in all or some part of the moisture control section for more than 40 cumulative days between May 15 and July 15 in most years.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 3 to 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist, and chroma of 2 to 4 dry and 2 or 3 moist. Reaction is neutral or slightly alkaline. Texture is sandy loam, very fine sandy loam, loam or fine sandy loam. Sandy clay loam and loamy sand are allowed in the upper part. EC is less than 2 mmhos/cm. A BA or AB horizon may be present in some pedons.
The Bt horizon has hue of 7.5YR, 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 to 6 dry, 3 to 5 moist, and chroma of 2 to 4. It is sandy clay loam or loam. It may have subhorizons with textures of very fine sandy loam or fine sandy loam. Reaction is neutral or slightly alkaline. EC is less than 2 mmhos/cm.
The Btk horizon has hue of 7.5YR. 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 to 7 dry, 3 to 6 moist, and chroma of 2 to 4. It is loam, sandy loam, very fine sandy loam, fine sandy loam or sandy clay loam. Reaction is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline. Calcium carbonate equivalent is 3 to 12 percent. EC is less than 2 mmhos/cm.
The Bk horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 5 to 7 dry, 4 to 6 moist, and chroma of 2 to 4. Texture is fine sandy loam, sandy loam, very fine sandy loam or sandy clay loam with clay ranging from 10 to 25 percent. Calcium carbonate ranges from 3 to 15 percent. Reaction is slightly alkaline to strongly alkaline. EC is less than 4 mmhos/cm.
Some pedons have a C horizon below the Bk horizon. Except for the carbonate accumulation it has properties similar to the Bk horizon.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Ascalon, Asparas, Bresser, Capulin, Cedak, Critchell, Dagflat, Datil, Featherlegs, Hargreave, Harlan, Hemingford, Hiarc, Kirtley, Lavate, Loarc, Noden, Recluse, Ryegate, Satanta, Shalona, Sugardee, Wages and Wolf series. Ascalon and Shalona soils are moist in some or all parts of the moisture control section for 60 consecutive days following July 15 in most years and occur in areas of uniform spring and summer precipitation. Asparas, Capulin, Datil and Featherlegs soils have calcic horizons. Bresser, Critchell, Lavate, Loarc and Noden soils do not have secondary carbonate accumulations above 40 inches. Cedak, Dagflat, Hargreave, Hemingford, Hirac, Kirtley and Ryegate soils have bedrock between 20 and 40 inches. Harlan soils have hue of 5YR or redder throughout. Recluse, Satanta and Sugardee have less than 35 percent fine or coarser sand in the Bt horizon. Wages soils have the base of the Bt horizon at 7 to 15 inches. Wolf soils have the base of the Bt horizon at 10 inches or less.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Moskee soils are on fan remnants, and alluvial fans, and footslopes and toeslopes of hills and ridges. They formed in mixed alluvium, colluvium or eolian deposits. Slopes are 0 to 45 percent. Elevations are 3,500 to 6,500 feet. The mean annual precipitation is 10 to 17 inches with about half falling as snow or rain in April, May, and early June. The mean annual air temperature is about 44 to 49 degrees F. The frost-free period is 100 to 130 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the competing Hargreave, Noden and Recluse soils and the Jayem, Manter and Nunn soils. Jayem and Manter soils contain less than 18 percent clay. In addition, Jayem soils do not have an argillic horizon. Nunn soils contain over 35 percent clay and are smectitic.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; negligible to high runoff depending on slope; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for dry and irrigated cropland and as rangeland and wildlife habitat. Native vegetation is blue grama, western wheatgrass, needleandthread, and big sagebrush.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: North and east central Wyoming. This soil is of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Denver, Colorado.
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Sheridan County, Wyoming; 1987.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: Mollic epipedon - the zone from the surface of the soil to a depth of 10 inches (A1 and A2 horizons); Argillic horizon - the zone from 10 to 34 inches (Bt1, Bt2 and Btk horizons).
SIRs- WY0767, WY1022, WY1137, WY0682, WY1266
LRR- G