LOCATION PITCHDRAW          WY
Established Series
CAP-GFK
01/2001

PITCHDRAW SERIES


The Pitchdraw soils consist of moderately deep, well drained soils formed in alluvium or eolian deposits over residuum or residuum derived from soft sandstone. They are on bedrock-controlled hillslopes and ridges. Slope ranges from 2 to 30 percent. The average annual precipitation is about 15 inches, and the mean annual air temperature is about 47 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, calcareous, mesic Aridic Ustorthents

TYPICAL PEDON: Pitchdraw fine sandy loam - on a southeast facing ridge of 12 percent slope in native rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated)

A--0 to 4 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) fine sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable; many fine and very fine roots; few fine pores; carbonates are disseminated throughout; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear smooth boundary. (2 to 6 inches thick)

Bk1--4 to 9 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) fine sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable; common fine and very fine roots; few fine pores; strongly effervescent; carbonates are disseminated throughout; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); gradual wavy boundary.

Bk2--9 to 31 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) fine sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable; few fine roots throughout; few fine pores; strong effervescence; few fine irregular light gray (10YR 7/2) carbonate threads throughout; carbonates disseminated throughout; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear wavy boundary. (15 to 32 inches thick)

Cr--31 to 60 inches; soft, light gray and very pale brown, calcareous sandstone.

TYPE LOCATION: Campbell County, Wyoming; about 2500 feet north and 600 feet west of the southeast corner of Sec. 28, T. 55 N. R. 73 W. Recluse topographic quadrangle; lat. 44 degrees, 52 minutes, 54 seconds N. and long. 105 degrees, 38 minutes, 28 seconds W.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Depth to paralithic contact ranges from 20 to 40 inches. Depth to continuous accumulations of carbonates ranges from 0 to 6 inches. EC ranges from 0 to 2 dS/m throughout the soil. Rock fragments range from 0 to 15 percent, but typically are less than 5 percent. Some pedons have a Bw horizon. Some pedons have a C horizon above the Cr horizon.

A horizon:
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 4 to 6, 3 to 5 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4
Texture: fine sandy loam, sandy loam, loamy sand or loamy fine sand
Calcium carbonate content: 0 to 4 percent
Reaction: neutral to moderately alkaline.

Bw horizon, where present:
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 4 to 6, 3 to 5 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4
Texture: fine sandy loam, sandy loam, loamy sand or loamy fine sand
Calcium carbonate content: 0 to 4 percent
Reaction: neutral to moderately alkaline.
Note: Where the horizon is 6 inches or more thick, the base of the horizon is shallower than 10 inches.

Bk horizon:
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 5 or 6, 3 to 5 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: fine sandy loam or sandy loam
Calcium carbonate content: 1 to 4 percent
Reaction: slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline.

C horizon, where present:
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 5 to 7, 4 to 6 moist
Chroma: of 2 to 4
Texture: fine sandy loam or sandy loam
Calcium carbonate content: 1 to 4 percent
Reaction: slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline.

Cr horizon:
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Notes: Paralithic contact of soft, calcareous sandstone.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Ashollow, Lindrith and Otero series. These soils are all very deep. In addition, Lindrith soils occur in areas with elevation of more than 6,600 feet.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Pitchdraw soils are on hillslopes and ridges. They formed in alluvium or eolian deposits over residuum or residuum. Slope ranges from 2 to 30 percent. Elevation ranges from 3,600 to 5,500 feet. The average annual precipitation is 15 to 17 inches. The mean annual air temperature is 46 to 50 degrees F. The frost-free season is 105 to 130 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the competing Ashollow soils and the Mittenbutte soils. Ashollow are on lower side slopes and foot slopes below the Pitchdraw soils on the landscape. Mittenbutte soils are above the Pitchdraw soils on the landscape. They are shallow to a paralithic contact.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; runoff is very low to medium depending on slope; moderately rapid permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used principally for grazing. Principal native vegetation is needleandthread, prairie sandreed, sand bluestem, western wheatgrass and Indian ricegrass.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northeastern Wyoming. The series is of small 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 - the zone from the surface of the soil to a depth of 4 inches (A horizon); Paralithic contact - at a depth of 31 inches (contact with the Cr horizon).

The series was previously correlated as a moist phase of the Turnercrest series.


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.