LOCATION POTTS WY+CO UT
Established Series
Rev. PSD-KLS
05/2023
POTTS SERIES
The Potts series consists of deep or very deep, well drained soils that formed in alluvium or slope alluvium derived mainly from redbed shale and sandstone. Potts soils are on alluvial fans, benches, cuestas, pediments and strike valleys. Slopes are 0 to 20 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 305 mm, and the mean annual air temperature is about 8 degrees C.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Ustic Haplargids
TYPICAL PEDON: Potts loam-grassland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
A--0 to 10 cm; brown (7.5YR 5/3) loam, brown (7.5YR 4/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure that parts to very fine granules; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; neutral (pH 7.2); clear smooth boundary. (2 to 10 cm thick)
AB--10 to 18 cm; reddish brown (5YR 5/3) loam, reddish brown (5YR 4/3) moist; weak medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; slightly hard, very friable, sticky and slightly plastic; few thin clay films on some faces of peds; neutral (pH 7.2); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 10 cm thick)
Bt--18 to 46 cm; reddish brown (5YR 5/4) clay loam, reddish brown (5YR 4/4) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; hard, very friable, sticky and plastic; many thin clay films on horizontal and vertical faces of peds in root channels and in pores; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); gradual wavy boundary. (10 to 36 cm thick)
Btk--46 to 61 cm; reddish brown (5YR 5/4) loam, reddish brown (5YR 4/4) moist; weak prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; hard, very friable, sticky and slightly plastic; few thin clay films on faces of peds; strongly effervescent, lime as common soft masses, thin seams, and streaks; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); gradual wavy boundary. (8 to 30 cm thick)
Bk--61 to 152 cm; reddish brown (5YR 5/4) loam, reddish brown (5YR 4/4) moist; massive; hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; violently effervescent, lime as soft masses, thin seams, and streaks; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2)
TYPE LOCATION: Johnson County, Wyoming; approximately 91 meters north of the stockwater dam; SW1/4, NW1/4 of sec. 35, T. 44 N., R. 83 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mean annual soil temperature - 8 to 12 degrees C
Soil moisture - are moist during April, May and June
Base saturation - 90 to 100 percent
Depth to base of argillic - 25 cm or more
Depth to calcium carbonate accumulation - 20 to 50 cm
Depth to bedrock - typically greater than 152 cm, but ranges to 100 cm on upper pediment slopes
Particle-size control section:
Clay content - 18 to 35 percent
Sand content - 15 to 45 percent, with less than 35 percent but more than 15 percent being fine sand or coarser
Rock fragment content - typically less than 5 percent gravel, but ranges to 15 percent
A horizon
Hue: 7.5YR or 5YR
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 2 through 4, dry or moist
Reaction: pH 6.6 to 8.4
Bt horizon
Hue: 2.5YR or 5YR
Value: 4 through 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 3 through 6, dry or moist
Texture: loam or clay loam
Reaction: pH 6.6 to 8.4
Btk horizon, if present
Hue: 2.5YR or 5YR
Value: 4 through 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 3 through 6, dry or moist
Texture: loam or clay loam
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 2 to 10 percent
Reaction: pH 7.8 to 8.4
Bk horizon
Hue: 2.5YR or 5YR
Rock fragment content: 0 to 15 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 5 to 15 percent
Reaction: pH 7.9 to 9.0
COMPETING SERIES:
Balon (AZ) - do not have calcium carbonate accumulations
Blancot (NM) - are driest in
May and June
Bowbac (WY) - are moderately deep to paralithic contact
Buckle (NM) - are driest in
May and June
Cambria (WY) - depth to argillic base is less than 25 cm
Cerropelon (NM) - are moderately deep to paralithic contact
Chilerojo (NM) - are driest in
May and June; have a lithologic discontinuity
Chilojo (NM) - are driest in
May and June; have a lithologic discontinuity
Chumacho (NM) - are driest in
May and June; have a lithologic discontinuity
Cushman (WY) - are moderately deep to paralithic contact
Decolney (WY) - depth to calcium carbonate accumulation is more than 100 cm
Doakum (NM) - are driest in
May and June
Forkwood (WY) - have hue of 10YR or yellower throughout
Gaddes (AZ) - are moderately deep to paralithic contact; are driest in
May and June
Gapmesa (CO) - are moderately deep to lithic contact
Hagerman (CO) - are moderately deep to lithic contact
Hagerwest (NM) - are moderately deep to lithic contact
Hiland (WY) - have hue of 7.5YR or yellower throughout
Mentmore (NM) - are driest in
May and June
Oelop (NM) - are driest in April,
May and June
Olney (CO) - have hue of 7.5YR or yellower throughout
Palacid (NM) - are driest in
May and June
Penistraja (NM) - are driest in
May and June; have more than 35 percent fine or coarser sand in the particle-size control section
Pokeman (WY) - are moderately deep to paralithic contact
Pugsley (WY) - are moderately deep to paralithic contact
Quagwa (NM) - are driest in
May and June
Redpen (NM) - are driest in
May and June
Spangler (WY) - are moderately deep to paralithic contact
Sulphurcreek (UT) - are driest in
May and June
Sundance (CO) - have a lithologic discontinuity; have buried horizons
Tamarindo (NM) - are driest in
May and June
Teckla (WY) - have a lithologic discontinuity
Yenlo (CO) - have hue 10YR or yellower throughout
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform - alluvial fans, benches, cuestas, pediments and strike valleys
Elevation - 1,525 to 2,300 meters
Slopes - 0 to 20 percent
Parent material - calcareous alluvium or slope alluvium derived mainly from redbed shale and sandstone
Mean annual air temperature - 7 to 9 degrees C
Mean annual precipitation - 305 to 405 mm
Precipitation pattern - peak periods of precipitation occur during the spring and summer
Frost-free period - 95 to 125 days
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: None listed.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; medium runoff; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Potts soils are used principally as native pasturelands; however, in some areas they are tilled to dryland and irrigated crops. Native vegetation is western wheatgrass, snakeweed, cactus, and some blue grama.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: The Potts series is of moderate extent in Wyoming and Colorado; MLRA 32, 34A, 48A, and 49.
SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Lower Colorado Area, Colorado; 1970.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - 0 to 10 cm (A horizon)
Argillic horizon - 18 to 61 cm (Bt and Btk horizons)
Secondary calcium carbonate accumulation - 46 to 152 cm (Btk and Bk horizons)
Particle-size control section - 18 to 61 cm (Bt and Btk horizons)
Potts soils have a mesic soil temperature regime and an aridic soil moisture regime with an ustic subclass.
Converted to metric, formatting updated to current standards, and competing series section updated. 12/2020
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.