LOCATION QUARTERBACK        WY
Established Series
Rev. RWW/MCS
09/2006

QUARTERBACK SERIES


The Quarterback series consists of very deep well drained soils formed in alluvium derived from mixed sources. Quarterback soils are on terraces, floodplains, and in drainageways. Slopes are 0 to 3 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 38 centimeters (15 inches) and the mean annual temperature is about 8 degrees C. (47 degrees F.) at the type location.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Torrifluventic Haplustolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Quarterback loam on an east facing slope of one percent, in a cultivated field. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)

Ap1--0 to 3 centimeters (0 to 1 inches); dark brown (10YR 3/3) loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak very fine granular structure; hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and few fine roots; common very fine continuous random irregularly shaped pores; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); abrupt smooth boundary.

Ap2--3 to 30 centimeters (1 to 12 inches); dark brown (10YR 3/3) sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate coarse and very coarse granular structure; hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and few fine roots; common very fine continuous random irregularly shaped pores; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); abrupt smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of Ap horizon is 18 to 30 centimeters (7 to 12 inches) thick)

C1--30 to 43 centimeters (12 to 17 inches); brown (10YR 5/3) coarse sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; massive; hard, loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine and few fine roots; few very fine and fine continuous random irregularly shaped pores; 10 percent pebbles; slight effervescence, calcium carbonate disseminated; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); abrupt smooth boundary.

C2--43 to 53 centimeters (17 to 21 inches); light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) very fine sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine roots; common very fine continuous random irregularly shaped pores; slight effervescence, calcium carbonate disseminated; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear smooth boundary.

C3--53 to 132 centimeters (21 to 52 inches); brown (10YR 5/3) fine sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine roots; common very fine continuous random irregularly shaped pores; strong effervescence, calcium carbonate disseminated; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear wavy boundary. (13 to 89 centimeters (5 to 35 inches) thick)

C4--132 to 152 centimeters (52 to 60 inches); brown (10YR 5/3) fine sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine roots; common very fine continuous random irregularly shaped pores; strong effervescence, calcium carbonate disseminated; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4).

TYPE LOCATION: Platte County, Wyoming; 10 kilometers (6 miles) south of Glendo, about 701 meters (2300 feet) west and 518 meters (1700 feet) south of the northeast corner of Section 19, T. 29 N., R. 68 W. Sibley Peak Quadrangle. 42 degrees 28 minutes 23 seconds north latitude and 105 degrees 3 minutes 16 seconds west longitude.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mollic epipedon: 18 to 51 centimeters (7 to 20 inches) thick
Depth to effervescence: 25 to 51 (10 to 20 inches), but some pedons may effervesce to the surface
Moisture control section: moist in some or all parts from March to early June, dry in all parts for at least 60 consecutive days during the 90 day period following the summer solstice
Mean annual soil temperature: 8 to 11 degrees C. (47 to 51 degrees F.)

A horizon
Value: 3 or 4, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: loam, very fine sandy loam, fine sandy loam, or sandy loam

C horizons:
Value: 3 to 6, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4
Texture: coarse sandy loam, sandy loam, fine sandy loam or very fine sandy loam

COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform: terraces, flood plains, and in drainageways
Parent material: alluvium derived from mixed sources
Slopes: 0 to 3 percent
Elevations: 1402 to 1768 meters (4600 to 5800 feet)
Mean annual precipitation: 30 to 38 centimeters (12 to 15 inches)
Mean annual temperature: 8 to 9 degrees C. (46 to 48 degrees F.)
Frost-free season: 110 to 130 days

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Anvil and Clarkelen soils. Anvil and Clarkelen soils do not have mollic epipedons.
Anvil soil has a sandy-skeletal particle-size control section.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY:
Drainage: well drained
Runoff: low
Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity: high

USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are utilized for grazing by domestic livestock, wildlife habitat, and for dryland and irrigated cropland and hayland.
The native vegetation is needleandthread, prairie sandreed, western wheatgrass, prairie junegrass, threadleaf sedge, and silver sagebrush.
Wheat, oats, alfalfa, and short season corn are the principle crops grown.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Quarterback soils occur in eastern Wyoming. The series is of limited extent.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Denver, Colorado

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Platte County, Wyoming, 1989.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon: 0 to 30 centimeters (0 to 12 inches) (Ap1 and Ap2 horizons)

MLRR G;
SIR - WY1018

Modified format by LRM in 6/2006 to include metric conversion and change permeability to saturated hydraulic conductivity.


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.