LOCATION ROUGHLOCK WYEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-silty, mixed, superactive, mesic Sodic Ustic Haplocalcids
TYPICAL PEDON: Roughlock loam--rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
A--0 to 3 inches; reddish brown (5YR 4/4) loam, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/4) moist; weak medium granular structure; soft, friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine roots; mildly alkaline (pH 7.4); clear wavy boundary. (2 to 5 inches thick)
Bk1--3 to 11 inches; yellowish red (5YR 5/6) silt loam, yellowish red (5YR 4/6) moist; weak medium prismatic structure parting to weak medium subangular blocky; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine and very fine roots; strongly effervescent, 15 percent calcium carbonate equivalent, carbonates disseminated and as common faint coatings on faces of peds; strongly alkaline (pH 8.8); clear wavy boundary.
Bk2--11 to 25 inches; yellowish red (5YR 5/6) loam, yellowish red (5YR 4/6) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; common fine and very fine roots; violently effervescent, 20 percent calcium carbonate equivalent, carbonates disseminated and as few soft cylindrical masses following root channels; strongly alkaline (pH 8.8); clear wavy boundary.
Bk3--25 to 32 inches; red (2.5YR 5/6) silt loam, red (2.5YR 4/6) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots; violently effervescent, 15 percent calcium carbonate equivalent, carbonates disseminated and as few soft, cylindrical masses following root channels; strongly alkaline (pH 8.6); gradual wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of Bk horizon is 20 to 40 inches.)
Bny--32 to 60 inches; red (2.5YR 5/6) silt loam, red (2.5YR 4/6) moist; massive, slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; strongly effervescent, 10 percent calcium carbonate equivalent, carbonates disseminated; few fine seams and filaments of gypsum; ESP of 20; strongly alkaline (pH 8.6).
TYPE LOCATION: Natrona County, Wyoming; about 29 miles north of the town of Powder River; 1,150 feet north and 50 feet west of the SE corner of sec. 9, T. 40 N., R. 84 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The particle-size control section is loam, silt loam, clay loam, or silty clay loam with 10 to 18 percent noncarbonate clay, 1 to 12 percent carbonate clay, and less than 15 percent fine sand or coarser. The mean annual soil temperature is 47 to 52 degrees F.
Hue is 2.5YR or 5YR.
The A horizon has value of 4 or 5 dry, 3 or 4 moist, and chroma of 3 through 6. It is effervescent in some pedons. EC is less than 2 mmhos. It is mildly alkaline or moderately alkaline. A thin, vesicular crust is on some pedons.
The Bk horizon has value of 4 through 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist and chroma of 4 through 6. Calcium carbonate equivalent ranges from 15 to 30 percent. EC is less than 2 mmhos. ESP is less than 10. It is moderately alkaline or strongly alkaline.
The Bny horizon has value of 4 through 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist and chroma of 4 through 6. Calcium carbonate equivalent ranges from 5 to 15 percent. EC is 4 to 16 mmhos. It has visible accumulations of gypsum which average less than 1.5 percent. ESP ranges from 10 to 25. It is moderately alkaline or strongly alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: This is the Redbow series. Redbow soils are moderately deep.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Roughlock soils are on footslopes, alluvial fans, and dipslopes. Slopes range from 0 to 15 percent. They formed in alluvium derived dominantly from red siltstone. Elevation is 5,000 to 6,500 feet. The mean annual precipitation is 10 to 14 inches, and the mean annual temperature is 42 to 51 degrees F. The frost-free season is 110 to 130 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Buffcreek, Redarrow, Redspear, Redsun, and the competing Redbow soils. Buffcreek soils are loamy-skeletal. Redarrow, Redspear, and Redsun soils are shallow.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; medium or rapid runoff; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Roughlock soils are used mainly for
livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. Native vegetation is mainly rhizomatous wheatgrass, needleandthread, and threadleaf sedge.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Central Wyoming. The series is of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Natrona County, Wyoming; 1985.
ADDITIONAL DATA: Pedon S83WY-025-008, Sample No. 83P3090-3096, Pedon No. 83P 633, Project No. 83P 107, is from the same area as the typical pedon described here and is representative of the series.