LOCATION SCHAMBER SD+CO KS NE WYEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy-skeletal, mixed, mesic Aridic Ustorthents
TYPICAL PEDON: Schamber gravelly loam - on a convex slope of 6 percent in native grass. When described the soil was dry throughout. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated)
A1--0 to 2 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) gravelly loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak fine granular and subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable; 15 percent gravel by volume; neutral; abrupt smooth boundary.
A2--2 to 6 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) gravelly loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; weak fine granular and subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable; 20 percent gravel by volume; slight effervescence; moderately alkaline; clear wavy boundary. (Combined A horizons 4 to 10 inches thick)
C1--6 to 20 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) very gravelly sand, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) moist; single grain; loose; 40 percent gravel by volume; common fine accumulations of carbonates and coatings of carbonates on lower sides of pebbles; strong effervescence; moderately alkaline; gradual smooth boundary. (0 to 40 inches thick)
C2--20 to 60 inches; multicolored, very gravelly sand; single grain; loose; 45 percent gravel by volume; few fine accumulations of carbonates and coatings of carbonate on pebbles in the upper part; strong effervescence; moderately alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Mellette County, South Dakota; about 3 miles west and 14 miles north of Cedar Butte; 1,200 feet north and 510 feet west of the southeast corner, sec. 11, T. 44 N., R. 32 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Content of gravel ranges from 35 to over 50 percent by volume in all parts of the series control section.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 4 to 6 and 3 to 5 moist, and chroma of 2 to 4. It is too light colored or too thin to qualify for a mollic epipedon. It is gravelly loam, loam, sandy loam, gravelly fine sandy loam, gravelly sandy loam, very gravelly sandy loam, or very gravelly loam and contains up to 50 percent gravel by volume. It ranges from slightly acid to moderately alkaline.
The C horizon has hue of 7.5YR, 10YR, or 2.5Y; value of 5 to 7 and 4 to 6 moist; and chroma of 2 to 4. Gravel varies greatly in color. The C horizon is sand and gravel as very gravelly sand or very gravelly loamy sand. It is slightly or moderately alkaline. Typically, calcium carbonate coats the lower sides of the pebbles and calcium carbonate can range up to 15 percent in the upper part. Some pedons are noncalcareous throughout.
COMPETING SERIES: This is the Bamac series. Bamac series occur at elevations of more than 5,300 feet and are dry during the months of May and June.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Schamber soils are on level to steep terraces or terrace remnants that cap ridges, crests, and upper slopes of undulating or rolling uplands. Surfaces are convex or plane with slope gradients ranging from 0 to 60 percent. The soil mostly formed in sand and gravel outwash sediments. Mean annual air temperature ranges from 45 to 50 degrees F, and the mean annual precipitation ranges from 10 to 24 inches. Frost free period ranges from 110 to 160 days. Elevation ranges from 1,300 to 4,800 feet.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Dix, Lakoma, Murdo, Opal, Pierre and Samsil soils. Dix and Murdo soils have mollic epipedons and are on similar landscapes. Lakoma, Opal, Pierre and Samsil soils contain more clay and formed in residuum from shale and are on landscapes below the Schamber soils.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well to excessively drained. Surface runoff is negligible to low depending on slope. Permeability is rapid or very rapid.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used as native rangeland. Native vegetation is needleandthread, blue grama, buffalograss, yucca, sedges, and shrubs.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Central and western South Dakota, Kansas, Nebraska, Wyoming and Colorado. The Schamber series is of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Denver, Colorado
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Butte County, South Dakota, 1970.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: ochric horizon - the zone from the surface to a depth of 6 inches (A1 and A2 horizons).