LOCATION SHARLAND WY+IDEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy over sandy or sandy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, mesic Typic Haplargids
TYPICAL PEDON: Sharland gravelly clay loam - cultivated. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
Ap--0 to 4 inches; light olive brown (2.5Y 5/3) gravelly clay loam, olive brown (2.5Y 4/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky parting to moderate fine granular structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; 15 percent basalt gravel; many dark colored mineral grains in the sand and silt fractions; calcareous; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear smooth boundary. (2 to 6 inches thick)
Bt--4 to 9 inches; light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) gravelly sandy clay loam, olive brown (2.5Y 4/4) moist; weak fine prismatic parting to moderate fine subangular blocky structure; hard, very friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; faint clay films on faces of peds and in most root channels; 15 percent basalt gravel; many dark colored magnetic mineral grains in the sand and silt fractions; calcareous; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); gradual wavy boundary, (4 to 8 inches thick)
Btk--9 to 12 inches; light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) gravelly sandy clay loam, olive brown (2.5Y 4/4) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; few faint clay films on faces of peds and discontinuous clay films in root channels and pores; 20 percent basalt gravel; calcareous; visible secondary carbonate as small, soft concretions; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 4 inches thick)
BCk--12 to 16 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) very gravelly sandy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; 40 percent basalt gravel; many dark colored magnetic mineral grains in the sand and silt fractions; calcareous; visible secondary calcium carbonate occurring as soft concretions, thin seams, streaks, and as coatings on gravel fragments; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); diffuse wavy boundary. (0 to 10 inches thick)
2C--16 to 40 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) very gravelly sand, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; single grain; loose; 60 percent basalt gravel; many dark colored magnetic mineral grains of sand size; calcareous; visible secondary carbonate occurring mostly as coatings on gravel fragments; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4).
TYPE LOCATION: Park County, Wyoming; approximately 1,600 feet south and 250 feet west of the NE corner of lot 51, T.55N., R.99W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Depth to the base of the argillic horizon is 5 to 12 inches. Depth to sand, gravel, and cobbles is 10 to 20 inches. The mean soil temperature at a depth of 20 inches is 48 to 50 degrees F. The mean summer soil temperature is 62 to 68 degrees F. Depth to continuous subhorizons of visible secondary calcium carbonate and/or sulfate is 5 to 12 inches. Calcium carbonate equivalent in the Cca horizon ranges from 6 to 15 percent. Coarse fragments, mainly basalt gravel and cobbles, range from 10 to 35 percent in the major portion of the solum. The sand and silt fractions contain about 2 to 10 percent dark gray or reddish brown ferromagnesian rich minerals and fragments of basalt. The A horizon has hue of 5Y through 10YR, value of 5 through 7 dry, 4 through 6 moist, and chroma of 2 through 4. It is slightly or moderately alkaline. The Bt horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 5 through 7 dry, 4 through 6 moist, and chroma of 2 through 6. It has weak or moderate prismatic or subangular blocky structure. This horizon is sandy clay loam, clay loam or loam and has 18 to 35 percent clay, 10 to 50 percent silt, and 20 to 70 percent sand. It is slightly or moderately alkaline. The BCk horizon above the skeletal material has hue of 5Y through 10YR. It is slightly or moderately alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Ethete, Garland, Hough, and Ornea series. Ethete soils have contrasting sand and gravel at depths of 20 to 40 inches and have calcic horizons. Garland and Hough soils have contrasting sand and gravel below a depth of 20 inches. Ornea soils have 15 to 20 percent calcium carbonate equivalent in the Bk horizons.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Sharland soils are on nearly level to moderately sloping alluvial fans, pediment surfaces, and old terrace levels at elevations of 3,800 to 5,200 feet. Slopes typically range from 0 to about 10 percent or more. These soils formed in thin, calcareous, alluvial materials derived mainly from basalt. At the type location the average annual precipitation is 7 inches with peak periods of precipitation in the spring and early summer months. Mean annual temperature is 45 degrees F. and mean summer temperature is 69 degrees F. Frost-free season is 110 to 140 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the competing Garland soils and the Preatorson soils. Preatorson soils have loamy-skeletal argillic horizons.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well-drained; slow to medium runoff; moderate over rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used as rangeland and as irrigated cropland. Principal native plants are big sage, cactus, blue grama grass, needle-and-thread grass, and snakeweed.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Basin areas of northern and central Wyoming. The series is of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Big Horn County (Big Horn Irrigated Area), Wyoming, 1972.