LOCATION SHURTLEFF WY
Tentative Series
IRD DPG/DJP/CBR
04/2020
SHURTLEFF SERIES
The SHURTLEFF series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in slope alluvium derived from interbedded, calcareous sedimentary rocks. These soils are on hillslopes. Slopes are 2 to 15 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 430 mm and mean annual air temperature is about 1 degree C.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive Ustic Calcicryepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Shurtleff loam in rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A--0 to 5 cm; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky, moderately plastic; common fine and medium roots throughout; common fine tubular pores; 2 percent channers; finely disseminated carbonate, slightly effervescent; 9 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear wavy boundary. (5 to 20 cm thick)
Bk1--5 to 25 cm; brown (10YR 4/3) clay loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, moderately sticky, moderately plastic; common fine roots throughout; common very fine and fine irregular pores; 1 percent channers; finely disseminated carbonate, slightly effervescent; 14 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear wavy boundary.
Bk2--25 to 55 cm; light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/3) clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, moderately sticky, moderately plastic; common very fine roots and fine roots throughout; common very fine irregular pores; 2 percent channers; finely disseminated carbonate, 14 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bk1 and Bk2 horizons is 40 to 75 cm)
Bk3--55 to 87 cm; light gray (10YR 7/2) clay loam, light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, moderately sticky, moderately plastic; common fine roots throughout; common very fine irregular pores; 10 percent channers; 10 percent carbonate masses in the matrix; violently effervescent; 22 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; strongly alkaline (pH 8.6); clear wavy boundary.
Bk4--87 to 127 cm; light gray (10YR 7/2) gravelly clay loam, light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; very hard, firm, moderately sticky, very plastic; common very fine irregular pores; 15 percent channers; 15 percent carbonate masses in the matrix; violently effervescent; 24 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; strongly alkaline (pH 9.0); gradual wavy boundary.
Bk5--127 to 200 cm; light gray (10YR 7/2) clay loam, light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; very hard, firm, moderately sticky, very plastic; 10 percent channers; 10 percent carbonate masses in the matrix; violently effervescent; 13 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; strongly alkaline (pH 8.8); gradual wavy boundary.
TYPE LOCATION: Lincoln County, Wyoming; USGS Belle Butte NE topographic quadrangle; latitude 41 degrees 38 minutes 35.4 seconds degrees north, longitude 110 minutes 51 minutes 22.5 seconds west, datum WGS84.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mean annual soil temperature--1.5 to 4.0 degrees C
Thickness of ochric epipedon--5 to 20 cm
Depth to calcic horizon--40 to 60 cm
Particle-size control section (weighted averages)
Clay content--28 to 35 percent
Total rock fragments--1 to 15 percent
A horizon
Hue--10YR or 2.5Y dry or moist
Value--3 to 6 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma--2 or 3 dry or moist
Texture (less than 2 mm fraction)--loam
Clay content--20 to 26
Rock fragments--1 to 5 percent
Reaction--pH 7.9 to 8.4
Bk1 and Bk2 horizons
Hue--10YR or 2.5Y dry or moist
Value--4 to 7 dry, 3 to 5 moist
Chroma--2 to 4 dry or moist
Texture (less than 2 mm fraction)--clay loam, loam
Clay content--24 to 37
Calcium carbonate equivalent--5 to 14 percent
Rock fragments--1 to 5 percent
Reaction--pH 7.9 to 8.4
Bk3, Bk4, and Bk5 horizons
Hue--10YR or 2.5Y dry or moist
Value--4 to 7 dry, 3 to 5 moist
Chroma--2 to 4 dry or moist
Texture (less than 2 mm fraction)--clay loam, loam
Clay content--24 to 37
Calcium carbonate equivalent--15 to 30 percent
Rock fragments--8 to 12 percent
Reaction--pH 8.5 to 9.0
COMPETING SERIES:
Kenosha (CO) -- are moderately deep to paralithic contact
Knep (MT) -- are moderately deep to paralithic contact
Lyonsbridge (MT) -- have less than 18 percent clay in the C horizon
Streth (WY) -- are moderately deep to lithic contact
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform--hillslopes
Elevation--2100 to 2450 meters
Slope--2 to 15 percent
Parent material--slope alluvium derived from sedimentary rock
Climate--long, cold winters; cool, moist springs; short, cool summers
Mean annual precipitation--375 to 500 mm
Mean annual air temperature--0.6 to 2.7 degrees C
Frost-free period--15 to 45 days
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: None listed.
DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: well drained, 1.5 to 5.0 um/sec
USE AND VEGETATION: Shurtleff soils are primarily used for rangeland. The potential native vegetation is early sagebrush, western wheatgrass, Letterman's needlegrass, Idaho fescue, Indian ricegrass, bottlebrush squirreltail, and other grasses and forbs.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Shurtleff soils are of moderate extent in southwestern Wyoming; MLRA 46.
SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES PROPOSED: Lincoln County, WY, 2020. Shurtleff series name is a coined phrase.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon:
Ochric epipedon--0 to 5 cm (A horizon)
Calcic horizon--55 to 127cm (Bk3, Bk4, Bk5 horizons)
Secondary calcium carbonate accumulation--5 to 200 cm (Bk horizons)
Particle-size control section--25 to 100 cm
Shurtleff soils have a cryic temperature regime and an ustic moisture regime.
Taxonomic version: Twelfth Edition, 2014
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.