LOCATION SUGARDEE WYEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Aridic Argiustolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Sugardee loam - on a 3 percent north-facing slope under native vegetation. When described, the profile was moist to 30 inches. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
A--0 to 5 inches; reddish brown (5YR 4/3) loam, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/3) moist; weak medium granular structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many fine and medium roots; 5 percent one-inch gravel; mildly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear smooth boundary. (4 to 8 inches thick)
BA--5 to 8 inches; reddish brown (5YR 4/3) clay loam, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/3) moist; moderate coarse angular blocky structure; slightly hard, firm, sticky and plastic; many fine and medium roots; 10 percent pebbles; neutral (pH 6.2); clear smooth boundary. (3 to 6 inches thick)
Bt--8 to 16 inches; reddish brown (5YR 5/3) clay loam, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/4) moist; weak medium and coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate medium angular blocky; slightly hard, firm, sticky and plastic; many fine and medium and few coarse roots; common moderately thick clay films on faces of peds; mildly alkaline (pH 7.8); clear smooth boundary. (6 to 12 inches thick)
Btk--16 to 20 inches; yellowish red (5YR 5/6) loam, yellowish red (5YR 4/6) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few medium and coarse roots; few thin clay films on faces of peds; strongly effervescent; common fine and medium soft masses and seams of calcium carbonate; 5 percent pebbles; strongly alkaline (pH 8.6); clear wavy boundary. (3 to 6 inches thick)
Bk--20 to 27 inches; reddish yellow (5YR 6/6) gravelly loam, yellowish red (5YR 5/6) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few coarse roots; violently effervescent; common fine and medium soft masses and seams of calcium carbonate; 20 percent pebbles; strongly alkaline (pH 8.6); gradual wavy boundary. (7 to 12 inches thick)
2- Sugardee Series
C2--27 to 60 inches; reddish yellow (5YR 7/6) very gravelly loam, yellowish red (5YR 5/6) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; 40 percent 3/4- to 3-inch gravel; strongly effervescent, lime disseminated; strongly alkaline (pH 8.6).
TYPE LOCATION: Crook County, Wyoming; SW1/4, SE1/4 of sec. 9, T. 50 N., R. 62 W. Field Sheet 7G-69.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mollic epipedon is 7 to 14 inches thick. Depth to horizons of continuous secondary carbonates is 13 to 26 inches.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR through 5YR, value of 4 or 5 dry and 2 or 3 moist, and chroma of 2 or 3 dry and moist. Coarse fragments of gravel size range from 0 to 5 percent. It is neutral or mildly alkaline.
The Bt horizon has hue of 5YR or 2.5YR, value of 4 through 6 dry and 3 or 4 moist, and chroma of 3 or 4 dry and moist. It is silty clay loam or clay loam and averages 27 to 34 percent clay. Coarse fragments of gravel size range from 0 to 10 percent. It is neutral or mildly alkaline.
The Bk horizon has hue of 7.5YR through 2.5YR, value of 5 or 6 dry and 4 or 5 moist, and chroma of 4 or 6 dry and moist. It is gravelly loam or gravelly clay loam. It is moderately alkaline or strongly alkaline. Coarse fragments of gravel size range from 15 to 25 percent.
The C2 horizon has hue of 7.5YR through 2.5YR. It is very gravelly loam or very gravelly clay loam. Coarse fragments range from 35 to 50 percent and are primarily 3/4- to 3-inch limestone and sandstone gravel. It is moderately alkaline or strongly alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Ascalon, Bresser, Capulin, Cottier, Critchell, Dagflat, Featherlegs, Hargreave, Harlan, Kirtley, Lavate, Noden, Palmer Canyon, Rosebud, Ryegate, Satanta, Wages, and Wolf series. Ascalon, Capulin, Cottier, Critchell, Harlan, Lavate, Noden, Satanta, Wages, and Wolf soils have less than 35 percent gravel in the lower part of the control section. Bresser soils have sandy or sandy-skeletal substrata. Featherlegs soils have a very gravelly sandy loam IIC horizon and have hue of 7.5YR or yellower in the B2t horizon. Dagflat and Ryegate soils have a lithic contact above a depth of 40 inches. Hargreave, Kirtley, and Rosebud soils have a paralithic contact above a depth of 40 inches. Palmer Canyon soils have hue of 7.5YR or yellower in the B2t horizon.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Sugardee soils are on terraces, pediments, and alluvial fans. Slopes are 0 to 10 percent. Elevation is 3,500 to 5,000 feet. The soils formed in reddish colored outwash materials derived principally from redbeds with influence of limestone and sandstone gravel. The mean annual 3 - Sugardee Series
temperature is about 47 degrees F. Annual precipitation is 15 to 19 inches. The frost-free season is 100 to 120 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Nihill, Suglo, Tilford, and Vale soils. Nihill soils are loamy-skeletal. Suglo and Tilford soils have a cambic horizon. Tilford and Vale soils are fine-silty.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow to medium runoff; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Sugardee soils are used mainly for grazing by livestock and for wildlife habitat. Some areas are dry-farmed with the principal crops being wheat, oats, and barley. Native vegetation is western wheatgrass, needleandthread, blue grama, and Kentucky bluegrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northeastern Wyoming. The series is inextensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Denver, Colorado
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Crook County, Wyoming; 1978.