LOCATION TRACYLEE WYInactive Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Pachic Argiustolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Tracylee very fine sandy loam-on a northwest facing slope of two percent, utilized as rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
A--0 to 5 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) very fine sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak fine granular structure; soft, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common medium roots and many fine and very fine roots; neutral (pH 6.8); clear smooth boundary. (5 to 11 inches thick)
BA--5 to 11 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak medium and fine subangular blocky structure; soft, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common medium and fine roots; neutral (pH 7.0); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 6 inches thick)
Bt1--11 to 20 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) clay loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; slightly hard, friable, sticky and slightly plastic; common medium and fine roots; many thin, few moderately thick clay films on ped faces and lining pores; neutral (pH 7.2); clear wavy boundary.
Bt2--20 to 28 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) clay loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium and fine subangular blocky; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few medium roots and common fine roots; common moderately thick clay films on ped faces and lining pores; neutral (pH 7.2); clear wavy boundary.
Bt3--28 to 38 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) loam, dark brown
(10YR 3/3) moist; weak medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium and fine subangular blocky; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few medium, common fine roots; common thin and few moderately thick clay films on ped faces and lining pores; mildly alkaline (pH 7.4); abrupt wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bt horizon is 20 to 33 inches.)
2 - Tracylee Series
C--38 to 60 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) loam, brown to dark brown (10YR 4/3) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; few fine roots; mildly alkaline (pH 7.4)
TYPE LOCATION: Niobrara County, Wyoming; about 1,080 feet north and 2,310 feet east of the southwest corner of sec. 14, T. 31 N., R. 61 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Tracylee soils are typically noncalcareous, but some pedons contain a few fine masses of segregated carbonates below 50 inches. Depth to the base of the mollic epipedon ranges from 22 to 38 inches. Bedrock is deeper than 60 inches. Depth to the base of the Bt horizon is 30 to 44 inches. Coarse fragments are typically less than 5 percent but range from 0 to 15 percent. The soil is dry in the moisture control section more than half the time cumulative that the soil temperature at a depth of 20 inches is 41 degrees F., which occurs about April 20-27, but is dry in all parts of the moisture control section for at least 60 consecutive days from July 15 to October 25 and for at least 90 cumulative days during this period. The mean annual soil temperature is 47 to 51 degrees F., and the soil temperature at a depth of 20 inches is 41 degrees F. or more for 175 to 192 days.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 4 or 5 dry and 2 or 3 moist, and chroma of 2 or 3. It is slightly acid or neutral.
An AB or BA horizon is present in most pedons. They have the same range in characteristics as the A horizon.
The Bt horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 5 or 6 dry and 3 or 4 moist, and chroma of 2 or 3. Texture is typically loam, sandy clay loam, or clay loam with 18 to 35 percent clay and 35 to 50 percent fine and coarser sand. It is slightly acid through mildly alkaline.
The C horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 6 dry and 4 moist, and chroma of 2 or 3. Textures are loam or fine sandy loam with 15 to 25 percent clay. It is mildly alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Albinas, Garrett, Haxtun, Jarita, Keya, Prosper, Renner, Sampson, Woodly, and Woonsocket series. Albinas, Renner, and Sampson soils have continuous accumulations of calcium carbonate above depths of 40 inches. Garrett soils have hue of 5YR or redder. Haxtun soils have buried pedogenic horizons above depths of 40 inches. Jarita soils have bedrock at depths of 20 to 40 inches. Prosper soils have mottling above 40 inches, have Bk horizons, and are moderately well drained. Keya, Woodly, and Woonsocket soils are more moist in July, August, and September.
3- Tracylee Series
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Tracylee soils are on valley filling uplands, relict alluvial fans, and in basins. They formed in slope wash alluvial sediments derived from noncalcareous fine grained sandstone. Slopes are 0 to 6 percent. Elevations are 4,800 to 5,400 feet. The mean annual precipitation ranges from 15 to 17 inches, half of which falls as rain and snow in April, May, and June. The mean annual air temperature ranges from 44 to 51 degrees F. The frost-free season is 105 to 130 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Dawny and Noden soils and the competing Albinas soil. Dawny soils have less than 18 percent clay throughout. Noden soils have mollic epipedons less than 20 inches thick.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow runoff; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are utilized for grazing by domestic livestock, wildlife habitat, and for dryland and irrigated cropland. The native vegetation is mainly needleandthread, western wheatgrass, prairie junegrass, Sandberg bluegrass, blue grama, and silver sagebrush. Wheat, oats, and alfalfa are the principal cultivated crops.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Eastern Wyoming. The series is of limited extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: St. Paul, Minnesota
SERIES PROPOSED: Niobrara County, Wyoming; 1986.