LOCATION VALENT CO+KS NE NM OK SD WYEstablished Series
The Valent series consists of very deep excessively drained soils that formed in mixed eolian sands. Valent soils are on upland dune topography. Slopes range from 0 to 60 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 41 centimeters (16 inches) and the mean annual temperature is about 10 degrees C. (50 degrees F.)
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Mixed, mesic Ustic Torripsamments
TYPICAL PEDON: Valent sand, grassland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A--0 to 10 centimeters (0 to 4 inches); grayish brown (10YR 5/2) sand, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; single grain; loose; neutral (pH 7.2); gradual smooth boundary. (8 to 25 centimeters (3 to 10 inches) thick)
C--10 to 152 centimeters (4 to 60 inches); pale brown (10YR 6/3) fine sand, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; single grain; loose; neutral (pH 7.2).
TYPE LOCATION: Washington County, Colorado; 245 meters (805 feet) east and 579 meters (1,900 feet) south of the NW corner of Sec. 5, T. 1 S., R. 49 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mean annual soil temperature: 8 to 14 degrees C. (47 to 58 degrees F.)
Mean summer soil temperature: 15 to 26 degrees C. (59 to 78 degrees F.)
Depth to secondary calcium carbonate: 102 to 152 centimeters (40 to 60 inches) or more
Organic carbon: 0.3 to 1.5 percent in the surface horizon and decreases uniformly with depth
Partical size control section:
Clay content: 0 to 15 percent
Silt content: 0 to 30 percent
Sand content: 70 to 100 percent
Rock fragment content: 0 to 2 percent, mainly pebbles
Some pedons have weak AC horizons.
A horizon (AC in some pedons):
Hue: 7.5YR to 2.5Y
Value: 4 to 6, 3 to 5 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4
Texture: sand, but also includes loamy sand, loamy fine sand, or fine sand
Reaction: neutral or slightly alkaline
Organic carbon: less than .6 percent
C horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR to 2.5Y
Value: 5 to 7, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4
Reaction: neutral or slightly alkaline
Texture: loamy fine sand, fine sand, sand or loamy sand.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the
Calladito,
Curtis Siding,
Dwyer,
Karval,
Mido,
Orpha,
Pensom,
Pinavetes,
Tullock and
Wigton series.
Calladito soils: are dry
May and June and have 8 to 10 inches annual precipitation.
Curtis Siding and Karval soils: have 15 to 35 percent gravel in the particle-size control section.
Dwyer soils are calcareous above a depth of 102 centimeters (40 inches).
Mido and Pinavetes soils are calcareous throughout the profile.
Orpha soils are dry in the moisture control section for more than half the time, cumulative, that the soil temperature at 51 centimeters (20 inches) is greater than 5 degrees C. (41 degrees F.)
Pensom soils have a lithic contact at depths of 102 to 152 centimeters (40 to 60 inches).
Tullock soils have a paralithic contact at depths of 51 to 102 centimeters (20 to 40 inches).
Wigton soils are dominated by medium and coarse angular granitic sand.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform: hills and dune like relief
Slopes: 0 to 60 percent
Parent material: uniform eolian material derived from a variety of sources
Elevation: 1219 to 1829 meters (4,000 to 6,000 feet)
Mean annual precipitation: 36 to 46 centimeters (14 to 18 inches) a year, most of which falls during spring and summer
Mean annual temperature: 10 to 12 degrees C. (49 to 53 degrees F.)
Mean summer temperature: 21 degrees C. (69 degrees F.)
Frost-free period: 120 to 165 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: This is the
Dailey soils.
Dailey soils have a mollic epipedon.
DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY:
Drainage: excessively drained
Runoff: low
Saturated hydraulic conductivity: high or very high
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used principally as native rangeland, however, they are irrigated under sprinkler irrigation in some localities. Principal native vegetation is yucca, sage, cactus, sand dropseed, sand reedgrass, big bluestem, little bluestem, sideoats grama and sand bluestem.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Eastern parts of Wyoming and Colorado, western parts of Nebraska and northeastern New Mexico. LRR G, MLRA 67, 69, and 72; the series is of large extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Denver, Colorado
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Johnson County (Southern Johnson Area), Wyoming, 1971.
REMARKS: Diagnostic features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon: the zone from 0 to 10 centimeters (0 to 4 inches) (A horizon)
Moisture regime: Ustic aridic
Valent series is the drier counterpart of the Valentine series.
Remarks: Last updated by the state 2/94.
OSD was modified by Lee Neve in January 2002 to a semi-tab format.
Taxonomic Version: Second Edition, 1999.
Modified format by LRM in 3/2006 to include metric conversion and change permeability to saturated hydraulic conductivity.