LOCATION WAGONWHEEL COEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-silty, mixed, superactive, mesic Aridic Calciustepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Wagonwheel loam, in an area of cultivated non-irrigated cropland,(Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted).
A1--0 to 2 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) very fine sandy loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine, fine and medium roots; slightly effervescent, moderately alkaline; clear smooth boundary.
A2--2 to 7 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) very fine sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate medium and fine granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few medium, many very fine, common fine roots; strongly effervescent, moderately alkaline, CaCO3 is disseminated throughout horizon; abrupt smooth boundary.
Bw--7 to 13 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) loam, brown (10YR 5/3) and grayish brown (10YR 5/2) moist; weak medium SUBANGULAR blocky structure; soft, friable, slightly sticky and plastic; few fine, and very fine roots; strongly effervescent, CaCO3 is disseminated throughout horizon, moderately alkaline; clear wavy boundary.
Bk--13 to 25 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/4) loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; weak medium prismatic structure; slightly hard, firm, sticky and plastic; common very fine, and few fine roots; strongly effervescent, common, medium and fine, irregular cylindrical soft CaCO3 concentrations in old root channels, moderately alkaline; clear wavy boundary.
BCk--25 to 41 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/4) loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; weak coarse prismatic structure; soft, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine roots; violently effervescent, common, medium, irregular cylindrical and few, coarse, irregular blotches on sides of peds of soft CaCO3 concentrations, moderately alkaline; clear wavy boundary.
C--41 to 62 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; massive; soft, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine roots; strongly effervescent, few, coarse, irregular blotches of soft CaCO3 concentrations, moderately alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Logan County, Colorado; about 1300 feet east and 890 ft. north of the southwest corner Section 33, T. 6N., R. 50W..
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Depth to secondary calcium carbonate is 12 to 15 inches. The solum thickness ranges from 20 to 44 inches. In the textural control section (10 to 40 inches) the clay percentage ranges from 10 to 20 percent and the content of fine sand or coarser is less than 15 percent. These soils are calcareous to the surface. A C horizon may be present.
A horizon(s): Percent clay is 12 to 20 percent and texture is sandy loam or loam. Reaction is slightly alkaline or moderaterly alkaline. has hue of 10YR, value of 5 or 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist and chroma of 2 to 4.
Bw horizon: Percent clay is 14 to 20 percent. Thickness of the Bw horizons are 3 to 12 inches. Reaction ranges from slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline. Has hue of 10YR, value of 5 to 7 dry, 5 or 6 moist, and chroma of 3 or 4.
BC or C horizons: Percent clay is 10 to 18 percent clay. Have hue of 10YR or 2.5Y. Calcium carbonate equivalent is 5 to 15 percent.
COMPETING SERIES:
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Wagonwheel soils are on plains and uplands that are gently sloping to rolling. Slopes are 2 to 16 percent. They formed in mixed reworked eolian sediments. Elevation ranges from 3800 to 4500 feet. The mean annual precipitation ranges from 13 to 17 inches. The mean annual temperature ranges from 51 to 59 degrees Fahrenheit.
GEOGRAPHIC ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Ulysses, Colby, Kim, Keith and Norka soils. Ulysses, Norka and Keith soils are noncalcareous to the surface. Colby soils lack a cambic B subsoil. Kim soils are fine-loamy.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; moderate to rapid runoff, moderate permeability.
Use and Vegetation: This soil is used primarily for nonirrigated cropland and rangeland. Native vegetation is Buffalograss, Blue grama, western wheatgrass and Green needlegrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northeastern Colorado. The series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Denver, Colorado
SERIES PROPOSED: Logan County Soil Survey 1997
REMARKS: This soil is proposed due to an update of the Logan and Washington Countys soil surveys. These soils were mapped as Ulysses. Since, over the past 90 years erosional processes and deep tillage cultural practices, the minimal mollic epipedon was destroyed or mixed with calcareous subsoils the soil has been altered in physical characteristics, thusly changing series.