LOCATION WALLSON WYEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Typic Haplargids
TYPICAL PEDON: Wallson sandy loam-rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
A--0 to 4 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) sandy loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; moderate very fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; 5 percent pebbles; neutral (pH 7.2); clear smooth boundary. (3 to 6 inches thick)
Bt--4 to 12 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common thin clay films on faces of peds, lining pores, and as bridging between sand grains; 5 percent pebbles; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); clear wavy boundary. (6 to 12 inches thick)
Btk--12 to 15 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) sandy loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; slightly effervescent, visible secondary calcium carbonate occurring as few soft rounded masses; 5 percent pebbles; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 5 inches thick)
Bk1--15 to 32 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) sandy loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; strongly effervescent; visible secondary calcium carbonate occurring as common soft rounded masses, in thin seams, and streaks; 5 percent pebbles; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); gradual wavy boundary. (10 to 24 inches thick)
Bk2--32 to 60 inches; light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/3) sandy loam, light olive brown (2.5Y 5/3) moist; massive; soft, very friable; slightly sticky and slightly plastic; strongly effervescent, visible secondary calcium carbonate occurring mostly as common soft rounded masses; 5 percent pebbles; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2).
TYPE LOCATION: Washakie County, Wyoming; approximately 400 feet north of the Gooseberry secondary road in SW1/4 of sec. 29, T. 46 N., R. 93 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature is 48 to 52 degrees F. Depth to the base of the argillic horizon and to continuous subhorizons of visible secondary calcium carbonate and/or calcium sulfate is 12 to 23 inches. Coarse fragments range from 0 to 15 percent pebbles throughout.
The A horizon has hue of 5Y through 10YR, value of 5 through 7 dry, 4 or 5 moist, and chroma of 2 or 3. Reaction is neutral through moderately alkaline.
The Bt horizon has hue of 5Y through 7.5YR, value of 5 or 6 dry, 3 through 5 moist, and chroma of 2 through 4. It has weak or moderately prismatic or subangular blocky structure. This horizon is sandy loam or fine sandy loam and has more than 35 percent fine or coarser sand. Reaction is slightly through strongly alkaline.
The Bk and C horizons have hue of 2.5Y or 10YR, value of 6 or 7 dry, 4 through 6 moist, and chroma of 2 through 4. They are sandy loam or fine sandy loam. Some pedons have loamy sand strata below 40 inches. Reaction is moderately or strongly alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Brinkerhoff, Chacoan, Delp, Enos, Granshaw, Mayqueen, Patna, Shiprock, and Woosley series. Brinkerhoff soils have a horizon of gypsum accumulation at 20 to 30 inches. Chacoan soils are moderately deep to hard bedrock. The Delp and Patna soils have lamellated Bt horizons. The Enos soils are moderately deep to soft bedrock. Granshaw soils have average annual soil teperature of 53 to 57 degrees F. Mayqueen soils are noncalcareous throughout. Shiprock soils have a noncalcareous solum. Woosley soils have 15 to 35 percent coarse fragments in the control section and are moderately deep to hard bedrock.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Wallson soils are on alluvial fans, fan aprons, toeslopes, and valley bottoms. Slope is 0 to 10 percent. The soils formed in moderately coarse textured alluvium derived principally from sandstone. Elevation is 4,000 to 6,300 feet. The average annual precipitation is 5 to 9 inches with peak periods of precipitation in the spring and early summer. The mean annual temperature is 44 to 48 degrees F. The frost-free season is about 110 to 140 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the competing Enos soils and the Apron, Oceanet, and Worland soils. Apron, Oceanet, and Worland soils lack argillic horizons. Also, Oceanet soils have sandstone at depths of 10 to 20 inches and Worland soils have sandstone at depths of 20 to 40 inches.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow runoff; moderately rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used as range and as irrigated cropland. Native vegetation is big sagebrush, needleandthread, Indian ricegrass, and blue grama.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Basin areas of northern and central Wyoming. The series has a moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Washakie County, Wyoming, Big Horn River Irrigated Area; 1972.