LOCATION WESTOVER SDEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, calcareous, mesic Typic Ustorthents
TYPICAL PEDON: Westover loam - on a convex south-facing slope of 17 percent in native grass. When described the soil was dry throughout. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
A--0 to 4 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure parting to moderate medium granular; slightly hard, very friable; slight effervescence; slightly alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (3 to 5 inches thick)
AC--4 to 12 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable; strong effervescence; slightly alkaline; clear wavy boundary. (5 to 12 inches thick)
C1--12 to 24 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable; strong effervescence; slightly alkaline; clear wavy boundary.
C2--24 to 32 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) fine sandy loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; massive; soft, very friable; strong effervescence; slightly alkaline; clear wavy boundary.
2C3--32 to 60 inches; brown (10YR 5/3), yellowish brown (10YR 5/4), pale brown (10YR 6/3) and light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) sand and gravel; dark brown (10YR 4/3), dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4), brown (10YR 5/3) and yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; single grained; loose; few fine shale chips; slight effervescence; moderately alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Tripp County, South Dakota; about 12 miles west and 20 miles north of Winner; 2700 feet east and 750 feet north of the southwest corner of sec. 36, T. 102 N., R. 78 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Typically free carbonates are at the surface but are lacking in the upper 2 or 3 inches in some pedons. Reaction throughout the soil is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline. Depth to the 2C horizon typically is about 30 to 34 inches and ranges from 22 to 49 inches.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 4 to 6 and 3 or 4 moist, and chroma of 2 or 3. It is loam, silt loam, or very fine sandy loam.
The AC horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 5 to 7 and 4 or 5 moist, and chroma of 2 or 3. It is loam or silt loam. Few fine soft accumulations of carbonate are in some pedons.
The C horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 5 to 7 and 4 to 6 moist, and chroma of 2 to 4. It is loam, fine sandy loam, sandy loam, or very fine sandy loam.
The 2C horizon is multicolored. It is loamy sand, gravelly loamy sand or gravel sand. Thin strata of finer textures are in some pedons.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Lindrith series in the same family. Lindrith soils are in a lower rainfall area and do not contain gravelly sand above depths of 49 inches.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Westover soils are on terrace escarpments. Slope gradients range from 0 to 40 percent. Westover soils formed in loamy alluvial or outwash materials overlying sand and gravel. Mean annual temperature ranges from about 45 to 50 degrees F, and mean annual precipitation ranges from 15 to 24 inches.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Lowry, Murdo, Orton, Ree, Sansarc, Schamber and Sully soils. Lowry soils have a mollic epipedon and are coarse-silty. Murdo soils have an argillic horizon and have sand and gravel between depths of 12 and 20 inches. Orton soils have a mollic epipedon. Ree soils have a mollic epipedon and argillic horizon. Sansarc soils are clayey and have bedded shale within depths of 20 inches. Schamber soils have coarse sand and gravel at shallower depths. Lowry and Ree soils are on nearly level to gently sloping adjacent landscapes. Orton, Murdo, Schamber, and Sully soils are on similar landscapes. Sansarc soils are below areas of Westover soils in adjacent landscapes. Sully soils are coarse-silty.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. Runoff is high. Permeability is moderate in the upper 2 to 3 feet and rapid below.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for native rangeland. Principal native vegetation is mainly blue grama, little bluestem, needleandthread, sideoats grama, western wheatgrass, sedges, and forbs.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: South-central and west-central South Dakota. The series is inextensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Denver, Colorado
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Tripp County, South Dakota, 1975.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: ochric epipedon - the zone from the surface of the soil to a depth of about 4 inches (A horizon).