LOCATION BARX                    UT+AZ CO

Established Series
Rev. DTH/EML/JCK
04/2017

BARX SERIES

The Barx series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in alluvium or slope alluvium, including reworked eolian material derived from sandstone. These soils are on fan remnants, structural benches, dipslopes, plateaus and mesas. Slopes are from 0 to 15 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 279 mm, and mean annual temperature is about 9.4 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Ustic Calciargids

TYPICAL PEDON: Barx very fine sandy loam, on rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)

A--0 to 8 cm; reddish brown (5YR 5/4) very fine sandy loam, reddish brown (5YR 4/4) moist; weak medium platy structure; soft, friable; common very fine and fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear smooth boundary. (5 to 13 cm thick)

Bw--8 to 23 cm; reddish brown (5YR 5/4) fine sandy loam, reddish brown (5YR 4/4) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine, and few medium roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 18 cm thick)

Bt1--23 to 38 cm; reddish brown (5YR 5/4) sandy clay loam, reddish brown (5YR 4/4) moist; moderate coarse subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine and fine, and few medium roots; common very fine and fine, and few medium tubular pores; common distinct clay films on faces of peds; moderately alkaline (pH 7.9); clear smooth boundary. (15 to 40 cm thick)

Bt2--38 to 58 cm; reddish yellow (5YR 6/6) sandy clay loam, yellowish red (5YR 4/6) moist; moderate coarse subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine and fine roots; few medium tubular pores; many distinct clay films on faces of peds; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 30 cm thick)

Btk--58 to 91 cm; reddish yellow (5YR 6/6) sandy clay loam, yellowish red (5YR 4/6) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; few distinct clay films on faces of peds; fine threadlike calcium carbonate masses; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); abrupt wavy boundary. (0 to 36 cm thick)

BCk1--91 to 120 cm; pink (5YR 7/4) sandy clay loam, yellowish red (5YR 5/6) moist; massive; hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; fine dendritic calcium carbonate masses; violently effervescent; strongly alkaline (pH 8.6); clear wavy boundary. (25 to 91 cm thick)

BCk2--120 to 140 cm; reddish yellow (5YR 6/6) sandy clay loam, yellowish red (5YR 4/6) moist; massive; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; finely disseminated carbonates; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); clear wavy boundary. (15 to 43 centimeters thick)

BCk3--140 to 152 cm; pink (5YR 7/4) sandy clay loam, yellowish red (5YR 5/6) moist; massive; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine pores; fine dendritic calcium carbonate masses; violently effervescent; strongly alkaline (pH 8.6).

TYPE LOCATION: San Juan County, Utah; on Cyclone Flat; about 3 kilometers southeast of the intersection of highway 95 and highway 261; located about 518 meters south and 488 meters west of the northeast corner of sec. 19, T. 37 S., R. 19 E.; South Long Point USGS quad; Lat. 37 degrees 33 minutes 30 seconds N., Long. 109 degrees 51 minutes 46 second W., NAD 83

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mean annual soil temperature - 9.5 to 13 degrees C
Depth to calcic horizon - 30 to 90 cm


A horizon
Hue: 2.5YR to 10YR
Value: 4, 5 or 6 dry; 3, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6
Texture: very fine sandy loam, fine sandy loam or loam
Clay content: 10 to 27 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 25 percent gravel
Reaction: 7.2 to 8.4

Bw horizon (where present)
Hue: 2.5YR to 10YR
Value: 4, 5, 6 or 7 dry; 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7 moist
Chroma: 3, 4, 5 or 6
Texture: fine sandy loam, sandy clay loam or loam
Clay content: 10 to 27 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 15 percent gravel
Reaction: 7.4 to 8.4

Bt horizons
Hue: 2.5YR to 7.5YR
Value: 4, 5, 6 or 7 dry; 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7 moist
Chroma: 3, 4, 5 or 6
Clay content: 22 to 35 percent
Texture: sandy clay loam, clay loam, or loam
Rock fragments: 0 to 15 percent gravel
Reaction: 7.4 to 8.4

Btk horizon (where present)
Hue: 2.5YR to 7.5YR
Value: 4, 5, 6 or 7 dry; 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7 moist
Chroma: 3, 4, 5 or 6
Clay content: 20 to 35 percent
Texture: sandy clay loam, clay loam, or loam
Rock fragments: 0 to 15 percent gravel
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 2 to 20 percent
Reaction: 7.9 to 8.4

BCk horizons:
Hue: 2.5YR to 7.5YR
Value: 5, 6, 7 or 8 dry; 4, 5, 6, 7 or 8 moist
Chroma: 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6
Texture: sandy clay loam, loam, sandy loam or clay loam
Clay content: 15 to 30 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 35 percent gravel and cobbles
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 10 to 40 percent
Reaction: 8.0 to 9.0

Some pedons have a Bk horizon in place of a BCk.

COMPETING SERIES:
Alvey (UT) - have hue yellower than 7.5YR
Cabreros (NM) - have a paralithic contact at depths of 50 to 100 cm
Cerrillos (NM) - have a calcic horizon above a depth of 30 cm; do not have hue redder than 5YR
Clovis (NM) - have a mean annual soil temperature greater than 13 degrees C; have more than 40 percent calcium carbonate equivalent
Eaglenest (WY) - have hue yellower than 7.5YR
Fernando (NM) - are cemented at depths of 100 to 150 cm
Flaco (NM) - have a lithic contact at depths of 50 to 100 cm
Fort (CO) - have hue yellower than 7.5YR
Horchata (NM) - have a lithic contact at depths of 50 to 100 cm
Maysdorf (WY) - have less than 15 percent calcium carbonate in the calcic horizon
Millett (AZ) - have a lithologic discontinuity; have more than 35 percent rock fragments in the lower part of the subsoil
Palabria (NM) - have a lithic contact at depths of 100 to 150 cm
Progresso (CO) - have a lithic contact at depths of 50 to 100 cm
Sanostee (NM) - have a lithic contact at depths of 50 to 100 cm
Scholle (NM) - have more than 15 percent rock fragments in the particle-size control section; do not have strongly alkaline reaction
Selpats (WY) - have a lithologic discontinuity; have more than 35 percent rock fragments in the lower part of the subsoil
Solirec (UT) - have a calcic horizon above a depth of 30 cm; do not have hue redder than 5YR
Spenlo (UT) - have a lithic contact at depths of 100 to 150 cm
Threetop (WY) - have a lithic contact at depths of 50 to 100 cm
Tuweep (AZ) - have a lithologic discontinuity; have hue yellower than 7.5YR
Wineg (AZ) - have cemented horizons; do not have strongly alkaline reaction

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: alluvium or slope alluvium, including reworked eolian material derived from sandstone
Landform: fan remnants, structural benches, dipslopes, plateaus and mesas
Slopes - 0 to 15 percent
Elevation - 1,464 to 2,378 meters
Mean annual air temperature - 7.8 to 12 degrees C (up to 13 degrees in Arizona)
Mean annual precipitation - 203 to 356 mm
Frost-free period - 100 to 165 days
Precipitation is fairly evenly distributed throughout the year with July and August slightly wetter and June slightly dryer.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Abra, Begay, Mivida, Rizno, Sazi, Strych, and Windwhistle soils.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; moderately rapid to moderately slow permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION:
These soils are used mainly for rangeland. Native vegetation is Indian ricegrass, galleta, Wyoming big sagebrush, and winterfat.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Barx soils are extensive in southeastern and central Utah, northwestern Arizona, and southwestern Colorado. MLRAs 34B, 35, 36.

SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Grand County Utah - Central Part, 1985.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - from 0 to 18 cm (A and part of the Bw horizon)
Cambic horizon - from 8 to 23 cm (Bw horizon)
Argillic horizon - from 23 to 91 cm (Bt1, Bt2 and Btk horizons)
Calcic horizon - from 91 to 152 cm (BCk1, BCk2 and BCk3 horizons)
Particle-size control section - from 23 to 73 cm (Bt1, Bt2 and part of the Btk horizon)

Barx soils have a mesic temperature regime and an aridic moisture regime bordering on ustic.

Note: the type location should be investigated to verify massive structure in the BCk horizons.

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.