LOCATION FLATNOSE           UT+WY
Established Series
REV: WS/DAL/RLT
03/2003

FLATNOSE SERIES


The Flatnose series consists of very deep, well drained, moderately rapidly permeable soils that formed in alluvium derived from sandstone. Flatnose soils are on fluvial plains and terraces and have slopes of 1 to 8 percent. The average annual precipitation is about 14 inches and the mean annual temperature is about 45 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, calcareous, mesic Typic Ustifluvents

TYPICAL PEDON: Flatnose sandy loam--rangeland. (Colors are for air-dry soil unless otherwise stated.)

A--0 to 4 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure parting to weak fine granular; soft, very friable; common very fine and fine roots; few very fine interstitial pores; slightly calcareous, carbonates are disseminated; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); abrupt smooth boundary. (2 to 6 inches thick.)

C1--4 to 10 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) very gravelly sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; massive; soft, very friable; few very fine, fine, and medium roots; few very fine interstitial pores; 40 percent pebbles; slightly calcareous, carbonates are disseminated; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear smooth boundary. (2 to 8 inches thick.)

C2--10 to 23 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; massive; soft, very friable; few very fine, fine, and medium roots; few very fine interstitial pores; slightly calcareous, carbonates are disseminated; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear smooth boundary. (10 to 18 inches thick.)

C3--23 to 32 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) very gravelly sandy loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; massive; soft, very friable; few very fine and fine roots; few very fine interstitial pores; 50 percent fine pebbles and 5 percent channers; moderately calcareous, carbonates are disseminated; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 10 inches thick.)

C4--32 to 47 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) sandy loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; massive; soft, very friable; few very fine, fine, medium, and coarse roots; few fine interstitial pores; moderately calcareous, carbonates are disseminated; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); abrupt smooth boundary. (10 to 30 inches thick.)
C5--47 to 60 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) sandy loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; massive; soft, very friable; few very fine roots; few very fine interstitial pores; slightly calcareous, carbonates are disseminated; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2).

TYPE LOCATION: Grand County, Utah; no geodetic survey of the area in west Water Creek, on the Book Cliffs; approximately 6,000 feet east of the southeast corner of sec. 16, T. 17 S., R. 22 E.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The particle size control section commonly is sandy loam and fine sandy loam, and includes strata of coarse sand, gravelly sandy loam, very gravelly, extremely gravelly loamy sand or sand. It ranges from 6 to 18 percent clay and averages 5 to 20 percent pebbles and 0 to 5 percent channers and cobbles. Calcium carbonate equivalent ranges from 3 to 15 percent. Mean annual soil temperature ranges from 47 to 51 degrees F.

Flatnose soils are dry in some or all parts of the moisture control section during May and June, and continuously moist in some part during July, August and September.

The A horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 4 or 5 dry, 3 to 5 moist and chroma of 2 to 6. This horizon is noncalcareous or slightly calcareous. Rock fragments range from 0 to 10 percent pebbles and 0 to 5 percent channers and cobbles.

The C horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR. It is noncalcareous to moderately calcareous and mildly alkaline to strongly alkaline.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Munjor, Peralta (T), and Pietown series, in the same family and the Neto and Trembles series in different families. The Neto and Trembles soils have frigid temperature regimes. The Munjor soils are not dry in some part of the moisture control section for 15 consecutive days in May or June and are moist in all parts of the moisture control section for 45 consecutive days following the summer solstice. Peralta (T) soils are moist in the moisture control section during May and June and have mottles at 12 to 18 inches. Pietown soils have an average annual soil temperature of 49 to 56 degrees.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Flatnose soils are on fluvial plains and terraces at elevations of 5,600 to 7,200 feet. Slopes are 1 to 8 percent. The soils formed in alluvium from sandstone. The mean annual temperature is 45 to 47 degrees F, and the average annual precipitation is 12 to 16 inches. The freeze-free period is 100 to 120 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are Bookcliff, Rizno, Shalako and Strych soils. Bookcliff soils have mollic epipidons. Strych soils have calcic horizons. Shalako and Rizno soils have bedrock at depths less than 20 inches.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow runoff; moderately rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for rangeland, wildlife habitat and recreation. Potential vegetation is basin big sagebrush, basin wildrye, needleandthread, and muttongrass.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southeastern Utah. The soils of this series are of small extent. About 6,500 acres have been mapped.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Grand County - Central Part, Utah, 1982. Named after Flatnose George Canyon.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:

Ochric epipedon - the zone from the surface of the soil to 4 inches (A horizon).
Fluvent feature - an irregular decrease in organic matter.
Calcareous feature - the fine earth fraction effervesces from 10 to 20 inches with cold dilute HCL.

The superactive cation exchange activity class was added in 03/2003 to the taxonomic classification by the National Soil Survey Center on request of the Lakewood MLRA office, without review of the soil series property data. The remainder of this document has not been updated.


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.