LOCATION KOVICH UT+ID WYEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Cumulic Endoaquolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Kovich loam--irrigated. (Colors are for air-dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
A1--0 to 1 inch; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; weak coarse granular structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many fine roots; slightly acid (pH 6.5); abrupt wavy boundary. (0 to 2 inches thick)
A2--1 to 11 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure parting to moderate coarse granular; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine roots; common medium pores; slightly acid (pH 6.5); clear smooth boundary. (5 to 10 inches thick)
A3--11 to 24 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; weak very coarse, fine and medium subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, sticky and plastic; common fine roots; common medium and coarse pores; few fine faint masses of iron accumulation; slightly acid (pH 6.4); clear smooth boundary. (5 to 13 inches thick)
A4--24 to 29 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; common fine and medium, prominent, weak very coarse, fine and medium subangular blocky structure; very hard, friable, sticky and plastic; few fine roots; common, medium and fine pores; yellowish red (5YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation; slightly acid (pH 6.5); clear smooth boundary. (4 to 8 inches thick)
2C1--29 to 41 inches; dark brown (10YR 4/3) extremely cobbly sandy clay loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; common fine and medium, massive; hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine roots; 75 percent gravel and cobbles; prominent yellowish red (5YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation; neutral (pH 6.7); clear smooth boundary. (8 to 14 inches thick)
3C2--41 to 60 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) very gravelly sand, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; single grain; loose; few fine roots; 50 percent gravel and cobbles; neutral (pH 7.0).
TYPE LOCATION: Wasatch County, Utah; about 1 mile west and 1 mile north of Heber City; located about 2,620 feet south and 1,870 feet west of northeast corner, sec. 25, T. 3 S., R. 4 E. Heber City, Utah USGS quad; lat. 40 degrees 31 minutes 44 seconds N. and long. 111 degrees 26 minutes 23 seconds W., NAD 1955.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature is less than 47 degrees F., and the mean summer soil temperature is about 63 degrees F.
The mollic epipedon is more than 24 inches thick and organic matter content decreases irregularly as depth increases. The particle size control section averages 18 to 35 percent clay and less than 35 percent coarse fragments. Depth to the lithologic discontinuity is 24 to 38 inches. The soils are saturated with water at some period during the year. Distinct or prominent masses of iron accumulation occur within a depth of 30 inches and are in the lower part of the mollic epipedon. Small areas near seeps and springs have thin peaty surface layers.
The A horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 3 or 4 dry, 2 or 3 moist and chroma of 1 through 3. It is slightly acid or neutral.
The C horizon has hue of 7.5YR to 5Y, value of 4 to 6 dry, 2 to 4 moist and chroma of 0 to 4. It is stratified and ranges from fine sandy loam, very gravelly or extremely cobbly fine sandy loam to sandy clay loam in the upper portion and is very gravelly sand, very gravelly loamy fine sand, or very gravelly loamy sand below a depth of about 40 inches. Reaction is slightly acid to slightly alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: Chamita (NM), Cometcrik (T MT), Eagleton (MT), Lakepark (MN), Lobe (T CO), Marshbrook (SD), Nythar soils do not have a skeletal lithological discontinuity.
Mannixlee (MT) doesn't have a lithological discontinuity above 40 inches.
Welch (NV) doesn't have a lithological discontinuity in the series control section and it formed in alluvium from mixed volcanic rock sources with a component of vitric pyroclastic materials.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Kovich soils occur on flood-plains, stream terraces, low lying alluvial fans and broad valley floors. Slopes are 0 to 4 percent. These soils formed in alluvium derived from sandstone, andesite and quartzite. Elevations range from 4,900 to 8,200 feet. The climate is moist subhumid with 14 to 25 inches average annual precipitation. The mean annual air temperature is 40 to 45 degrees F. The freeze-free period is 60 to 110 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Acord, Crooked Creek, Downata, and Rexburg soils. Acord and Rexburg soils are on fan terraces. Crooked Creek and Downata soils are on level to nearly level flood-plains and low stream terraces. Acord and Rexburg soils lack a cumulic mollic epipedon. Acord soils have an argillic horizon and a clayey-skeletal particle size control section. Rexburg soils have a calcic horizon, lack a skeletal discontinuity, and have a coarse-silty particle size control section. Crooked Creek and Downata soils have fine and fine silty particle size control sections respectively and lack skeletal discontinuities.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Poorly drained; slow runoff; moderate or moderately slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for irrigated crops, wet meadow hay and pasture. Native plants are cottonwood, willows, river birch, white alder, native hawthorne, with an understory of grass, forbs, and shrubs. The understory includes wiregrass, timothy, redtop, native bluegrass, tufted hairgrass, sedges, rushes, yarrow and cinquefoil.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Mountain valleys in northern Utah, south central Idaho, and Wyoming. This series is of moderate extent. MLRA 25 and 47.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Wasatch County, Utah, (Heber Valley Area) 1972.
REMARKS:
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - The zone from the soil surface to 41 inches (A1, A2, A3, A4, and 2C1 horizons).
Cumulic feature - the irregular decrease in organic matter is inferred from the landscape position and the stratifation in the lower part of the mollic epipedon.
Aquic conditions (endosaturation) - in the zone from 11 to 60 inches, inferred from redox features.
Lithologic discontinuity - at 29 and 41 inches (upper boundaries of 2C1 and 3C2 horizons).
Classification: Keys to Soil Taxonomy, Eighth Edition, 1998.