LOCATION KUNZ               UT+NM AZ
Established Series
Rev. RSJ/MJD
12/2008

KUNZ SERIES


The Kunz series consists of very deep, well drained, moderately slowly permeable soils that formed in material weathered from sandstone and shale. Kunz soils are on plateaus and mountainsides and have slopes of 8 to 40 percent. The average annual precipitation is about 19 inches and the mean annual air temperature is about 42 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Typic Haplustalfs

TYPICAL PEDON: Kunz cobbly loam - rangeland. (Colors are for air-dry soil unless otherwise noted.)

Oi--0 to 1 inch; decaying leaves.

A1--1 to 2 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) cobbly loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak very fine granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many fine and very fine roots; few medium, common fine and very fine interstitial pores; 25 percent cobbles; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); abrupt smooth boundary. (1 to 4 inches thick)

A2--2 to 4 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) cobbly loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many fine and very fine roots; few medium and fine, and common very fine tubular pores; 25 percent cobbles; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 3 inches thick)

Bt1--4 to 18 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/4) clay loam, brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to strong and medium fine and very fine subangular blocky; very hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few coarse and medium, common fine and very fine tubular pores; many moderately thick clay films on faces of peds and lining of pores; 5 percent cobbles; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); gradual smooth boundary. (10 to 21 inches thick)

Bt2--18 to 26 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) sandy clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; moderate coarse prismatic structure parting to strong coarse subangular blocky; very hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few coarse, fine and very fine roots; few medium and fine, and common very fine pores; common moderately thick clay films on faces of peds and in pores linings; 5 percent cobbles; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); gradual smooth boundary. (7 to 22 inches thick)

Bt3--26 to 38 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) sandy clay loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate coarse prismatic structure parting to strong coarse subangular blocky; very hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few fine and very fine roots; common fine and very fine tubular pores; many moderately thick clay films on faces of peds and in pores; 5 percent cobbles and 5 percent gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); gradual smooth boundary. (0 to 24 inches thick)

Bt4--38 to 48 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/4) sandy clay loam, strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) moist; moderate coarse subangular blocky structure; very hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few fine and very fine roots; few medium and fine, common very fine tubular pores; few thin clay films on faces of peds and in pores linings; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 10 inches thick)

BC--48 to 61 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) sandy clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few fine roots; few coarse and medium, common fine and very fine tubular pores; neutral (pH 7.2).

TYPE LOCATION: Washington County, Utah; about one mile east of Thorley Point in northeast; about 2,400 feet south and 1900 feet west of the northeast corner section 9, T. 39 S., R. 10 W.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mean annual soil temperature: 40 to 47 degrees F.

Mean summer soil temperature: 57 to 62 degrees F.

Soil moisture regime: Intermittently moist in all parts December through March and intermittently moist in some part July through September. Driest during May and June. Typic ustic soil moisture regime.

Thickness of the solum: 30 to 60 inches or more
After mixing the upper 7 inches of the soil, the dry value is 5 or less and moist value is 3 or less, but is too thin to qualify as a mollic epipedon.

A horizon
Hue: 10YR, 7.5YR, 5YR
Value: 3 through 5 dry, 2 through 4 moist
Chroma: 1 through 4, dry or moist
Texture: cobbly loam, fine sandy loam, sandy loam
Rock fragment content: 0 to 35 percent
Reaction: neutral to moderately alkaline

Bt horizon
Hue: 10YR, 7.5YR, 5YR
Value: 4 through 6 dry, 3 through 5 moist
Chroma: 2 through 6, dry or moist
Clay content: 20 to 35 percent clay and averages more than 45 percent sand
Rock fragment content: 0 to 20 percent in the upper 20 inches and 0 to 35 percent in the lower part
Reaction: neutral to moderately alkaline
Base saturation: 60 to 100 percent

BC and C horizon (when present)
Hue: 10YR, 7.5YR, 5YR
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 2 through 4, dry or moist
Texture: cobbly loam, sandy clay loam, sandy loam, fine sandy loam Reaction: neutral to moderately alkaline

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Alderon (WY), Allens Park (CO), Bayerton (WY), Belltower (MT), Elbeth (CO), Elbuck (NM), Elmark (MT), Haugan (MT), Heflin (CO), Hoyt (MT), Jemco (CO), Jemez (NM), Kwiavu (CO), Littlepine (CO), Losindios (NM), Lumpgulch (MT), Northrim (CO), Plome (CO), Rule (T) (CO), Shoemaker (NM), Sweetweed (MT), and Tunitcha (NM) series. Alderon, Bayerton, Belltower, Elmark and Lumpgulch soils are moderately deep to a paralithic contact. Allens Park, Jemco, Jemez, and Shoemaker soils are moderately deep to a lithic contact. Elbeth soils have an albic horizon and are dry in the winter. Elbuck soils are slightly acid or more acidic and average more than 45 percent sand. Heflun soils have the base of the argillic horizon at less than 30 inches. Sweetweed soils have a glossic horizon. Haugan soils have secondary calcium carbonate. Plome soils have hues of 10R to 5YR. Rule soils are inactive. In addition Alderon, Allens Park, Bayerton, Belltower, Elbeth, Elbuck, Elmark, Haugan, Hoyt, Jemco, Jemez, Littlepine, Losindios, Lumpgulch, Plome, Rule, and Sweetweed soils are moist in the soil moisture contral section during May and June. Kwaivu and Northrim soils are inadequately competed on soil properties and qualities.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Kunz soils are on mountain slopes, hills and footslopes at elevations of 6,000 to 8,600 feet. Slopes range from 3 to 45 percent. These soils formed in residuum, colluvium, and slope alluvium weathered from sandstone, shale, basalt and limestone. The climate is moist subhumid and the average annual precipitation is 16 to 22 inches. The mean annual temperature is 39 to 45 degrees F. and the mean summer temperature is 59 to 63 degrees F. The freeze-free period ranges from 80 to 120 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Detra soils. Detra soils have a mollic epipedon more than 16 inches thick.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; medium runoff; moderate or moderately slow permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. Potential vegetation is Gambel oak, serviceberry, snowberry, Oregon grape, wild rose, lupine, and tall native bluegrass.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southern Utah, northwest New Mexico and northeast Arizona. MLRAs 35, 39. These soils are of moderate extent.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Phoenix, Arizona

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Rio Arriba Area, New Mexico, 1990.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features found in this pedon are:

Ochric epipedon - the zone from 1 to 4 inches (A1 and A2 horizons)

Mollic feature - the darkened surface layer that is too thin to qualify as a mollic epipedon.

Argillic horizon - the zone from 4 to 48 inches (Bt horizons)

ADDITIONAL DATA: lab data of type location is listed as NSSL S-73-UT011-8.

Classified according to Soil Taxonomy, Second Edition, 1999; Keys to Soil Taxonomy, Tenth Edition, 2006

Updated and revised for the correlation of Ft. Defiance Area AZ715 2/08 DWD


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.