LOCATION PHAGE UTEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, carbonatic, mesic Typic Calcixerepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Phage loam - rangeland (Colors are for dry soils unless otherwise noted.)
A--0 to 6 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak very fine granular structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic common fine, medium and coarse roots; few fine and medium tubular pores; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); abrupt smooth boundary. (2 to 6 inches thick)
Bk1--6 to 13 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; common fine, medium and coarse roots; few fine tubular pores; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); clear smooth boundary. (4 to 8 inches thick)
Bk2--13 to 23 inches; very pale brown (10YR 8/3) gravelly loam, very pale brown (10YR 7/3) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; few fine and coarse roots; few fine tubular pores; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); clear smooth boundary. (8 to 12 inches thick)
Bk3--23 to 45 inches; very pale brown (10YR 8/3) very gravelly sandy loam, pale brown (10YR 6/3) moist; massive; strongly cemented carbonate interlocking fragments; few fine roots; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); clear wavy boundary. (12 to 22 inches thick)
Bk4--45 to 58 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) very gravelly sandy loam, pale brown (10YR 6/3) moist; single grain; loose; few fine roots; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); clear wavy boundary. (12 to 15 inches thick)
Bk5--58 to 63 inches; very pale brown (10YR 8/3) very gravelly sandy loam, pale brown (10YR 6/3) moist; massive; strongly cemented carbonate interlocking fragments; violently effervescent; strongly alkaline (pH 8.5); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 6 inches thick)
C--63 to 72 inches; light gray (10YR 7/2) very gravelly sand, light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) moist; single grain; loose; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4).
TYPE LOCATION: Beaver County, Utah; 8.8 miles west and 1/2 mile north of Manderfield; the SW1/4 of the SW1/4 of sec. 16, T. 28S., R.7W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: The moisture regime is Xeric bordering on Aridic.
Mean annual soil temperature: 47 to 52 degrees F.
Mean summer temperature: 63 to 65 degrees F.
Depth to calcic horizon: 6 to 14 inches.
Particle-size control section (weighted average):
Rock fragments: More than 35 percent gravel and cobbles.
A horizon:
Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR.
Value: 3 or 4 moist.
Chroma: 2 or 4.
Bk horizons:
Hue: 10YR and 7.5YR.
Value: 6 to 8 dry, 4 to 7 moist.
Chroma: 2 to 6.
Texture: Sandy loam or loam.
Rock fragments: Averages 35 to 60 percent gravel. Some pedons have thin subhorizons ranging from 0 to greater than 65 percent rock fragments.
Reaction: Moderately alkaline or strongly alkaline.
C horizon:
Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR.
Value: 6 or 7 dry, 5 or 6 moist.
Chroma: 2 to 6.
Texture: Sandy loam or loam.
Rock fragments: 35 to 60 percent, mainly gravel.
Reaction: Moderately alkaline or strongly alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: This is the Wye (UT) series. Wye soils have bedrock between 40 to 60 inches and 27 to 35 percent clay in the particle-size control section.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Phage soils are on alluvial fans, rolling hills, alluvial plains, and mountain sides at elevations of 5,400 to 7,500 feet. Slopes are dominantly 3 to 30 percent and range from 1 to 70 percent. The soils formed in alluvium from intermediate igneous and sedimentary rocks. The mean annual precipitation ranges from 12 to 14 inches. Mean annual air temperature ranges from 45 to 50 degrees F. The frost-free period is 100 to 140 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Ushar, Black Ridge, Red Butte, and Pass Canyon soils. These soils all have mollic epipedons. Ushar soils have Bw horizons and do not have rock fragments in the control section. Black Ridge soils are fine textured and have a petrocalcic horizon. Red Butte soils have an argillic horizon and have less than 50 percent rock fragments in the control section. Pass Canyon soils have argillic horizons and shallow over bedrock.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow, medium and high runoff; moderately rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for irrigated cropland, winter use for big game, and range for cattle or sheep. Native vegetation is Utah juniper, pinyon, big squirreltail, Indian ricegrass, needle and thread, Sandberg bluegrass, and some weeds. Some areas are used for nonirrigated cropland. Principal irrigated crops grown are alfalfa and small grains.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: These soils occur in southwestern Utah. They are moderately extensive. MLRA 28A.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Phoenix, Arizona
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Beaver County (Beaver-Cove Fort Area), Utah, 1972.
REMARKS: The diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon: The zone from the soil surface to a depth of 6 inches. (A horizon)
Calcic horizon: The zone from 6 to 63 inches. (Bk1, Bk2, Bk3, Bk4, and Bk5 horizons)
Carbonatic feature: The particle-size control section has greater than 40 percent carbonates.
The classification is based on the "Keys to Soil Taxonomy, Tenth Edition, 2006".