LOCATION BANDBOX            UT
Established Series
Rev. RHF/SSP
02/1999

BANDBOX SERIES


The Bandbox series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in loamy alluvium over loamy-skeletal alluvium derived from sedimentary and quartzite parent rocks. Bandbox soils are on stream terraces and fan remnants. Slopes range from 0 to 2 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 7 inches and the mean annual temperature is about 46 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, mesic Typic Natrargids

TYPICAL PEDON: Bandbox sandy loam, on an east facing, linear, 0.5 percent slope in rangeland at an elevation of 4,750 feet. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)

A1--0 to 4 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate thin platy structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many fine and medium roots; many fine vesicular pores; 5 percent gravel; EC is 3 mmhos/cm; slightly effervescent (4 percent calcium carbonate equivalent), carbonates are disseminated; strongly alkaline (pH 8.8); clear smooth boundary.

A2--4 to 12 inches; light brown (7.5YR 6/4) sandy loam, brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; many fine, few medium roots; common fine tubular pores; 10 percent gravel; EC is 7 mmhos/cm; slightly effervescent (3 percent calcium carbonate equivalent), carbonates are disseminated; strongly alkaline (pH 8.7); clear wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of A horizon is 8 to 12 inches)

2Btkn--12 to 18 inches; reddish brown (5YR 5/4) extremely cobbly clay loam, reddish brown (5YR 4/4) moist; weak medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium and fine subangular blocky; hard, firm, sticky and plastic; many fine, few medium roots; common fine interstitial pores; few distinct clay films on faces of peds; 30 percent gravel, 30 percent cobbles; EC is 16 mmhos/cm; slightly effervescent (7 percent calcium carbonate equivalent), carbonates are segregated as less than 1 mm thick coatings on bottom of rock fragments; strongly alkaline (pH 8.9); clear wavy boundary. (6 to 19 inches thick)

2Cn1--18 to 38 inches; reddish brown (5YR 5/4) extremely cobbly sandy loam, reddish brown (5YR 4/4) moist; single grain; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; many fine, few medium roots; common fine interstitial pores; 40 percent gravel, 40 percent cobbles; EC is 16 mmhos/cm); slightly effervescent, (6 percent calcium carbonate equivalent), carbonates are disseminated; very strongly alkaline (pH 9.2); gradual smooth boundary. (8 to 14 inches thick)

2Cn2--38 to 64 inches; light reddish brown (5YR 6/5) extremely cobbly sandy loam, reddish brown (5YR 4/4) moist; single grain; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine roots; common fine interstitial pores; 40 percent gravel, 40 percent cobble; EC is 10 mmhos/cm; slightly effervescent (7 percent calcium carbonate equivalent), carbonates are disseminated; very strongly alkaline (pH 9.2).

TYPE LOCATION: Uintah County, Utah; in Randlett; located about 2,300 feet west and 2,300 feet north of the southeast corner of sec. 7, T.3S., R.2E., USBM; Randlett, Utah USGS quad; lat. 40 degrees 14 minutes 08 seconds N. and long. 109 degrees 48 minutes 35 seconds W., NAD 27

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:

Soil moisture: The soil moisture control section is affected by precipitation that falls evenly throughout the year, with a slight increase in the late summer and fall. The moisture regime is typic aridic.
Depth to natric: 8 to 12 inches
Depth to lithologic discontinuity: 8 to 12 inches
Thickness of the natric horizon: 6 to 19 inches

Particle-size control section (weighted average) : 27 to 35 percent clay, 35 to 80 percent rock fragments of sedimentary and quartzitic origin.

A horizon:
Value: 4 to 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Rock fragments: Total range is 5 to 10 percent gravel
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 1 to 10 percent
EC (mmhos/cm): 2 to 8
SAR: 5 to 13
Gypsum: 0 to 3 percent

2Btkn horizon:
Hue: 5YR or 7.5YR
Value: 5 to 7 dry, 4 to 6 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4 dry or moist
Texture: GRV-CL, GRX-L, or CBX-CL ranging to GR-CL in the lower part of the Btkn horizon in some pedons
Rock fragments: Total range is 35 to 80 with individual 2Btkn horizons ranging lower (20 to 80 percent gravel, 0 to 40 percent cobbles)
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 1 to 15 percent
EC (mmhos/cm): 4 to 16
SAR: 13 to 30
Gypsum: 0 to 3 percent
Reaction: strongly alkaline or very strongly alkaline

2Cn horizon:
Hue: 5YR or 7.5YR
Value: 4 to 6 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4 dry or moist
Texture: GRX-SL, CBX-SL
Rock fragments: Total range is 60 to 80 percent (20 to 60 percent gravel, 0 to 45 percent cobbles, 0 to 10 percent stones)
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 1 to 10 percent
EC (mmhos/cm): 4 to 16
SAR: 13 to 30
Gypsum: 0 to 3 percent
Reaction: strongly alkaline or very strongly alkaline

COMPETING SERIES: This is the Lox (NV) series.

Lox soils have soil temperatures greater than 49 degrees F. They formed in granitic rocks and andesite with additions of wind borne saline-sodic material.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: loamy alluvium over loamy-skeletal alluvium derived from sedimentary and quartzite rocks
Landform: stream terraces and fan remnants
Slopes: 0 to 2 percent
Elevation: 4,700 to 4,800 feet
Mean annual air temperature: 45 to 47 degrees F.
Mean annual precipitation: 5 to 8 inches
Frost-free period: 110 to 125 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Lambsen and the Wyasket series.

Lambsen soils are on stream terraces, are somewhat poorly drained, and do not have natric horizons.

Wyasket soils are on flood plains, are very poorly drained, and do not have a natric horizon.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: well drained, low runoff, slow permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for homesites, irrigated pasture, rangeland and wildlife habitat. The native plant community is Castle Valley saltbush, shadscale, bud sagebrush, green molly kochia, Indian ricegrass and galleta. This soil has been correlated to a Desert Alkali Bench (Castle Valley Saltbush) - 034XY101UT range site in Utah.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northeastern Utah. LRR D, MLRA 34. This series is of small extent.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Uintah County, Uintah Area Soil Survey, Utah. 1998. The name comes from a geographical location within the survey area.

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

Particle-size control section: The zone from 12 to 18 inches. (2Btkn horizon)
Ochric epipedon: The zone from 0 to 12 inches. (A1 and A2 horizons)
Natric horizon: The zone from 12 to 18 inches. (2Btkn horizon)
Lithologic discontinuity: The presence of loamy-skeletal materials at 12 inches. (2Btkn and 2Cn horizons)

The site of the modal pedon was formerly irrigated, but is now used as rangeland.

ADDITIONAL DATA: Electrical conductivity (mmhos/cm) and calcium carbonate equivalent were determined in a field laboratory.

Taxonomic version: Eighth Edition, 1998.


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.