LOCATION BEAR BASIN UTEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive Alfic Argicryolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Bear Basin gravelly loam, woodland. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted.)
A1--0 to 7 inches; very dark brown (10YR 2/2) gravelly loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) dry; weak fine granular structure; loose, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many fine roots; slightly acid (pH 6.1); gradual wavy boundary. (6 to 8 inches thick)
A2--7 to 13 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) gravelly loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) dry; weak medium blocky structure that parts to weak fine granular; soft, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine, medium and coarse roots; common fine and medium pores; slightly acid (pH 6.1); clear wavy boundary. (6 to 12 inches thick)
E--13 to 21 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) gravelly sandy loam, pinkish gray (7.5YR 7/2) dry; weak medium subangular blocky structure that parts to weak fine granular; slightly hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine and few medium roots; many fine pores; moderately acid (pH 5.8); clear wavy boundary. (6 to 10 inches thick)
B/E--21 to 27 inches; about 25 percent E horizon like except brown (7.5YR 5/4) and 75 percent B2t horizon as follows: brown (7.5YR 4/4) gravelly sandy clay loam, brown (7.5YR 5/4) dry; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine and medium roots; common fine pores; common thin clay films on peds; strongly acid (pH 5.3); gradual wavy boundary. (2 to 8 inches thick)
Bt1--27 to 46 inches; brown (7.5YR 4/4) gravelly sandy clay loam, brown (7.5YR 5/4) dry; few faint reddish brown (5YR 4/4) mottles; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine and medium roots; thin continuous clay films on peds; strongly acid (pH 5.4); gradual wavy boundary. (18 to 24 inches thick)
Bt2--46 to 65 inches; brown (7.5YR 4/4) gravelly sandy loam, brown (7.5YR 5/4) dry; few fine reddish brown (5YR 4/4) mottles; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine and medium roots; thin continuous clay films on peds; very strongly acid (pH 5.0); gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 24 inches thick)
C--65 to 75 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) very cobbly sandy loam, light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) dry; massive; hard, firm, nonsticky and nonplastic; strongly acid (pH 5.3).
TYPE LOCATION: Summit County, Utah; upper end of Norway Flat road; NW1/4 SE1/4 section 19, T.2S., R.8E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Some pedons have a thin organic layer at the surface. The mollic epipedon ranges from 12 to 20 inches thick. Depth to the upper boundary of the Bt horizon ranges from 18 to 24 inches. The E horizon tongues 2 to 8 inches into the Bt horizon. The mean annual soil temperature ranges from 36 degrees to 42 degrees F. at a depth of 20 inches and the mean summer soil temperature ranges from 52 degrees to 58 degrees F.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 2 or 3 moist, 4 or 5 dry, and chroma of 2 or 3. It is gravelly loam or gravelly heavy sandy loam, has 15 to 35 percent gravel and cobbles, and is 12 to 20 inches thick.
The E horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 4 or 5 moist, 6 or 7 dry, and chroma of 2 or 3.
The Bt horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 5YR, value of 3 or 4 moist, 4 through 6 dry, and chroma of 3 or 4. it ranges from gravelly sandy clay loam to gravelly clay loam or gravelly heavy loam. Gravel and cobble content ranges from 15 to 35 percent.
The C horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 4 or 5 moist, 6 or 7 dry, and chroma of 3 through 5. It has 40 to 60 percent gravel and cobbles. In some pedons the C horizon is stony.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the
Anvik,
Buffork,
Monad, and
Slipman series.
Anvik and Monad soils are not strongly acid in the argillic horizon and have an ustic moisture regime.
Buffork soils have a paralithic contact
Slipman soils have a lithic contact.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Bear Basin soils are on lateral moraines or glaciated mountain slopes. Slopes range from 15 to 60 percent but are dominantly 35 to 50 percent. Elevations range from 7,500 to 8,500 feet. These soils formed in material weathered from mixed quartzite, sandstone and glacial drift. The climate is humid. Average annual precipitation ranges from 25 to 35 inches. Mean annual temperature ranges from 35 degrees to 42 degrees F. The frost-free period ranges from 20 to 50 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Cluff and Everman soils. Cluff soils lack mollic epipedons and have clayey-skeletal control sections. Everman soils have more than 35 percent clay in the control section.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well or moderately well drained; medium runoff; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for woodland, watershed, rangeland and wildlife habitat. The vegetation is dominantly aspen, with an understory of snowberry, serviceberry, chokecherry and vetch.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: East-central Utah (Summit County). This series is moderately extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Summit County, Utah, 1975.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon:
Mollic epipedon: from 0 to 13 inches (A1 and A2 horizons)
Albic horizon: from 13 to 21 inches (E horizon)
Argillic horizon: from 21 to 65 inches (B/E, Bt1, and Bt2 horizons)
Particle-size control section: The zone from 21 to 41 inches (upper 20 inches of argillic horizon)