LOCATION BECKSTRAND UTEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Oxyaquic Calcixerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Beckstrand loam--meadowland. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted.)
A1--0 to 8 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) dry; weak fine and medium granular structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; many very fine and fine roots; few very fine vesicular pores; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); abrupt smooth boundary. (4 to 7 inches thick)
A2--8 to 17 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) dry; weak fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine and few medium roots; common very fine tubular pores; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear smooth boundary. (6 to 12 inches thick).
Bk--17 to 34 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) fine sandy loam, pale brown (10YR 6/3) dry; weak fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine and few medium roots; few very fine tubular pores; strongly effervescent; secondary carbonates are disseminated and segregated in veins; moderately alkaline; (pH 8.0); clear smooth boundary. (15 to 23 inches thick).
C--34 to 60 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) loam, pale brown (10YR 6/3) dry; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few medium distinct brown (7.5YR 5/4) moist masses of iron accumulation; strongly effervescent; slightly alkaline; (pH 7.8).
TYPE LOCATION: Millard County, Utah; about 3 miles northwest of the town of Meadow; approximately 1,800 feet south and 700 feet east of the northwest corner section 7, T. 22 S., R. 5 W.; 38 degrees 55 minutes 02 seconds north latitude and 112 degrees 28 minutes 15 seconds west longitude, NAD27.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture - Usually moist in winter and spring, dry in summer and fall; Aridic moisture regime that borders on xeric.
Mean annual soil temperature - 49 to 54 degrees F.
Mean summer soil temperature - 65 to 74 degrees F.
Mollic epipedon thickness - 12 to 17 inches.
Particle-size control section - Clay content: 10 to 18 percent.
Depth to redoximorphic features - 30 inches or more to redox concentrations of iron.
A horizons - Value: 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist.
Chroma: 1 through 3, dry or moist.
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 5 to 10 percent.
Bk horizon - Value: 6 through 8 dry, 4 or 5 moist.
Chroma: 2 or 3, dry or moist.
Texture: Loam or fine sandy loam.
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 10 to 15 percent.
C horizon - Value: 6 or 7 dry, 4 or 5 moist.
Chroma: 2 through 4, dry or moist.
Texture: Loam or fine sandy loam.
Reaction: Slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline.
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 5 to 10 percent.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Honeylake, Ironton, Maplecreek, and Syracuse series.
Ironton, Maplecreek, and Syracuse soils have xeric moisture regime. Honeylake soils have cambic horizons and have sodium adsorption ratios of 13 to 80.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Beckstrand soils are on flood plains. These soils formed in alluvium derived from limestone and sandstone. Slopes are 0 to 2 percent. Elevation ranges from 4,600 to 4,800 feet. The mean annual precipitation is 8 to 12 inches. The mean annual temperature is 47 to 52 degrees F. The frost-free period is 100 to 140 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Benstot, Deseret, Duggins, Heist and Kanosh soils. Benstot soils have more than 18 percent clay in the particle size control section. Deseret and Kanosh soils do not have a mollic epipedon and are influenced with gypsum. Duggins soils do not have a mollic epipedon and contain more than 35 percent clay. Heist soils do not have a mollic epipedon and are well drained.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat poorly drained; low surface runoff; moderate permeability (moderately high or high saturated hydraulic conductivity). Endosaturation is present with an apparent seasonal high water table between 2.5 and 3 feet (moderately deep free water occurrence class) between April and June. Cumulative annual duration class is Common. These soils are susceptible to rare flooding for very brief periods between year-round.
USE AND VEGETATION: Beckstrand soils are used principally for rangeland and nonirrigated pasture. Potential vegetation consists of Kentucky bluegrass, sedges, and wiregrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Westcentral Utah. These soils are not extensive with about 800 acres of the series mapped to date. MLRA 28A.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Phoenix, Arizona.
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Millard County (Eastern Part), Utah, 1995.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - The zone from the soil surface to 17 inches (A1 and A2 horizons).
Calcic horizon - The zone from 17 to 34 inches (Bk horizon).
Endosaturation feature - The condition of ground water with an upper boundary between 30 and 36 inches at certain times during normal years (parts of the Bk and C horizons).
Particle-size control section - The zone from 10 to 40 inches (Bk horizon and parts of the A2 and C horizons).
The cation exchange activity class is an estimate based on NASIS data.