LOCATION BEFAR UTEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, calcareous, mesic Ustic Torriorthents
TYPICAL PEDON: Befar clay--rangeland. (Colors are for air-dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
A--0 to 2 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) clay, dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) moist; moderate very fine granular structure; hard, firm, sticky and plastic; cracks 1 to 3 centimeters wide extend through the horizon; few fine roots; few fine pores; moderately calcareous; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); abrupt smooth boundary. (2 to 10 inches thick)
C1--2 to 18 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) clay, dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) moist; massive; very hard, very firm, sticky and plastic; cracks 1 to 2 centimeters wide extend through the horizon; few fine, medium and coarse roots; few fine pores; strongly calcareous; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear smooth boundary. (9 to 16 inches thick)
C2--18 to 26 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) clay, dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) moist; massive; very hard, firm, sticky and plastic; cracks 1 to 2 centimeters wide extend through the horizon; few fine and very fine roots; few fine pores; strongly calcareous; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); gradual wavy boundary. (8 to 18 inches thick)
Cky1--26 to 48 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) clay, dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) moist; massive; very hard, firm, sticky and plastic; few very fine roots; few very fine and medium pores; lime and gypsum veins present; strongly calcareous; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear smooth boundary. (6 to 28 inches thick)
Cky2--48 to 60 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) clay, dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) moist; massive; very hard, very firm, sticky and plastic; few fine roots; few fine pores; lime and gypsum veins present; strongly calcareous; moderately alkaline (pH 8.3).
TYPE LOCATION: Garfield County, Utah; 4 miles east of Tropic; southeast 1/4 of sec. 28, T. 36 S., R. 2 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mean annual soil temperature: 47 to 51 degrees F., and the mean summer temperature is 63 to 65 degrees F.
Soil moisture: The soils are dry in parts of the moisture control section for 75 to 90 days during the winter months, and are dry in all parts of the moisture control section 40 to 50 percent of the time when the soil temperature at 20 inches depth is more than 41 degrees F. Ustic aridic moisture regime.
Clay content: averages 35 to 50 percent clay.
A horizon
Hue: 2.5Y or 5Y
Value: 5 or 6 dry and 4 or 5 moist
Calcium carbonate: moderately calcareous or strongly calcareous
Reaction: moderately alkaline or strongly alkaline.
Salinity: Electrical Conductivity of the saturation extract is 4 to 8 mmhos/cm.
C horizons
Hue: 2.5Y or 5Y
Value: 5 or 6 dry and 4 or 5 moist
Texture: clay, silty clay or clay loam
Texture: The average clay content in the particle-size control section is 35 to 50 percent.
Cky horizons
Calcium carbonate: moderately calcareous to very strongly calcareous. Visible calcium carbonates occur in some parts of the C horizon along with a few gypsum veins.
Reaction: moderately alkaline or strongly alkaline.
Salinity: Electrical conductivity of the saturation extract is 8 to 16 mmhos/cm.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Biedsaw (CO), Bone (WY), Gayhart (WY) and Gaynor (CO) series. Biedsaw soils do not have gypsum and due to the variegated nature of the parent material, have Ck horizon hues of 2.5Y through 10R. Bone soils have a consistent salic horizon and crusted surface. Gayhart and Gaynor soils have paralithic contacts between 20 and 40 inches.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Befar soils are on stream terraces. Slopes range from 4 to 8 percent. The soils formed in alluvium from shale. The mean annual temperature is 46 to 49 degrees F., and the average annual precipitation is 10 to 12 inches and is distributed fairly evenly throughout the year with about 55 percent falling between April and September. July, August and September are the wettest months, with April, May and June being the driest. Elevation is 6,000 to 6,600 feet. Freeze-free period is 100 to 120 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Henrieville and Yarts soils. Henrieville and Yarts soils are coarse-loamy, also Yarts soils have hue of 5YR or redder. Both soils are on similar landscape.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; medium runoff; slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Befar soils are used for rangeland and wildlife habitat. Potential vegetation is greasewood, shadscale, squirreltail, and Indian ricegrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Befar soils are of limited extent. They are mapped in the Tropic and Henrieville areas of Garfield County. MLRA 35.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Phoenix, Arizona
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Garfield County (Panguitch Soil Survey Area), Utah, 1985.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - the zone from the surface to a depth of 2 inches (A horizon).
Series name was changed from Beals to Befar.