LOCATION BERMESA UT
Established Series
Rev. VLM/RSJ/MJD/WWJ
04/2015
BERMESA SERIES
The Bermesa series consists of moderately deep over indurated carbonate hardpan, well drained soils that formed in residuum dominantly from basalt that is overlain by wind blown deposits from sandstone and shale. The Bermesa soils are on desert slopes made by lava flows. Slopes ranges from 1 to 10 percent. The mean annual air temperature is about 61 degrees F. and the mean annual precipitation is about 9 inches.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, thermic Argic Petrocalcids
TYPICAL PEDON: Bermesa fine sandy loam, rangeland. (Colors are for dry soils unless otherwise noted.)
A1--0 to 3 inches; reddish brown (5YR 5/4) fine sandy loam, reddish brown (5YR 4/4) moist; weak medium platy structure that parts to weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky, nonplastic; few fine and very fine roots; slightly effervescent, carbonates are disseminated; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); abrupt smooth boundary. (1 to 4 inches thick)
A2--3 to 14 inches; reddish brown (5YR 5/4) fine sandy loam; reddish brown (5YR 4/4) moist; massive; soft, very friable, slightly sticky, nonplastic; few fine and very fine roots; slightly effervescent, carbonates are disseminated; strongly alkaline (pH 8.8); clear irregular boundary. (5 to 21 inches thick)
2Btb--14 to 21 inches; yellowish red (5YR 5/6) extremely gravelly sandy clay loam, yellowish red (5YR 4/6) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, firm, slightly sticky, plastic; few fine and very fine roots; few very fine and fine pores; common thin clay films as bridges between sand grains; 50 percent gravel and 10 percent cobbles; strongly effervescent, carbonates are disseminated; strongly alkaline (pH 8.6); clear irregular boundary. (7 to 11 inches thick)
2Btkb--21 to 26 inches; light reddish brown (5YR 6/4) extremely cobbly sandy clay loam, yellowish red (5YR 5/6) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky, plastic; few fine and very fine roots; few fine and very fine random pores; few thin clay films as bridges between sand grains; 70 percent angular gravel and cobbles; violently effervescent, carbonates are disseminated; strongly alkaline (pH 8.6); abrupt wavy boundary. (4 to 9 inches thick)
2Bkmb--26 to 28 inches; pink (5YR 8/3) indurated carbonate hardpan. (2 to 6 inches thick)
3R--28 inches: basalt bedrock.
TYPE LOCATION: Washington County, Utah; about 3 miles west of Hurricane; 700 feet north and 50 feet east of the southwest corner of sec. 31, T.41S., R.13W; Hurricane Quadrangle; lat. 37 degrees 10 minutes 26 seconds N. and long. 113 degrees 22 minutes 0 seconds W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mean annual soil temperature: 59 degrees to 67 degrees F.
Soil moisture: The soils are dry in all parts of the moisture control section 75 to 85 percent of the time the soil temperature is above 41 degrees F., unless irrigated.
Depth to cemented hardpan: 21 to 40 inches
Depth to argillic horizon: 7 to 21 inches
Reaction: moderately to strongly alkaline
A horizon
Value: 5 or 6 dry
Chroma: 4 through 7
Texture: fine sandy loam to loamy fine sand
Effervesence: noncalcareous to strongly
Consistence: soft to loose, very friable or friable, nonsticky or slightly sticky, and nonplastic or slightly plastic.
2Btb and 2Btkb horizons
Value: 4 through 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 4 through 8
Texture: very gravelly sandy clay loam, very cobbly loam and very gravelly clay loam
Rock fragments: 35 to 60 percent gravel and cobbles
Effervescence: strongly to violently
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Bermesa soils are at elevations of 2,600 to 3,400 feet on desert slopes made by old lava flows. Slopes commonly are 1 to 5 percent but range from 1 to 10 percent. The soils formed in residuum weathered from basalt that is overlain by wind blown deposits from sandstone and shale. The average annual precipitation is 8 to 11 inches. The mean annual temperature is 57 degrees to 65 degrees F., and the average summer temperature is 80 degrees to 84 degrees F. The frost-free period is 190 to 195 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the
Junction and
Tobler soils. These soils all lack argillic horizons, petrocalcic horizons and rock fragments.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow runoff; moderate and moderately rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used as rangeland. Vegetation is blackbrush, galleta, creosotebush, snakeweed, and Indian ricegrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southwestern Utah; MLRA 30. These soils are inextensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: PHOENIX, ARIZONA
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Washington County, Utah, 1972.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features in this pedon include:
Ochric epipedon - from a depth of 0 to 3 inches (A horizon)
Argillic horizon - from a depth of 14 to 26 inches (2Btb and 2Btkb horizons)
Petrocalcic horizon - from a depth of 26 to 28 inches (2Bkmb horizon)
Classified according to Soil Taxonomy Second Edition, 1999
A prior revision changed the layer from 3 to 14 inches from a C to an A horizon. Based on the material having been altered. The soil is not considered buried, and is classified from the surface.
The classification was changed from Petrocalcic Paleargids to Argic Petrocalcids in 12/94.
Responsibility for this series was transferred from Davis to Phoenix 4/2015. The last revision to the series was 6/2005. ET
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.