LOCATION BERYL UTEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, calcareous, mesic Duric Torriorthents
TYPICAL PEDON: Beryl sandy loam; on a 3 percent west facing slope -- rangeland. (Colors are for air-dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
A--0 to 6 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) sandy loam, brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; weak thick platy structure parting to weak thin platy; soft, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few medium and very fine roots; many fine and very fine vesicular pores; 5 percent pebbles; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear wavy boundary. (4 to 10 inches thick)
Bw--6 to 13 inches; light brown (7.5YR 6/4) sandy loam, brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure parting to weak fine subangular blocky; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few medium, common fine and very fine roots; few medium, common fine and very fine pores; 5 percent pebbles; slightly calcareous (2 percent carbonates), carbonates are disseminated; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); gradual smooth boundary. (0 to 16 inches thick)
Bq1--13 to 28 inches; light brown (7.5YR 6/4) sandy loam, brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; massive; hard, firm, brittle when moist, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine and very fine roots; few fine and common very fine pores; 5 percent pebbles; 15 percent durinodes, remainder of horizon has weak, discontinuous, silica cementation; slightly calcareous (2 percent carbonates), carbonates are disseminated and occur as few very fine flecks; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); gradual smooth boundary. (12 to 19 inches thick)
Bq2--28 to 37 inches; reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/6) sandy loam, brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; massive; hard, firm, brittle when moist, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine and very fine roots; few fine and common very fine pores; 10 percent pebbles; 15 percent durinodes, remainder of horizon has weak, discontinuous, silica cementation; slightly calcareous (1 percent carbonates), carbonates are disseminated and occur as thin discontinuous coatings on pebbles; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 9 inches thick)
C--37 to 43 inches; reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/6) sandy loam, brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine and very fine roots; many fine interstitial pores; 5 percent pebbles; moderately calcareous (3 percent carbonates), carbonates are disseminated and occur as thin discontinuous coatings on pebbles; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 15 inches thick)
2C--43 to 60 inches; light brown (7.5YR 6/4) gravelly loamy sand, brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine and very fine roots; common fine and very fine pores; 25 percent pebbles; moderately calcareous (3 percent carbonates), carbonates are disseminated and occur as thin discontinuous coatings on pebbles; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2).
TYPE LOCATION: Iron County, Utah; about 12 miles northeast of Lunds; 2,200 feet south and 2,320 feet east of the northwest corner of sec. 30, T. 31 S., R 12 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature at a depth of 20 inches is 47 to 52 degrees F., and mean summer soil temperature is 67 to 72 degrees F. These soils are dry for 50 to 60 percent of the time the soil temperature at a depth of 20 inches is above 41 degrees F. They are usually dry in some part of the moisture control section for 60 to 75 days out of the 120 days following June 21. The moisture regime is aridic bordering on xeric.
Depth to the horizon containing durinodes, firm consistence with brittleness, or discontinuous silica cementation ranges from 13 to 28 inches. Pebble content averages less than 15 percent in the particle-size control section. The calcium carbonate equivalent is 1 to 5 percent throughout the profile.
The A horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 3 to 5 moist, and chroma of 3 or 4. Texture is sandy loam, loam or silt loam. It is moderately alkaline to very strongly alkaline.
The Bw horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 6 or 7 dry, 4 or 5 moist and chroma of 3 or 4. Texture is fine sandy loam or sandy loam. Rock fragment content is 0 to 5 percent pebbles. It is moderately alkaline to very strongly alkaline and nonsaline to strongly saline.
The Bq horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 6 or 7 dry, 4 or 5 moist and chroma of 4 to 6. Texture is sandy loam or less commonly, loamy sand. Rock fragment content is 0 to 10 percent pebbles. Discontinuous cementation by silica is weak to strong. This horizon is moderately alkaline or strongly alkaline and nonsaline to very strongly saline. Filaments of salt crystals occur in some pedons.
The C and 2C horizons have hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 3 or 4 moist and chroma of 2 to 6. Texture is sandy loam, loamy sand, sand, gravelly sand, gravelly loamy sand or very gravelly coarse sand. Rock fragment content is 5 to 45 percent. It is mildly alkaline or moderately alkaline and nonsaline to moderately saline.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Blimo (NV), Linco (NV), Nyak (NV), and Okan (T NV) series. Blimo soils have continuous weak silica comentation in the control section. Linco soils average 20 to 35 percent rock fragments in the particle-size control section, and depth to the silica cemented horizon is less than 13 inches. Nyak soils are nonsaline, formed in lacustrine sediments, include 2.5Y and 5Y hue and have calcium carbonate equivalent values of greater than 5 percent. Okan soils are nonsaline, contain volcanic ash, and have calcium carbonate equivalent values of greater than 5 percent below the "A" horizon.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Beryl soils are on valley floors and fan remnants at elevations of 5,100 to 5,300 feet. Slopes range from 0 to 5 percent. These soils formed in alluvium derived dominantly from basic and intermediate igneous rocks. The mean annual air temperature is 45 to 50 degrees F. Average annual precipitation is 8 to 10 inches. The freeze-free period is 120 to 140 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Biblespring (T), Manselo and Berent soils. Biblespring soils have a calcic horizon. Manselo have a calcic horizon and average 18 to 35 percent clay in the particle-size control section. Berent soils do not have any evidence of silica cementation and have textures coarses than very fine sand in the particle-size control section.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat excessively drained; slow runoff; moderate or moderately rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used for rangeland. The native vegetation is Wyoming big sagebrush, winterfat, fourwing saltbush, Indian ricegrass and needleandthread. Saline areas support greasewood, bottlebrush squirreltail, shadscale and Indian ricegrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southwestern Utah. These soils are of small extent. MLRA 28A.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Phoenix, Arizona
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Iron County (Beryl-Enterprise Area), Utah, 1942.
REMARKS: Diagnostic features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - the zone from the soil surface to a depth of about 6 inches. (A horizon)
Durorthidic features - the layer from 13 to 37 inches that is brittle and firm when moist or contains 20 percent or more durinodes.