LOCATION BEZZANT UT+ID

Established Series
Rev.: RLM/RJL/JWB
04/2011

BEZZANT SERIES

The Bezzant series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in slope alluvium, colluvium, and residuum from mixed sedimentary rocks. Bezzant soils are on mountains and hills. Slopes are 3 to 70 percent. Average annual precipitation is about 18 inches (46 cm) and mean annual temperature is about 43 degrees F (6.1 degrees C).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, frigid Typic Calcixerolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Bezzant very cobbly loam, rangeland. (Colors are for air-dry soil unless otherwise noted.)

A1--0 to 2 inches (0 to 5 cm); dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) very cobbly loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly plastic; many fine roots; 50 percent cobbles and stones; violently effervescent; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); abrupt wavy boundary.

A2--2 to 10 inches (5 to 25 cm); dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) very cobbly loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure parting to weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and moderately plastic; many fine and few medium roots; 55 percent cobbles and stones; violently effervescent; neutral (pH 7.3); clear wavy boundary.

A3--10 to 16 inches (25 to 41 cm); dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) extremely cobbly loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure parting to weak fine granular structure; soft, friable, slightly sticky and moderately plastic; common fine and few medium roots; 75 percent stones, cobbles and gravel; violently effervescent; neutral (pH 7.3); clear wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of A horizons is 10 to 20 inches)

Bk1--16 to 25 inches 41 to 64 cm); grayish brown (10YR 5/2) extremely cobbly clay loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and moderately plastic; few fine roots; 70 percent cobbles, stones, and gravel; violently effervescent; neutral (pH 7.3); clear wavy boundary. (6 to 9 inches thick)

Bk2--25 to 60 inches (64 to 152 cm); very pale brown (10YR 8/2) extremely cobbly sandy clay loam, pale brown (10YR 6/3) moist; massive; hard, friable, slightly sticky and moderately plastic; 70 percent cobbles, stones, and gravel; violently effervescent; slightly alkaline (pH 7.5).

TYPE LOCATION: Wasatch County, Utah; about 1.6 km (1 mile) southwest of Center Creek; located about 2,240 feet north and 520 feet east of SW corner of sec. 15, T. 4 S., R. 5 E.; Center Creek USGS quad; lat. 40 degrees 28 minutes 10 seconds N. and long. 111 degrees 22 minutes 27 seconds W., NAD 83

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: Usually moist during late fall to late spring, continuously dry in all parts for at least 45 days during the summer and early fall, but intermittently moist due to convection storms (xeric soil moisture regime).

Mean annual soil temperature:40 to 47 degrees F (4.4 to 8 degrees C)
Mean summer soil temperature: 63 degrees F (17.2 degrees C)
Depth to calcic horizon: 10 to 22 inches (25 to 56 cm)
Thickness of mollic epipedon: 10 to 20 inches (25 to 51 cm)

Particle-size control section (weighted averages):
Clay content: 18 to 35 percent
Rock fragment content: 35 to 75 percent cobbles and stones; includes some gravel and boulders

A horizon:
Value: 4 or 5 dry, and 2 or 3 moist
Reaction: neutral to moderately alkaline

Bk horizon:
Value: 4 through 8 dry, 3 through 7 moist
Chroma: 2 through 4
Texture: Commonly is very gravelly loam, extremely cobbly clay loam or extremely cobbly sandy clay loam but ranges to very cobbly loam, extremely cobbly loam, very cobbly clay loam, very gravelly clay loam, very gravelly sandy clay loam, very cobbly sandy clay loam, extremely stony loam, very stony sandy loam, and very stony loam
Reaction: slightly alkaline to strongly alkaline

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Cedarhill (ID), Dennot (UT), Eaglecone (T)(ID), Georgecanyon (ID), and Pyrenees (T)(ID) series.
Cedarhill: have less than 18 percent clay in the particle-size control section. Dennot: have hue of 2.5YR, 5YR and 7.5YR.
Eaglecone: have a lithic contact between 40 and 60 inches (102 and 152 cm).
Georgecanyon: have silica coatings in the 2Bkq horizons, permeability is moderately slow, and the upper part is influenced by loess and silty alluvium. Pyrenees: have a lithic contact at depths of 20 to 40 inches (51 to 102 cm).

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: slope alluvium, colluvium, and residuum derived from mixed sedimentary rocks.
Landform: gently sloping to steep mountains and hills
Slopes: 3 to 70 percent
Elevation: 5,400 to 8,450 feet (1,646 to 2,576 meters)
Mean annual temperature: 38 to 45 degrees F (3.3 to 7.2 degrees C)
Mean summer temperature: 63 to 64 degrees F (17.2 to 17.8 degrees C)
Precipitation: average is 15 to 22 inches (38 to 56 cm)
Climate: moist subhumid, the moisture falling mostly as snow
Freeze-free period: 70 to 110 days

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Clegg, Deer Creek, Gappmayer, and Watkins Ridge soils. Clegg and Deer Creek soils have argillic horizons with less than 35 percent coarse fragments. Deer Creek soils have clay argillic horizons. Gappmayer soils have very cobbly loam argillic horizons. Watkins Ridge soils have less than 35 percent coarse fragments.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; medium runoff; moderate permeability; moderately high hydraulic conductivity.

USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used as rangeland for spring-fall livestock and wildlife grazing. Potential vegetation is mainly bluebunch wheatgrass, native bluegrass, needleandthread, big sagebrush, and bitterbrush. In Utah this series is correlated with mountain range sites.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: North-central Utah and southeastern Idaho; MLRA 47. The series is of small extent.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Sanpete Area, Utah, 1971.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - the zone from 0 to 16 inches (0 to 41 cm) (A1, A2, and A3 horizons).
Calcic horizon - the zone from 16 to 60 inches (41 to 152 cm) (Bk1 and Bk2 horizons).

Taxonomic Version: Eleventh Edition, 2010.

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.