LOCATION CALITA UTEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Typic Calcixerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Calita loam, rangeland. (Colors are for air dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A1--0 to 2 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and plastic; few fine and very fine roots; few fine pores; slightly calcareous, lime is disseminated; mildly alkaline (pH 7.4); abrupt smooth boundary. (2 to 3 inches thick)
A2--2 to 7 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, firm, slightly hard, firm, slightly sticky and plastic; few fine and very fine roots; few fine pores; strongly calcareous, lime is disseminated; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear smooth boundary. (5 to 11 inches thick)
Bw--7 to 12 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/3) sandy clay loam, dark brown (7.5YR 4/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, firm, slightly sticky and plastic; few fine and very fine roots; few very fine pores; strongly calcareous, lime is disseminated; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); clear smooth boundary. (3 to 9 inches thick)
Bk1--12 to 23 inches; pink (7.5YR 8/3) sandy clay loam, light brown (7.5YR 6/3) moist; massive; very hard, firm, sticky and plastic; few very fine roots; few very fine pores; strongly calcareous; lime is in large nodules, veins, and disseminated; strongly alkaline (pH 9.0); clear wavy boundary. (10 to 14 inches thick)
Bk2--23 to 30 inches; pink (7.5YR 7/3) loam, light brown (7.5YR 6/3) moist; massive; hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine pores; strongly calcareous; lime is disseminated and in veins; strongly alkaline (pH 9.0); clear wavy boundary. (6 to 12 inches thick)
C1--30 to 45 inches; pink (7.5YR 7/3) loam, brown (7.5YR 5/4) moist; massive; very hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine pores; strongly calcareous; lime is disseminated; strongly alkaline (pH 8.8); gradual wavy boundary. (10 to 20 inches thick)
C2--45 to 60 inches; pink (7.5YR 7/3) clay loam, brown (7.5YR 5/4) moist; massive; very hard, firm, sticky and plastic; few very fine pores; strongly calcareous; strongly alkaline (pH 9.0).
TYPE LOCATION: Sanpete County, Utah; 3 miles south of Ft. Green, 1/4 mile east of the highway; 1,580 feet south, 477 feet east of NW corner of section 19, T.14S., R.3E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature at 20 inches ranges from 47 to 51 degrees F. The moisture control section is Xeric bordering on Aridic with the moisture control section being dry 65 to 75 consecutive days following the summer solstice.
The mollic epipedon is 7 to 16 inches thick. The particle size control section contains 18 to 27 percent clay and 0 to 15 percent rock fragments.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist, and chroma of 2 or 3. It is moderately to strongly alkaline.
The Bw horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 4 through 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist, and chroma of 2 through 4. It is loam or sandy clay loam. This horizon is mildly to strongly alkaline.
The Bk horizon has hue of 10YR, 7.5YR or 5YR, value of 5 through 8 dry, 4 through 7 moist, and chroma of 3 or 4. It is loam, sandy clay loam, or clay loam. This horizon is moderately to strongly alkaline.and contains 20 to 40 percent calcium carbonate equivalent.
The C horizon contains 5 to 20 percent less carbonate than the Bk horizon.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Probert (T UT), Samaria (T ID), and Stoda (UT) series. Probert soils contain 27 to 35 percent clay in the particle control section. Samaria soils contain 15 to 35 rock fragments in the control section. Stoda soils are dry in the moisture control section for 45 to 55 consecutive days following the summer solstice.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Calita soils are on alluvial fans and alluvial flats at elevations of 4,800 to 6,200 feet. Slopes range from 0 to 8 percent. These soils formed in mixed alluvium from limestone, sandstone, and shale. The climate is dry, subhumid with an annual precipitation of 12 to 16 inches. The mean annual temperature is 45 to 52 degrees F. and the mean summer temperature is 60 to 65 degrees F. The frost free season ranges from 110 to 150 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Doyce and Keigley soils and the competing Donardo soils. Doyce soils have an argillic horizon. Keigley soils have a mollic epipedon more than 20 inches thick.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; medium runoff; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used as range for cattle and sheep, and for nonirrigated and irrigated alfalfa and small grains. Native vegetation is dominantly big sagebrush, rabbitbrush, western wheatgrass, cheatgrass, yellowbrush, and Russian thistle.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Central Utah. These soils are inextensive. MLRA 28A and 47.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Richfield area, Utah, 1958.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - the zone from the surface of the soil to 12 inches. (A1 and A2 horizons)
Calcic horizon - the zone of calcium carbonate accumulation from 12 to 30 inches. (Bk1 and Bk2 horizons)
The superactive cation exchange activity class was added in 03/2003 to the taxonomic classification by the National Soil Survey Center on request of the Lakewood MLRA office, without review of the soil series property data. The remainder of this document has not been updated.