LOCATION CENTER CREEK UT+WYEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Pachic Argiustolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Center Creek loam--irrigated. (Colors are for air-dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 5 inches; dark gray (10YR 4/1) loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; weak medium platy structure parting to weak fine subangular blocky; hard, friable, slightly sticky and plastic; many fine roots; neutral (pH 6.9); clear smooth boundary. (2 to 6 inches thick)
A--5 to 12 inches; dark gray (10YR 4/1) loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky and plastic; many fine roots; mildly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear wavy boundary. (6 to 9 inches thick)
BA--12 to 20 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure parting to moderate fine subangular blocky; very hard, firm, sticky and plastic; common fine roots; few fine pores; thin continuous organic staining; thin continuous clay films; few fine lime veins, the matrix is noncalcareous; mildly alkaline (pH 7.5); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 9 inches thick)
Bt1--20 to 27 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) clay loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate coarse subangular blocky structure parting to moderate medium angular blocky; very hard, very firm, sticky and very plastic; common fine roots; few fine pores; thin continuous organic stainings; moderately thick continuous clay films; few fine lime veins, the matrix is noncalcareous; mildly alkaline (pH 7.5); clear irregular boundary. (7 to 17 inches thick)
Bt2--27 to 33 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) clay loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; few fine prominent yellowish red (5YR 5/6) mottles; moderate coarse subangular blocky structure parting to moderate medium blocky; hard, firm, slightly sticky and plastic; common fine roots; few fine pores; pockets have thin continuous organic stainings; moderately thick continuous clay films; few fine lime veins, the matrix is noncalcareous; mildly alkaline (pH 7.5); clear wavy boundary. (5 to 16 inches thick)
2C1--33 to 40 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) very gravelly coarse sandy loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; few fine prominent yellowish red (5YR 5/6) mottles; weak medium subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine roots; 50 percent gravel and cobbles; mildly alkaline (pH 7.4); clear wavy boundary. (7 to 15 inches thick)
2C2--40 to 50 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) very gravelly sandy clay loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; few fine prominent yellowish red (5YR 5/6) mottles; massive; soft, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine roots; 50 percent gravel and cobbles; mildly alkaline (pH 7.5); gradual wavy boundary. (6 to 18 inches thick)
2C3--50 to 60 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) extremely gravelly coarse sandy loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; massive; soft, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine roots; 70 percent gravel and cobbles; some pockets of lime, the matrix is noncalcareous; mildly alkaline (pH 7.8).
TYPE LOCATION: Wasatch County, Utah; about 6 miles southeast of Heber in the community of Center Creek; 200 feet south of Center Creek Church; 85 feet south and 124 feet west of the northeast corner of sec. 15, T. 4 S., R. 5 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mollic epipedon is 16 to 30 inches thick. The solum is 30 to 45 inches thick. The particle size control section has from 0 to 15 percent gravel. Coarse fragments increase below the Bt horizon up to 80 percent. The soils are commonly stratified. Mottles occur between 20 and 40 inches. Mottles are few fine to many coarse, prominent or distinct with color hues 7.5YR or 5YR, and chromas 4 to 8. Reaction is neutral or mildly alkaline. The soils are usually moist but they are dry for 90 cumulative days in some subhorizons of the soil moisture control section. They are not continuously dry in all parts of the soil moisture control section for 60 consecutive days in 7 out of 10 years.
The A horizon has value of 3 or 4 dry, and chroma of 1 or 2. It has weak medium platy or fine granular structure in the surface 2 to 6 inches and weak fine granular or weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure below. This horizon is hard, friable, slightly sticky and plastic. It is medium acid to mildly alkaline.
The Bt horizon has value of 4 to 6 dry, 2 to 4 moist, and chroma of 2 to 4. It is clay loam or silty clay loam containing 27 to 35 percent clay and more than 15 percent materials coarser than very fine sand. This horizon has moderate or strong coarse or medium prismatic or moderate blocky structure. It is slightly acid to mildly alkaline and has a noncalcareous matrix but contains lime veining in the lower part in some pedons
The C horizon has hue 10YR and 7.5YR, value of 5 or 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist, and chroma of 2 to 4. It is sandy loam to silty clay loam and contains lime veining in some pedons.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Bowbells, Detra, Flaxton, Hereford, Hesperus, Schauson, and Weed series. Bowbells, Flaxton, Hereford and Weed soils are calcareous within the particle-size control section and have continuous horizons of visible calcium carbonate accumulation. Detra and Hesperus soils are moist more than one half the time the soil temperature is above 41 degrees F. and Detra soils have hue of 7.5YR or 5YR in the Bt horizon. Schauson soils do not have mottles.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Center Creek soils are on gently sloping to sloping stream terraces and dry lake bottoms. Elevations range from 5,500 to 6,800 feet. Slopes range from 0 to 5 percent. The soils formed in alluvium derived from mixed igneous and sedimentary parent rocks. The mean annual temperature is less than 47 degrees F. and the average summer temperature is 61 to 65 degrees F. The average annual precipitation is 16 to 25 inches. Freeze-free period is 60 to 90 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Hendricks, Holmes and Rasband soils. Hendricks soils lack mottles or other characteristics of wetness and have less than 15 percent materials coarser than very fine sand in the argillic horizon. Holmes soils have very gravelly loam Bt horizons and lack mottles or other characteristics of wetness. Rasband soils are fine-loamy over fragmental and lack mottles.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat poorly drained; slow or very slow runoff; moderate to slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for wet meadow pasture, irrigated crops, and dry cropland. Crops are alfalfa and small grain. Native plants are sagebrush, oakbrush, wild rose, serviceberry, native bluegrasses, western wheatgrass, Great Basin wildrye, willows and cottonwood.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Mountain valleys in northern Utah. The series is not extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Wasatch County (Wasatch Area), Utah, 1971.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - the zone from the surface of the soil to a depth of 27 inches. (AP, A, BA, Bt1)
Argillic horizon - the zone from approximately 20 to 33 inches (Bt1, Bt2)