LOCATION COLLINSTON         UT+ID
Established Series
Rev. AJE/MJD
12/2003

COLLINSTON SERIES


The Collinston series consists of very deep, well drained soils. These soils formed in alluvium and lake sediments on lake terraces. Slopes range from 0 to 60 percent. The average precipitation is about 19 inches and the mean annual temperature is about 17 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-silty, mixed, superactive, mesic Typic Calcixerolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Collinston loam, cultivated. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)

A1--0 to 8 inches; gray (10YR 5/1) loam, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure parting to weak fine granular structure; soft, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine and medium roots; many fine pores; moderately calcareous; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); abrupt smooth boundary. (4 to 10 inches thick)

A2--8 to 15 inches; gray (10YR 5/1) loam, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine roots; many medium and fine pores; moderately calcareous; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6) ; abrupt smooth boundary. (7 to 12 inches thick)

Bk--15 to 25 inches; very pale brown (10YR 8/2) clay loam, light gray (10YR 7/2) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many fine roots; many fine and few medium pores; very strongly calcareous; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); diffuse smooth boundary. (8 to 18 inches thick)

C1--25 to 35 inches; pale yellow (2.5Y 8/2) silt loam, light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) moist; massive; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine pores; strongly calcareous; moderately alkaline (pH 8.1); abrupt irregular boundary. (8 to 12 inches thick)

C2--35 to 60 inches; pale yellow (2.5Y 8/2) silt loam, light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) moist; few medium distinct yellowish red (5YR 5/8) mottles; massive; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine pores; strongly calcareous; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2).

TYPE LOCATION: Cache County, Utah; 1 mile west of Petersboro railroad warehouse; about 1,100 feet south and 900 feet west of the north 1/4 corner of section 19, T.12N., R.1W.; Newton USGS quad; latitude 41 degrees 46 minutes 7 seconds N. and longitude 111 degrees 59 minutes 58 seconds W.; (latitude and longitude calculated on the assumed NW corner of NE 1/4 based on the 1 mile west of the warehouse description).

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The average annual soil temperature ranges from 47 to 53 degrees F., and the average summer temperature from 62 to 68 degrees F. The soils are usually moist, but they are dry for more than 60 consecutive days in all parts of the 4 and 12 inch depth in more than 7 out of 10 years. The moisture regime is xeric bordering on aridic.

The mollic epipedon ranges from 8 to 20 inches in thickness. Depth to the horizon of carbonate accumulation ranges from 9 to 20 inches. The series control section averages silt loam and contains more than 18 percent clay and less than 15 percent fine and coarser sand.

The A horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist, and chroma between 1 and 3. It has weak to moderate, very fine to medium granular or subangular blocky structure. This horizon ranges from mildly to moderately alkaline and is moderately or strongly calcareous. It contains 2.5 to 4 percent organic matter.

The Bk horizon has hue of 10YR, 2.5Y or 5Y, value of 5 through 8 dry, 3 through 7 moist, and chroma of 1 through 3. It has coarse subangular blocky structure or is massive. It is mildly to strongly alkaline and strongly or very strongly calcareous and contains 30 to 60 percent calcium carbonate equivalent in individual subhorizons, with the particle-size control section averaging less than 40 percent.

The C horizon has hue of 10YR, 2.5Y or 5Y, value of 7 or 8 dry, 5 through 7 moist, and chroma of 2 or 3. They are silt loam or silty clay loam.

COMPETING SERIES:
Erda (UT): Erda soils don't include chroma of 1 in the A-horizon and don't allow hue of 2.5Y or 5Y in the range; Erda and Collinston are similar soils; because of different moisture regime assumptions used over time Erda was formerly classified as an Aridic Calcixerolls; consistent application of moisture regime assumptions has resulted in the soils now having the same classification.
Fielding (UT): Fielding soils have a cambic horizon and a watertable at 45 to 60 inches.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Collinston soils are on high lake terraces and terrace escarpments at elevations ranging from 4,500 to 5,200 feet. Slope ranges from 0 to 60 percent. The climate is moist or dry subhumid. The average annual precipitation is about 12 to 17 inches, the mean annual temperature is about 45 to 48 degrees F., and the average summer is 63 to 68 degrees F. The frost free season is 100 to 160 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Blackrock, Avon, Causey, Crookston, Hawkins, Manila, Mendon, and Wheelon soils. Avon soils have an argillic horizon and clay content of more than 35 percent in the control section. Blackrock and Crookston soils have a mollic epipedon more than 20 inches thick. Causey soils are noncalcareous in the upper part and are in the fine-loamy family. Hawkins soils have more than 35 percent clay in the control section. Manila soils have argillic horizons that contain more than 35 percent clay. Mendon soils have an argillic horizon and a mollic epipedon more than 20 inches thick. Wheelon soils lack mollic epipedons.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; medium to rapid runoff; moderately slow permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: Most of the soil is used for dry cropland. The main crops are small grains and alfalfa. The native vegetation is bluebunch wheatgrass, prairie junegrass, slender wheatgrass, basin wildrye, Sandberg bluegrass, balsamroot, aster, buckwheat, geranium and herbsage. In Utah this series is correlated with Upland range sites.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Mostly in the Cache Valley in northern Utah and southern Idaho. The series is moderately extensive. MLRA 13, 28A and 47.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Phoenix, Arizona

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Box Elder County, Northern Utah SCD, 1941.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:

Mollic epipedon - from the surface to a depth of 15 inches (A1 and A2 horizons).

Calcic horizon - from 15 to 25 inches (Bk horizon).

Classification is based on "Keys to Soil Taxonomy, Eighth Edition, 1998".


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.