LOCATION DYE                AZ+NM
Established Series
Rev. JEJ/RTM/PDC
07/2006

DYE SERIES


The Dye series consists of shallow, well drained soils on hills of plateaus. These soils formed in alluvium derived from Coconino sandstone and Muav limestone. Slope is 1 to 30 percent. The mean annual precipitation is 16 inches. The mean annual air temperature is 53 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Clayey, mixed, superactive, mesic Lithic Haplustalfs

TYPICAL PEDON: Dye fine sandy loam - woodland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)

A--0 to 2 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/4) fine sandy loam, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/4) moist; weak thin platy structure parting to moderate fine granular; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine roots; many fine interstitial pores; noneffervescent; neutral (pH 6.8); abrupt smooth boundary. (1 to 3 inches thick)

Bt1--2 to 4 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/4) fine sandy loam, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/4) moist; moderate medium granular and weak fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine roots; common fine interstitial and common very fine and fine tubular pores; few faint clay films on ped faces and as bridges; noneffervescent; neutral (pH 7.0); clear smooth boundary. (1 to 2 inches thick)

Bt2--4 to 10 inches; reddish brown (5YR 4/4) sandy clay loam, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/4) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, sticky and plastic; many very fine, fine and medium roots; common very fine and fine tubular and common fine interstitial pores; common faint clay films on ped faces and in pores; noneffervescent; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear wavy boundary. (4 to 6 inches thick)

Bt3--10 to 19 inches; yellowish red (5YR 4/6) clay, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/4) moist; moderate fine and medium angular and subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, sticky and very plastic; common very fine and fine tubular and few fine interstitial pores; common faint clay films on ped faces, in pores and as bridges; 10 percent gravel and cobble; noneffervescent; slightly alkaline (ph 7.4); abrupt irregular boundary. (4 to 9 inches thick)

R--19 inches; sandstone.

TYPE LOCATION: Coconino County, Arizona; 1950 feet north and 750 feet east of the southwest corner of section 23, T. 15 N., R. 12 E.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:

Soil moisture: Moist in some part of the soil moisture control section during December-March and intermittently moist during July-September. Driest during May and June. Aridic ustic soil moisture regime.

Soil Temperature: 52 to 58 degrees F.

Depth to bedrock: 10 to 20 inches

Rock fragments: averages 0 to 35 percent; ranges to 85 percent in the surface

Reaction: neutral or slightly alkaline

Effervescence: noneffervescent throughout

A or E horizons
Hue: 2.5YR through 10YR
Value: 4 through 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 2 through 6, dry or moist

Bt horizon
Hue: 2.5YR, 5YR, 7.5YR
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 3 through 5 moist
Chroma: 3 through 6, dry or moist
Texture: fine sandy loam, loam, sandy clay loam, clay loam, clay (averages more than 35 percent clay)

COMPETING SERIES: This is the Highdye (NM) series. Highdye soils have mean annual soil temperatures of 49 to 52 degrees F.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Dye soils are on hills of plateaus. Elevations are 4500 to 7400 feet. These soils formed in residuum and alluvium from Coconino sandstone and Muav limestone. The mean annual precipitation is 13 to 18 inches. The mean annual air temperature is 50 to 56 degrees F. The frost-free period is 100 to 170 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Jacks, Tortugas, Winona and Lynx soils. Tortugas and Winona soils are loamy-skeletal. Lynx soils are fine-loamy. Jacks soils are deeper than 20 inches to bedrock.

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

USE AND VEGETATION: Used for fuelwood production, livestock grazing, wildlife habitat and recreation. Vegetation consists of Utah juniper, pinyon pine, Algerita, rabbitbrush, blue grama, sideoats grama, Wolftail and some annual grasses and weeds.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northern Arizona. The series is extensive. MLRAs 35 & 39.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Coconino County, Arizona; Long Valley Soil Survey Area; 1971.

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

Ochric epipedon - The zone from 0 to 2 inches (A horizon)

Argillic horizon - The zone from 2 to 19 inches (Bt1, Bt2, Bt3 horizons)

Lithic contact - The boundary at 19 inches (R horizon)


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.