LOCATION GREEN CANYON UTEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, carbonatic, mesic Typic
Haploxerolls
TYPIFYING PEDON: Green Canyon gravelly loam - cultivated
(Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
All--O to 9 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) gravelly loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak fine granular structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; common fine roots; many fine pores; strongly calcareous; moderately alkaline (pH 7.9); gradual smooth boundary. (9 to 11 inches thick)
A12--0 to 16 inches; brown (7.5YR 4/2) gravelly loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak fine granular structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; few fine roots; common fine pores; strongly calcareous; moderately alkaline (pH 7.9); clear smooth boundary. (3 to 7 inches thick)
Cl--16 to 23 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) very gravelly fine sandy loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; common fine roots; common fine pores; very strongly calcareous; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear wavy boundary. (7 to 10 inches thick)
IIC2--23 to 42 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) very gravelly loamy sand, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) moist; massive; loose, nonsticky, nonplastic; few fine roots; very strongly calcareous; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2).
Type Location: Cache County, Utah; 350 feet north and 500 feet west of the center of sec. 24, T.12N., R.lE.
Range in Characteristics: The mollic epipedon ranges from 11 to 19 inches thick. Depth to the IIC2 horizon ranges from about 19 to 28 inches. The rock fragments are mainly gravel and cobble size, rounded limestone or dolomite rock fragments, and commonly increase in number with increasing depth. The average texture of the control section is very gravelly fine sandy loam with 35 to 60 percent gravel and cobbles. The mean annual soil temperature ranges from 48 to 52 degrees F., and the mean summer temperature at a depth of about 20 inches ranges from 66 to 70 degrees F. Lime content ranges from 40 to 80 percent. The soils are moist 55 to 65 percent of the time, but are dry for 60 to 75 consecutive days in the 4 to 12 inch section in summer and early autumn.
The Al 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 contains 1 to 3.5 percent organic matter. This horizon has weak fine to medium granular structure. It is strongly to very strongly calcareous and is 11 to 18 inches thick.
The C horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 4 through 6 dry, 3 through 5 moist, and chroma of 2 or 3. It ranges from very gravelly fine sandy loam or gravelly fine sandy loam to very gravelly loamy sand with 35 to 80 percent rock fragments. This horizon is moderately or strongly alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Leatham, Millville, Munk, and Sterling series. Leatham and Millville soils are not gravelly or cobbly in the control section. Leatham soils have mean annual temperature of less than 47 degrees F. Munk and Sterling soils contain less than 40 percent carbonates and have calcic horizons.
SETTING: Green Canyon soils are on smooth, slightly convex, gently to moderately sloping alluvial fans at elevations of 4,500 to 5,100 feet. Gradients are 0 to 7 percent. The soils formed in alluvium from limestone and dolomite. The climate is dry subhumid; mean annual temperature is 46 to 49 degrees F., average summer temperature is 66 to 70 degrees F., and the average annual precipitation is 15 to 18 inches. The frost-free period ranges from 140 to 160 days.
PRINCIPAL ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the competing Millville and Sterling soils and the Steed, Ricks, and Timpanogos soils. Steed, Ricks, and Timpanogos soils contain less than 40 percent carbonates. Steed soils have very gravelly sand control sections. Ricks soils have very gravelly sand in the lower part of the control section. Timpanogos soils have argillic horizons and are not gravelly or cobbly.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow to medium runoff; moderate to moderately rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used primarily for irrigated crops of alfalfa, small grains, and pasture. The native vegetation is bunch wheatgrasses, big sage, cheatgrass, and gumweed.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northern Utah. These soils are inextensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Phoenix, Arizona
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Cache County, Utah, 1972.
REMARKS: Green Canyon soils were formerly classified as Alluvial soils.
OSED scanned by NSSQA. Last reviewed by state on 9/72.