LOCATION JORDAN UTEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, mixed, active, mesic Calcic Aquisalids
TYPICAL PEDON: Jordan silt loam--rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A--0 to 2 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) silt loam, very dark grayish brown (2.5Y 3/2) moist; moderate thick platy structure parting to weak thin platy; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many fine and very fine roots; common fine vesicular pores; strongly effervescent; very slightly saline (EC 2 mmhos/cm); strongly alkaline (pH 8.5); abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 2 inches thick)
E--2 to 5 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) silty clay loam, dark gray (10YR 4/1) moist; weak medium and coarse columnar structure parting to moderate fine angular blocky; hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; many fine and very fine roots; common very fine pores; strongly effervescent; very slightly saline (EC 2 mmhos/cm); strongly alkaline (pH 8.5); abrupt wavy boundary. (2 to 4 inches thick)
Btn--5 to 9 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) silty clay loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; weak medium and coarse columnar structure parting to strong very fine and medium angular blocky; very hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine roots; many very fine pores; few faint clay films on vertical faces of peds and lining root channels; strongly effervescent; 9 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; moderately saline (EC 9 mmhos/cm); very strongly alkaline (pH 9.2); gradual wavy boundary. (3 to 5 inches thick)
Btkn1--9 to 15 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) silty clay, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) moist; strong medium and coarse columnar structure parting to strong fine angular blocky; extremely hard, very firm, very sticky and very plastic; common very fine roots on surfaces of peds, few very fine roots on interiors of peds; common very fine and medium pores; few distinct clay films on faces of peds; violently effervescent; 17 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; strongly saline (EC 20 mmhos/cm); strongly alkaline (pH 8.7); clear wavy boundary. (5 to 7 inches thick)
Btkn2--15 to 18 inches; light gray (10YR 7/2) silty clay, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; moderate medium and coarse columnar structure parting to moderate medium angular blocky; very hard, very firm, very sticky and very plastic; common very fine roots on faces of peds and few very fine roots in peds interiors; few medium, fine and very fine pores; few faint clay films on faces of peds; violently effervescent; 21 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; strongly saline (EC 25 mmhos/cm); strongly alkaline (pH 8.9); clear wavy boundary. (2 to 4 inches thick)
Czg1--18 to 43 inches; light gray (2.5Y 7/2) silty clay, grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) moist; massive; very hard, firm, moderately sticky and very plastic; few fine and very fine roots; common very fine pores; common fine prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation; violently effervescent; strongly saline (EC 33 mmhos/cm); strongly alkaline (pH 8.6); abrupt wavy boundary. (20 to 30 inches thick)
2Czg2--43 to 53 inches; pale yellow (2.5Y 8/2) silt loam, light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine and very fine roots; few medium, very fine and micro pores; violently effervescent; strongly saline (EC 40 mmhos/cm); strongly alkaline (pH 8.7); abrupt wavy boundary. (8 to 12 inches thick)
2Czg3--53 to 60 inches; pale yellow (5Y 8/2) silty clay loam, olive gray (5Y 5/2) moist; massive; hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few medium, very fine and micro pores; violently effervescent; strongly saline (EC 40 mmhos/cm); strongly alkaline (pH 9.0).
TYPE LOCATION: Salt Lake County, Utah; about 7 miles west and 4 miles north of Salt Lake City near the south end of Lake Front Duck Club; near the center of section 3, T. 1 N., R. 2 W.; USGS Saltair 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle; 40 degrees 51 minutes 0.4 seconds north latitude and 112 degrees 3 minutes 12 seconds west longitude, NAD83; UTM zone 12N 411220E, 4522653N, NAD83.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture - Typically moist in winter and spring, dry in summer and fall; the soils are dry in all parts of the moisture control section for more than 60 consecutive days following the summer solstice; Xeric moisture regime that borders on aridic.
Ochric epipedon thickness - 2 to 7 inches.
Depth to salic horizon - Within 30 inches of soil surface.
Particle-size control section - Clay content: Averages 35 to 45 percent.
Exchangeable sodium - Exceeds 35 percent in B and C horizons.
Redoximorphic features - Occur at upper depths of 20 and 40 inches.
A horizon - Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y.
Value: 3 or 4 moist, 5 or 6 dry.
Chroma: 2 or 3, dry or moist.
Texture: Silt loam or loam.
Salinity (EC): 2 to 4 mmhos/cm.
Effervescence: Slightly effervescent or strongly effervescent.
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 3 to 15 percent.
E horizon - Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y.
Value: 3 or 4 moist, 6 or 7 dry.
Chroma: 1 or 2, dry or moist.
Texture: Silty clay loam, silt loam, or very fine sandy loam.
Reaction: Strongly alkaline or very strongly alkaline.
Salinity (EC): 2 to 4 mmhos/cm.
Effervescence: Slightly effervescent or strongly effervescent.
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 3 to 15 percent.
Btn horizon - Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y.
Value: 4 or 5 moist, 5 through 7 dry.
Chroma: 2 or 3, dry or moist.
Texture: Silty clay loam, silty clay, or clay.
Clay content: 30 to 55 percent.
Reaction: Strongly alkaline or very strongly alkaline.
Salinity (EC): 8 to 16 mmhos/cm.
Effervescence: Slightly effervescent or strongly effervescent.
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 3 to 15 percent.
Btkn horizons - Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y.
Value: 4 or 5 moist, 5 through 7 dry.
Chroma: 3 or 4, dry or moist.
Texture: Silty clay loam or silty clay.
Clay content: 35 to 55 percent.
Structure: Moderate or strong columnar or prismatic structure.
Clay films: Faint or distinct continuous clay films on faces of peds.
Reaction: Strongly alkaline or very strongly alkaline.
Salinity (EC): 16 to 32 mmhos/cm.
Effervescence: Strongly effervescent or violently effervescent.
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 15 to 30 percent.
Czg and 2Czg horizons - Hue: 2.5Y or 5Y.
Value: 5 or 6 moist, 7 or 8 dry.
Chroma: 2 or 3, dry or moist.
Texture: Silt loam, silty clay loam, or silty clay.
Reaction: Strongly alkaline or very strongly alkaline.
Salinity (EC): 32 to 64 mmhos/cm.
Effervescence: Strongly effervescent or violently effervescent.
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 25 to 40 percent.
Other features: The C horizons are stratified lake deposits.
COMPETING SERIES: There are currently no other series in this family.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Jordan soils are on low lake terraces. They formed in lacustrine deposits derived from mixed rocks. Slopes are 0 to 1 percent. Elevations range from 4,200 to 4,580 feet. The climate is dry subhumid with cool, moist winters and warm, dry summers. The mean annual precipitation is 14 to 16 inches. The mean annual temperature is 49 to 52 degrees F. and the average summer temperature is about 70 degrees F. The frost-free period is 140 to 160 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Saltair, Lasil, Terminal, Pintailake and Eimarsh soils. Saltair, Pintailake, and Eimarsh soils do not have natric horizons. Lasil and Pintailake soils do not have salic horizons. Terminal soils are shallow to duripans. Pintailake soils are very poorly drained and Eimarsh soils are poorly drained.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat poorly drained; medium surface runoff; slow or very slow permeability (moderately low or low saturated hydraulic conductivity). Endosaturation is present with an apparent seasonal high water table between 2.5 and 4 feet (moderately deep or deep free water occurrence classes) between March and June. Cumulative annual duration class is Common.
USE AND VEGETATION: Jordan soils are used for rangeland. The native vegetation is black greasewood, inland saltgrass, pickleweed, and salt-tolerant forbs. Fifty to 70 percent of the soil surface is barren.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northwestern Utah. These soils are not extensive with about 9,000 acres of the series mapped to date. MLRA 28A.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Phoenix, Arizona.
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Utah County, Utah, 1972.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - The zone from the soil surface to 5 inches (A and E horizons).
Albic horizon - The zone from 2 to 5 inches (E horizon).
Natric horizon - The zone from 5 to 18 inches (Btn, Btkn1, and Btkn2 horizons).
Calcic horizon - The zone from 9 to 18 inches (Btkn1 and Btkn2 horizons).
Salic horizon - The zone from 18 to 60 inches (Czg1, 2Czg2, and 2Czg3 horizons).
Endosaturation feature - The condition of ground water with an upper boundary between 30 and 48 inches at certain times during normal years (parts of the Czg1, 2Czg2, and 2Czg3 horizons).
Particle-size control section - The zone from 5 to 18 inches (Btn, Btkn1, and Btkn2 horizons).
This revision of November 2005 moves the type location from Utah County to Salt Lake County, Utah to a pedon that better represents the series concept.
ADDITIONAL DATA: The typical pedon at the series type location has partial characterization data by the Soils Laboratory from Utah State University (USU) Logan, UT and is published on pages 122-123, Table 7 of the Soil Survey of Salt Lake Area, Utah. The pH values in the typical pedon are from the original field description.