LOCATION KJAR UTEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-silty, carbonatic, mesic Histic Humaquepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Kjar peaty silty loam - native pasture
(Colors are for air dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
Oe--0 to 8 inches; dark gray (10YR 4/1) mucky peat, black (10YR 2/1) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; many fine and very fine roots; strongly calcareous, lime is disseminated; strongly alkaline (pH 8.6); abrupt smooth boundary. (6 to 18 inches thick)
Cl--8 to 14 inches; very pale brown (10YR 8/2) silty clay loam, light gray (10YR 7/2) moist; few fine faint yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) mottles; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, sticky, plastic; few fine and very fine roots; very strongly calcareous, lime is disseminated and in snail shells; strongly alkaline (pH 9.0); abrupt smooth boundary. (5 to 10 inches thick)
C2--14 to 19 inches; light gray (10YR 7/2) light silty clay loam, light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) moist; few fine faint yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) mottles; massive; slightly hard, friable, sticky, plastic; few fine pores; few very fine roots; very strongly calcareous, lime is disseminated and in fresh water snail shells; strongly alkaline (pH 8.8); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 6 inches thick)
C3--19 to 43 inches; very pale brown (10YR 8/2) silt loam, light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) moist; there are 3 layers 1/4 to 1 inch thick of silt loam that are dark gray (10YR 4/1) and very dark gray (10YR 3/1) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, sticky, plastic; few very fine pores; few very fine roots; few fine gypsum crystals; very strongly calcareous, lime is disseminated and in small and medium sized fresh water snail shells; strongly alkaline (pH 9.0); gradual smooth boundary. (20 to 28 inches thick)
C4--43 to 60 inches; very pale brown (10YR 8/2) silt loam, light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) moist; there is a layer 1/2 inch thick of loam that is dark gray (10YR 4/1) and very dark gray (10YR 3/1) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; few very fine pores; few very fine roots; few fine gypsum flakes or crystals; very strongly calcareous, lime is disseminated and in numerous fresh water snail shells; strongly alkaline (pH 9.0).
TYPE LOCATION: Sanpete County, Utah; about 3 1/2 miles N. W. of Manti; 200 feet east of drain; 1,495 feet north and 200 feet east of the S. W. corner of sec. 24, T.17S., R.2E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Depth to seasonal high water table ranges from O to 6 inches. The histic epipedon is 6 to 16 inches thick. The soils have chroma of less than 1 if not mottled or if mottled chroma is 2 or less within 12 inches below the histic epipedon. Organic matter decreases irregularly with depth or remains above .35 percent within 50 inches. Calcium carbonate equivalent averages 40 to 60 percent between 10 and 40 inches. The mean annual soil temperature is 47 to 50 degrees F. at 20 inches. The histic epipedon has value of 3 through 5 dry, and chroma of 1 or less. The soils are moderately to strongly alkaline and moderately or strongly saline.
The C horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 6 through 8 dry, 5 through 7 moist and chroma of 1 or 2. It has few to common faint to distinct, yellowish brown to brown mottles. The control section averages silt loam with 18 to 27 percent clay, and less than 15 percent sand coarser than very fine sand. Darker colored buried horizons high in organic matter content range from few to common and are 1/4 to 9 inches thick.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Aurelius and Martisco series. Aurelius and Martisco soils lack moderate or greater salinity.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Kjar soils are on nearly level to gently sloping alluvial valley bottoms at elevations of 5,200 to 5,600 feet. They formed in alluvium mainly from limestone. The climate is semiarid. Mean annual temperature ranges from 45 to 48 degrees F. Average annual precipitation ranges from 8 to 12 inches. Frost-free period is 110 to 120 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Anco, Dyreng, Ephraim, Poganeab, and Shumway, Peteetneet soils. These soils lack histic epipedons. Anco, Dyreng and Poganeab soils have less than 40 percent carbonates. Shumway soils have more than 35 percent clay in the control section. Ephraim soils lack mottles within 20 inches of the surface.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Very poorly drained; subject to flooding; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for range or pasture. Principal vegetation is wiregrass, saltgrass and annual weeds.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Central Utah. The series is extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Phoenix, Arizona
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Sanpete Area, Utah, 1971.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features in this pedon include:
Histic epipedon - from 0 to 8 inches (Oe horizon).