LOCATION LABYRINTH UT+COEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy, mixed, mesic Oxyaquic Torrifluvents
TYPICAL PEDON: Labyrinth fine sandy loam, on a north facing, linear to concave, 13 percent slope, in boxelder, basin big sagebrush, willow and squawbush at an elevation of 5,850 feet. (Colors are for air-dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
A--0 to 6 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) fine sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak thin platy structure parting to weak fine and very fine subangular blocky; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine and fine, few medium and coarse roots; many very fine, common fine, few medium tubular pores; slightly effervescent; 3 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; calcium carbonate is disseminated; strongly alkaline (pH 8.8); clear wavy boundary. (4 to 6 inches thick)
C1--6 to 16 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) loamy very fine sand, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak very fine and fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine, common fine, few medium and coarse roots; many very fine, few fine and medium tubular pores; slightly effervescent; 2 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; calcium carbonate is disseminated; strongly alkaline (pH 8.6); gradual wavy boundary. (7 to 18 inches thick)
C2--16 to 35 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) loamy fine sand, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; weak fine and very fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine, few fine, medium, and coarse roots; common very fine, few fine tubular pores; 5 percent gravel; slightly effervescent; 2 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; calcium carbonate is disseminated; strongly alkaline (pH 8.6); gradual wavy boundary. (19 to 34 inches thick)
C3--35 to 60 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) loamy fine sand with thin lenses of gravelly sand, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine, fine, medium, and coarse roots; common very fine, few fine tubular pores; 5 percent gravel, 5 percent soft weathered gravel sized concretions; slightly effervescent; 4 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; calcium carbonate is disseminated and in few fine concretions from parent material; few fine prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) redoximorphic concentrations; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4).
TYPE LOCATION: Uintah County - Utah; 2 miles southwest of Jones Hole Fish Hatchery along Ely Creek; about 800 feet south, 700 feet east of the northwest corner of sec. 13, T.3 S., R.25 E., SLBM; 40 degrees, 33 minutes, 49 seconds north latitude and 109 degrees, 3 minutes, 57 seconds west longitude.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture regime: Aridic regime bordering on ustic
Mean annual soil temperature: 47 to 51 degrees F
Particle size control section (weighted average): 0 to 10 percent clay and 0 to 35 percent rock fragments
Depth to endosaturation: 3 to 5 feet during the months of April to October
Reaction: moderately alkaline or strongly alkaline
Calcium carbonate equivalent; 1 to 5 percent
A horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 4 to 7 dry, and 3 to 5 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3
The combination of colors and thickness do not meet mollic criteria.
C horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 5 to 7 dry, and 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 3 or 4
Textures: typically are loamy fine sand, fine sand, and loamy very fine sand modified by 0 to 35 percent rock fragments. Some pedons have stratified thin lenses of very fine sandy loam or fine sandy loam
COMPETING SERIES: These are Bebeevar, Carwalker, and Escawetter series. Bebeevar and Escawetter soils have mean annual soil temperatures of 54 to 57 degrees F. Carwalker soils have a xeric aridic moisture regime.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Labyrinth soils
Parent material: alluvium derived from sandstone
Landform: canyon floors and flood plains that are subject to rare flooding
Slopes: 2 to 5 percent
Elevation: 5,000 to 5,600 feet
Mean annual air temperature: 44 to 49 degrees F
Mean annual precipitation: 8 to 12 inches
The precipitation is distributed evenly throughout the year with a slight bulge in July through October
Freeze-free period: 110 to 140 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Iogoon (UT) and Chilton (NM) soils. Iogoon soils have a loamy-skeletal particle size control section. Chilton soils are loamy-skeletal, dryer, and are located on stream terraces and alluvial fans.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: moderately well drained; very low runoff; rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used principally for wildlife and recreation. Potential vegetation consists of boxelder, squawbush, basin big sagebrush, and willows. This soil has been correlated to the Semiwet Fresh Streambank (Fremont Cottonwood) - 034XY018UT range site at the type location in Utah.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: LRR D, MLRA 34. Northeastern Utah. The series is not extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Uintah County (Dinosaur National Monument Soil Survey) Utah, 1997.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - the zone from the surface to a depth of 6 inches (A horizon).
Ustic feature - in addition to the annual precipitation there is run off from canyon side slopes and fluctuating water tables to make the moisture control section moist in some part for at least 50 percent of the time the soil temperature is higher than 41 degrees F.
Fluventic feature - an irregular decrease in organic-carbon content from a depth of 10 inches to a depth of 40 inches.