LOCATION MCBETH             UT+ID
Established Series
Rev. JLS/MJD
12/98

MCBETH SERIES


The McBeth series consists of very deep, poorly drained soils that formed in stratified alluvium derived from limestone, sandstone and quartzite. McBeth soils are on flood plains and alluvial fans and have slopes of 0 to 1 percent. The average annual precipitation is about 14 inches, and the mean annual air temperature is about 48 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-silty, mixed, superactive, calcareous, mesic Fluvaquentic Endoaquolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Silt loam, cultivated. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)

Ap--0 to 8 inches; gray (10YR 5/1) silt loam, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) moist; moderate medium granular structures; hard, friable, slightly sticky and plastic; few fine and few medium roots; few fine and few medium pores; strongly calcareous, disseminated lime; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear smooth boundary. (7 to 9 inches thick)

A--8 to 12 inches; gray (10YR 5/1) silt loam, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) moist; moderate fine blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky and plastic; few fine and few medium roots; few fine and medium pores; strongly calcareous, disseminated lime; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear smooth boundary. (3 to 5 inches thick)

Bg-12 to 18 inches; gray (10YR 5/1) silt loam, dark gray (10YR 4/1) moist; common medium distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) redoximorphic concentrations; weak medium subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky and plastic; few fine roots; few fine and medium pores; strongly calcareous, disseminated lime; moderately alkaline (pH 7.9); abrupt smooth boundary. (5 to 7 inches thick)

C1g--18 to 24 inches; gray (2.5Y 5/1) very fine sandy loam, dark gray (2.5Y 4/1) moist; many medium distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/3) redoximorphic concentrations; massive; hard, very friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; few fine roots; few fine interstitial pores; strongly calcareous, disseminated lime; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); gradual wavy boundary. (4 to 8 inches thick)

C2g--24 to 53 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) silt loam, dark gray (10YR 4/1) moist; common medium distinct strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) redoximorphic concentrations; massive; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and plastic; few fine roots; common medium and few fine pores; strongly calcareous, disseminated lime; moderately alkaline (pH 7.9); clear smooth boundary. (20 to 30 inches thick)

C3g--53 to 68 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) silt loam, dark gray (10YR 4/1) moist, few fine faint dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) redoximorphic concentrations; massive; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and plastic; strongly calcareous, disseminated lime; moderately alkaline (pH 7.8).

TYPE LOCATION: Utah County, Utah; about 1 mile SE of American Fork on the east side of the north-south road; 800 feet south and 50 feet west of NE corner of sec. 25, T.5S., R.lE.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature is more than 47 degrees F. They are affected by a water table at depths of 12 to 24 inches, unless drained.

The mollic epipedon is less than 24 inches thick. Organic matter decreases irregularly as depth increases and is more than 0.5 percent in all horizons above a depth of 50 inches.

The 10 to 40 inch control section is characterized by strata with textures ranging from silty clay loam to fine sand. Clay content averages less than 18 percent and there is less than 15 percent sand coarser than very fine sand. Texture below depth of 40 inches ranges from silty clay loam to sandy loam. These soils are strongly calcareous but lack a calcic horizon. The soils are moderately or strongly alkaline. Salinity ranges from none to strong.

The A horizon has hue of 2.5Y or 10YR, value of 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist, and chroma of 0.5 to 1 if without mottles, 1 or 2 if mottled.

The Bg and Cg horizons have hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 5 through 7 dry, 2 through 4 moist, and chroma of 1.5 or less if not mottled, 2 or less if mottled.

COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: McBeth soils are on alluvial fans and flood plains at elevations of 4,490 to 4,580 feet. Slopes are 0 to 1 percent. These soils formed in stratified alluvium derived from limestone sandstone and quartzite. The climate is semiarid or dry subhumid, having a mean annual temperature of 46 to 51 degrees F., a mean summer temperature of 66 to 70 degrees F., and an average annual precipitation of 12 to 16 inches. The frost-free period is 120 to 170 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Chepnion, Logan, and Provo Bay soils. All of these soils have calcic horizons. Chepenion and Logan soils are fine-silty. Provo Bay soils have more than 40 percent carbonates.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Poorly drained; very slow runoff; rapid or moderate Permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: Used mainly for meadow pasture in irrigated crops of sugar beets small grains, corn, alfalfa, and vegetables. Native plants are wiregrass, sedges, saltgrass, cattails, and tules.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Central Utah. These soils are inextensive. 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:

Mollic epipedon - the zone from the surface to 12 inches (Ap and A horizons).

Particle-size control section - the zone from 10 to 40 inches.

ADDITIONAL DATA: Samples U594893-U594899, Utah State Univ. laboratory, 1963.

The classification is based on the "Keys to Soil Taxonomy, Eighth Edition, 1998". This soil was last reviewed in the field in the early 1970's. The depth and duration of the seasonal high water table needs to be verified in the field.


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.