LOCATION MCMURDIE UT+ID OREstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, mesic Calcic Pachic Argixerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: McMurdie silt loam - cultivated (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
Ap--0 to 7 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) silt loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; weak medium granular and weak coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky, slightly plastic; common fine roots; common fine pores; neutral (pH 7.2); abrupt smooth boundary. (6 to 18 inches thick)
Bt1--7 to 14 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) silty clay loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure that parts to moderate fine angular blocky structure; very hard, firm, slightly sticky, plastic; common fine roots; many fine pores; few faint clay films; neutral (pH 7.1); clear wavy boundary. (4 to 10 inches thick)
Bt2--14 to 33 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/2) silty clay, dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) moist; strong medium prismatic structure that parts to strong medium angular blocky structure; extremely hard, extremely firm, very sticky, very plastic; common fine roots; common fine pores; common distinct clay films; neutral (pH 6.8); clear wavy boundary. (15 to 30 inches thick)
Bt3--33 to 43 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) silty clay loam, brown (7.5YR 5/4) moist; weak medium prismatic structure that parts to moderate medium angular blocky structure; hard, firm, sticky, plastic; common fine roots; common fine and medium pores; few faint clay films; strongly calcareous; disseminated lime; neutral (pH 7.2); clear wavy boundary. (6 to 20 inches thick)
Ck--43 to 50 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; massive; hard, firm, sticky, plastic; few fine roots; common fine and medium pores; strongly calcareous; disseminated lime; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); abrupt smooth boundary. (7 to 15 inches thick)
2C--50 to 58 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) sandy loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; single grained; loose, nonsticky, nonplastic; strongly calcareous; disseminated lime; slightly alkaline (pH 7.5).
TYPE LOCATION: Cache County, Utah; 30 feet east of the NE corner of Paradise cemetery; 700 feet north of the SW corner of the SE1/4 of sec. 27, T.10N., R.1E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature ranges from 48 to 50 degrees F. and the average summer temperature at about 20 inch depth ranges from 64 to 70 degrees F. The soils are not usually dry, but are dry in the 7 to 20 inch section for more than 45 consecutive days.
The mollic epipedon is more than 20 inches thick and organic matter decreases regularly or reaches a level less than 0.5 percent within a depth of 50 inches. The combined thickness of the A and Bt horizons range from 24 to 40 inches. The depth to the horizon of carbonate accumulation ranges from 25 to 40 inches. They are neutral or slightly alkaline.
The A horizon has value of 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist, and chroma of 2 or 3. It is silt loam or silty clay loam and has weak fine to medium granular structure . This horizon ranges from slightly hard to hard dry, and friable to firm moist.
The Bt horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR color values of 4 through 6 dry, 2 and 3 moist, and chroma of 2 and 3 in the 7.5 and 10YR hues. It is silty clay, clay loam or silty clay loam with more than 35 percent clay. This horizon is moderate to strong medium prismatic, and moderate to strong medium subangular blocky structure.
The Ck and C horizons have hue of 7.5YR or 10 YR, value of 5 or 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist and chroma of 2 to 4 in 7.5YR and 10YR hues. They range from silty clay loam to sandy loam. The zone of lime accumulation normally begins in the lower B horizons.
COMPETING SERIES:
Avon (UT) - have a component of volcanic ash in the fine earth fraction.
Gelsinger (OR) - have rock fragments in the profile and the subsoil ranges to moderately alkaline.
Geoconda (WA) - has basalt bedrock at 40 to 60 inches.
Neoconda (WA) - has basalt bedrock at 20 to 40 inches.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: McMurdie soils occur on nearly level to moderately steep lake terraces and escarpments at elevations of 4,800 to 5,150 feet. Slope gradients are dominantly 1 to 10 percent and range from 0 to 20 percent. The soils formed in mixed lacustrine sediments. The climate is dry subhumid, the average annual precipitation ranges from 16 to 20 inches. The mean annual temperature ranges from 45 to 47 degrees F., and the average summer temperature ranges from 62 to 67 degrees F. The frost-free period ranges from 130 to 170 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Hillfield, Parleys, Taylorsville, and Timpanogos soils. Hillfield soils have silt loam control sections and lack both mollic epipedons and argillic horizons. Parleys soils have silty clay loam argillic horizons. Taylorsville soils lack mollic epipedons and argillic horizons and have silty clay loam control sections. Timpanogos soils have loam argillic horizons.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well-drained; medium to rapid runoff; moderately slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used primarily for dry cropland of alfalfa and small grains. Where irrigation water is available, peas, sugar beet seed, and sugar beets are produced. The native vegetation is bluebunch wheatgrass, cheatgrass, western wheatgrass, gumweed, buckwheat, balsamroot, big sagebrush, and associated plants.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northen Utah. These soils are inextensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Phoenix, Arizona.
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Cache County, Utah, 1972.
REMARKS: McMurdie soils were formerly classified as Chestnut soils.