LOCATION MEZZO UTEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Frigid, coated Ustic Quartzipsamments
TYPICAL PEDON: Mezzo loamy sand--on a northeast facing 8 percent slope under basin big sagebrush at 7,000 feet in elevation. (Colors are for air-dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
A1--0 to 1 inch; light brown (7.5YR 6/4) loamy sand, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; weak thin platy structure parting to weak very fine subangular blocky; loose, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine, fine, and medium roots; many very fine, common fine tubular pores; slightly alkaline (pH 7.7); clear smooth boundary.
A2--1 to 9 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/4) loamy sand, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; massive; loose, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; many very fine, common fine roots; many very fine, common fine tubular pores; slightly alkaline (pH 7.7); gradual smooth boundary. (combined thickness of the A horizons range from 9 to 14 inches)
C1--9 to 17 inches; brown (7.5YR 4/4) loamy fine sand, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist; massive; loose, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and fine roots; many very fine, common fine tubular pores; slightly alkaline (pH 7.7); gradual smooth boundary.
C2--17 to 26 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/4) loamy fine sand, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine, few fine roots; many very fine, common fine tubular pores; slightly alkaline (pH 7.7); gradual smooth boundary.
C3--26 to 42 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/4) loamy fine sand, dark yellowish brown 10YR 3/4) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine and fine roots; many very fine, common fine tubular pores; slightly alkaline (pH 7.7); gradual smooth boundary.
C4--42 to 60 inches; light brown (7.5YR 6/4) loamy fine sand, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; single grained; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine and fine roots; many very fine, common fine tubular pores; slightly alkaline (pH 7.7).
TYPE LOCATION: Uintah County, Utah; 10 miles north of Lapoint on the Lake Mountain, Utah USGS Quadrangle; about 600 feet north and 2,200 feet east of the southwest corner of Sec. 16, T.3S., R.19E., SLBM; 40 degrees, 33 minutes, 00 seconds north latitude and 109 degrees, 47 minutes, 49 seconds west longitude.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: The soil moisture control section is affected by precipitation that falls evenly throughout the year with a slight increase in late summer and fall. Soil moisture regime is ustic bordering on aridic
Mean annual soil temperature: 44 to 47 degrees F
Particle-size control section (weighted average): 5 to 10 percent clay.
A horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 4 to 6 dry, and 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 3 or 4
C horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 4 to 6 dry, and 3 to 5 moist
Chroma: 3 to 6
Texture: loamy fine sand and fine sand
Reaction: slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: eolian deposits derived from sandstone
Landform: fan remnants
Slopes: 4 to 15 percent
Elevation: 6,800 to 8,000 feet
Mean annual temperature: 42 to 45 degrees F
Mean annual precipitation: 12 to 16 inches
Frost-free period: 90 to 110 days
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Ironco, Moonshine, Renegade, Strell, and Waterhill soils. Moonshine and Strell soils have a lithic contact within 20 inches of the surface and occur on backslopes. Renegade soils are loamy-skeletal and occur on backslopes. Waterhill soils are fine-loamy and occur on fan remnants.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat excessively drained; low runoff; rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used principally for rangeland and wildlife habitat. Potential vegetation consists of basin big sagebrush, rabbitbrush, Indian ricegrass, needleandthread, and western wheatgrass. This soil has been correlated to Upland Sand (Basin Big Sagebrush) - 034XY312UT range site in Utah.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northeastern Utah. The series is of small extent. LRR E; MLRA 47.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Uintah County, Uintah Area Soil Survey, Utah, 1998. The name is coined.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon: The zone from 0 to 9 inches. (A horizon)
This soil is assumed to have 90 percent or more of quartz and other hard durable minerals based on laboratory data from soils with similar parent materials and landforms in the survey area.
Taxonomic Version: Seventh Edition, 1996.