LOCATION MILLCREEK          UT
Established Series
Rev. DLT/MJD/TWH
08/2000

MILLCREEK SERIES


The Millcreek series consists of very deep, moderately well drained soils that formed in alluvium derived from sandstone and quartzite. Millcreek soils are on stream terraces. Slopes range from 0 to 4 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 25 inches and the mean annual temperature is about 38 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy over sandy or sandy-skeletal, mixed, superactive Cumulic Haplocryolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Millcreek loam, on a northwest facing, linear, 1 percent slope along the Bear River at an elevation of 7980 feet. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted.) When described on August 28, 1996, the soil was moist from 30 to 60 inches.

The surface is covered by 10 percent rock fragments, mostly gravel.

A1--0 to 14 inches; very dark brown (7.5YR 2/2) loam; brown (7.5YR 4/2) dry; weak fine granular structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine roots; many fine tubular pores; 10 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.4); clear smooth boundary (5 to 15 inches thick).

A2--14 to 24 inches; dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) loam; brown (7.5YR 5/2) dry; weak fine subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; many very fine roots, many very fine tubular pores; 5 percent gravel and 5 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 6.6) clear wavy boundary.(5 to 15 inches thick)

2C--24 to 60 inches; brown (7.5YR 4/2) very cobbly sand; pinkish gray (7.5YR 6/2) dry; single grain; loose, non sticky and non plastic; common very fine roots; many very fine interstitial pores; 30 percent gravel and 20 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 6.8);clear wavy boundary.

TYPE LOCATION: Summit County, Utah; about 5.5 miles north and 1 mile west of Bear River Ranger Station; located about 2,500 feet north and 1,800 feet west of the southeast corner of sec. 30, T. 3 N., R. 10 E.; Deadman Mountain, Utah-Wyoming USGS quad; lat. 40 degrees 58 minutes 03 seconds N. and long. 110 degrees 51 minutes 11 seconds W., NAD 1927

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture regime: Xeric; dry 45 to 60 consecutive days following the summer solstice.
Mean annual soil temperature: 37 to 45 degrees F.
Mean summer soil temperature: 50 to 58 degrees F.
Surface rock fragments: 0 to 15 percent
Thickness of the mollic epipedon: 16 to 40 inches
Depth to endosaturation: 40 to 60 inches, in March through May of most years.
Depth to sand and gravel: 20 to 30 inches

Particle-size control section: 18 to 27 percent clay in the upper part and less than 15 percent in the lower part

A horizon:
Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR
Value: 2 or 3 moist, 4 or 5 dry
Chroma: 2 or 3 dry or moist
Rock fragments: 0 to 15 percent gravel, 0 to 5 percent cobbles
Reaction: Moderately acid to neutral

2C horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 5YR
Value: 4 or 5 moist, 6 or 7 dry
Chroma: 2 to 4 moist or dry
Texture: GRV-S, GRV-LS, CBV-S, CBV-LS
Rock fragments: 20 to 40 percent gravel, 20 to 35 percent cobble, 0 to 15 percent stones
Reaction: Moderately acid to neutral

COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Millcreek soils.
Parent material: Alluvium derived from sandstone and quartzite.
Landform: stream terraces
Slopes: 0 to 4 percent
Elevation: 7,800 to 9,400 feet
Mean annual air temperature: 35 to 40 degrees F.
Mean annual precipitation: 22 to 35 inches.
Wettest months: March through May.
Driest months: July through September.
Frost-free period: 20 to 60 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Duchesne and Hovarka series.
Duchesne: Well drained soils on mountain slopes
Hovarka: Poorly drained soils on flood plains

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Moderately well drained, slow runoff, moderate over rapid permeability. These soils are rarely flooded for brief periods during the months of March through May.

USE AND VEGETATION: Major use is for rangeland. Native vegetation is mountain big sagebrush, meadow fox tail, brome and cottonwood. In Utah this is in a high mountain loam (mountain big sagebrush) ecological site.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: North Central Utah. LRR E, MLRA 47. This series is of minor extent.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Summit County, Utah. 2000; Summit Area soil survey. The name is from a creek in Summit County.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon: The zone from 0 to 24 inches. (A1 and A2 horizons)
Cumulic feature: an irregular decrease in organic carbon is inferred from the landform position.

Keys to Soil Taxonomy: Eighth edition, 1998

ADDITIONAL DATA:


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.