LOCATION MOWER UT

Established Series
Rev. JLS/AJE/SJJ
03/2019

MOWER SERIES

The Mower series consist of moderately deep, well drained, moderately permeable soils over soft sedimentary bedrock at a depth of 20 to 40 inches. These soils formed in slope alluvium, colluvium, and residuum derived from shale, sandstone and limestone. They occur on mountainsides and foothills with slopes of 5 to 50 percent. The average annual precipitation is about 17 inches, and the mean annual temperature is about 44 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, carbonatic, frigid Typic Calcixerolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Clay loam - rangeland
(Colors are for air dry soil unless otherwise noted.)

A1--0 to 2 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) clay loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate fine granular structure; slightly hard, firm, sticky, plastic; few fine roots; few fine pores; about 15 percent shale channers as a surface mantle; strongly effervescent, carbonates disseminated; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear smooth boundary. (2 to 3 inches thick)

A2--2 to 11 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) clay loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure parting to moderate fine granular; hard, firm, sticky, plastic; common fine roots; few fine pores; strongly effervescent, carbonates disseminated; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear smooth boundary. (5 to 9 inches thick)

Bw--11 to 17 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) silty clay loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) moist; weak medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; very hard, firm, sticky, plastic; few fine and very fine roots; few fine pores; strongly effervescent, carbonates disseminated and as a few fine veins; strongly alkaline (pH 8.5); clear smooth boundary. (6 to 10 inches thick)

Bk1--17 to 25 inches; very pale brown (10YR 8/2) channery silty clay loam, pale brown (10YR 6/3) moist; massive; very hard, firm, sticky, plastic; few fine and very fine roots; few very fine pores; 25 percent shale channers; violently effervescent, carbonates disseminated and as soft masses; strongly alkaline (pH 8.6); abrupt smooth boundary. (7 to 10 inches thick)

Bk2--25 to 35 inches; very pale brown (10YR 8/2) very channery silty clay loam, light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) moist; moderate medium platy rock structure; very hard, firm, sticky, plastic; few fine and very fine roots matted on top of horizon; 50 percent shale channers; violently effervescent, carbonates disseminated and as coats on shale fragments; strongly alkaline (pH 8.7); abrupt smooth boundary.

Cr--35 inches; Soft shale bedrock.

TYPE LOCATION: Sanpete County, Utah; near the head of Mellor Canyon, 1/4 mile south of the drift fence on the ridge; 1,200 feet east and 800 feet south of the NW corner of sec. 34, T.17S., R.lE.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mollic epipedon is 7 to 12 inches thick. Depth to secondary carbonates ranges from 12 to 22 inches. Interbedded soft sedimentary bedrock occurs between 20 and 40 inches. Calcium carbonate equivalent in the control section averages more than 40 percent, including the carbonates in coarse fragments less than 20 mm diameter. Coarse fragments in the control section range from 10 to 50 percent by volume, but the weighted average is between 20 and 35 percent. The soil temperature at a depth of 20 inches ranges from 45 to 47 degrees F. The mean summer soil temperature ranges from 60 to 63 degrees F. In more than 7 out of 10 years the soils are dry in the moisture control section for 60 to 80 consecutive days during the summer months; but are moist in all parts of the moisture control section about 55 percent of the time soil temperature at 20 inches is above 41 degrees F.; and are moist for 65 to 75 consecutive days during the 120 days after the winter solstice. The soil moisture regime is typic xeric.

The A horizon has hue of 7.5YR, 10YR, or 2.5Y, value of 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist, and chroma of 2 or 3. Reaction is mildly or moderately alkaline. Texture of the fine earth is silty clay loam, clay loam, loam, or silt loam. Some profiles have gravel, cobbles or stones in the surface.

The Bw horizon has hue of 7.5YR, 10YR, or 2.5Y, value of 6 or 7 dry, 4 or 5 moist and chroma of 2 through 4. Texture of the fine earth is silt loam, loam, silty clay loam, or clay loam, with 18 to 35 percent clay and more than 15 percent coarser than very fine sand, including coarse fragments up to 75 mm. The reaction is moderately to strongly alkaline. Calcium carbonate equivalent ranges from 20 to 40 percent by weight.

The Bk horizon has hue of 7.5YR, 10YR, or 2.5Y, value of 6 through 8 dry, 4 through 6 moist, and chroma of 2 through 4. Texture of the fine earth is silty clay loam, silt loam, loam, or clay loam, with 18 to 35 percent clay and more than 15 percent coarser than very fine sand, including coarse fragments up to 75 mm. Reaction is moderately to strongly alkaline. Calcium carbonate equivalent ranges from 40 to 50 percent.

COMPETING SERIES: The Vanni series is the only competing series. Vanni soils are very deep.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Mower soils have slopes of 5 to 50 percent. They occur on mountainsides, foothills and hillslopes at elevations of 6,500 to 8,000 feet. Mower soils formed in slope alluvium, colluvium, and residuum from shale, sandstone and limestone. The climate is dry sub-humid, with the average annual precipitation typically ranging from 16 to 20 inches; but can be as low as 14 inches in some areas. Mean annual temperature ranges from 41 to 45 degrees F., and the frost-free period is 70 to 110 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Deer Creek, Kitchell, Lizzant, Lundy and Sedwell soils. Deer Creek soils are very deep and have an argillic horizon. Kitchell and Lizzant soils are very deep and are skeletal. Lundy soils are shallow, lithic and skeletal. Sedwell soils have a mollic epipedon thicker than 20 inches.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well-drained; medium runoff; moderate or moderately slow permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for rangeland. Principal vegetation is big sagebrush, scattered juniper, curlleaf mountain mahogany, bluebunch wheatgrass, birchleaf mountain mahogany, Letterman needlegrass, and clumps of oak brush.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Central Utah. The series is moderately extensive.

SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Sanpete Area, Utah 1971.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon: From 0 to 11 inches. (A1, A2 horizons)
Particle-size control section: The zone from 10 to 35 inches. (Lower part of A2, Bw, Bk1, and Bk2 horizons)
Cambic Horizon: From 11 to 17 inches. (Bw horizon)
Calcic Horizon: From 17 to 35 inches. (Bk1, Bk2 horizons)

The original description of Mower written in 1971 did not specify if the B2 (Bw) horizon met the requirements for a cambic horizon or not. Because of the presence of soil structure, a color change, and leaching of carbonates to the calcic horizon below, the Bw horizon was deemed a cambic as of this update in 2019.

Taxonomic Version: Classified according to Keys to Soil Taxonomy, 12th Edition, 2014.

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.