LOCATION MULFORD                 UT

Established Series
Rev. KWC/VLP
06/2013

MULFORD SERIES

The Mulford series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in alluvium derived from sandstone and shale. Mulford soils are on stream terraces. Slopes range from 1 to 5 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 9 inches (229 mm) and the mean annual temperature is about 52 degrees F. (11.1 degrees C)

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Ustifluventic Haplocambids

TYPICAL PEDON: Mulford silty clay loam - farmland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)

Ap--0 to 2.5 inches (0 to 6 cm); yellowish red (5YR 4/6) silty clay loam, reddish brown (5YR 4/3), moist; 29 percent clay; strong fine subangular blocky structure; friable, slightly sticky and moderately plastic; common fine and many very fine roots throughout; common very fine irregular pores; strongly effervescent, moderately alkaline, pH 8.0; clear smooth boundary. (2 to 5 inches (6 to 13 cm) thick)

Bw1--2.5 to 17 inches (6 to 43 cm); yellowish red (5YR 5/6) clay loam, reddish brown (5YR 4/4), moist; 28 percent clay; strong medium subangular blocky structure; friable, slightly sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine, fine, and medium roots throughout; common very fine, fine, and medium irregular pores; 1 percent gravel; strongly effervescent, moderately alkaline, pH 8.4; gradual wavy boundary. (11 to 17 inches (27 to 44 cm) thick)

Bw2--17 to 27 inches (43 to 68 cm); yellowish red (5YR 4/6) clay loam, reddish brown (5YR 4/3), moist; 27 percent clay; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; friable, slightly sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine and medium roots throughout; common very fine irregular pores; slightly effervescent, moderately alkaline, pH 8.2, clear wavy boundary. (2 to 10 inches (4 to 25 cm) thick)

B/C--27 to 38 inches (68 to 96 cm); yellowish red (5YR 4/6) gravelly loam, reddish brown (5YR 4/4), moist; 25 percent clay; massive; friable, slightly sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine, fine and medium roots throughout; common very fine irregular pores; 18 percent gravel and 12 percent cobble; strongly effervescent, moderately alkaline, pH 8.0; gradual smooth boundary. (11 to 17 inches (28 to 42 cm) thick)

C--38 to 62.5 inches (96 to 159 cm); reddish brown (5YR 5/4) gravelly loam, reddish brown (5YR 4/4), moist; 22 percent clay; massive; friable, slightly sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine irregular pores; 22 percent gravel and 3 percent cobble; strongly effervescent, moderately alkaline, pH 8.0.

TYPE LOCATION: Capitol Reef National Park, Wayne County, Utah; Cass Mulford orchard; lat. 38 degrees 16 minutes 51 seconds N. and long. 111 degrees 15 minutes 3 seconds W., NAD 83

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:

Soil moisture: Intermittently moist in some part of the soil moisture control section from December to March and July to September, Driest from May to June; Ustic aridic moisture regime.

Soil temperature: 47 to 53 degrees F(8.4 to 11.8 degrees C), Mesic

Clay content of control section (weighted average): 21 to 32 percent

Ap horizon
Hue: 5YR
Value: 3 or 4, dry or moist
Chroma: 2 to 6 dry, 1 to 4 moist
Texture: loam, sandy clay loam, silt loam, silty clay loam, clay loam
Clay content: 20 to 30 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 0 to 15 percent
Electrical conductivity: 0 to 2 mmhos/cm
Rock fragments: 0 to 15 percent gravel
Reaction: slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline (7.4 to 8.4)

Bw horizon
Hue: 2.5YR, 5YR
Value: 4 or 5, dry or moist
Chroma: 4 or 6 dry, 3 to 6 moist
Texture: loam, sandy clay loam, silt loam, clay loam
Clay content: 20 to 30 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 0 to 15 percent
Gypsum: 0 to 4 percent
Electrical conductivity: 0 to 2 mmhos/cm
Rock fragments: 0 to 20 percent gravel
Reaction: slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline (7.4 to 8.4)

B/C horizon
Hue: 5YR
Value: 4 or 5, dry or moist
Chroma: 4 to 6 dry, 3 to 6 moist
Clay content: 20 to 25 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 0 to 10 percent
Electrical conductivity: 0 to 2 mmhos/cm
Rock fragments: 0 to 30 percent gravel and cobbles
Reaction: slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline (7.4 to 8.4)

C horizon
Hue: 5YR
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 4 to 6, dry or moist
Texture: loamy fine sand, very fine sandy loam, loam, silty clay loam, silty clay
Clay content: 10 to 40 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 0 to 10 percent
Electrical conductivity: 0 to 2 mmhos/cm
Rock fragments: 0 to 30 percent gravel and cobbles
Reaction: slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline (7.4 to 8.4)


Note: Some pedons, below 40 inches (100 cm), exhibit redox features resulting from a fluctuating water table.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Breadsprings (NM), Docpar (WY), Hickerson(UT), and Patterfield(UT) series. Breadsprings and Docpar soils have secondary carbonate accumulations, hues yellower than 5YR and are cooler and more moist. Hickerson soils have hues yellower than 5YR and. Patterfield soils have hues yellower than 5YR and salt and gypsum accumulations in the substratum and Cr horizons. Hickerson and Patterfield soils reflect the soil forming factors of northeastern Utah having a more even ditstribution of moisture throughout the year.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Mulford soils are on stream terraces at elevations of 5425 to 5525 feet (1645 to 1675 m). Slopes range from 1 to 5 percent. Mulford soils formed in alluvium derived from sandstone and shale. The mean annual precipitation is 9 to 13 inches (229 to 330 mm) which occurs as summer thunderstorms and light winter rain and snow. The mean annual air temperature is 46 to 52 degrees F. The average frost-free period is 140 to 160 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Sulphurcreek(UT)(T), Tineoyler (UT)(T), and Radnik (UT) series. The Sulphurcreek soils have an argillic horizon. The Tineoyler soils are coarse-loamy. The Radnik soils are fluvents and are on floodplain steps.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: well drained, low runoff, moderate permeability, rarely or very rarely flooded for very brief periods during the months of July to September.

USE AND VEGETATION: Mulford soils are used for irrigated farmland, livestock grazing, and wildlife habitat. Native vegetation includes Fremont cottonwood, rubber rabbitbrush, fourwing saltbush, and Indian ricegrass.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Capitol Reef National Park, Utah; LRR D, MLRA 35; Mulford soils are of limited extent.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Phoenix, Arizona

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Wayne County, Utah, Capitol Reef National Park soil survey 2012.

REMARKS: Mulford is named for the Cass Mulford orchard in Frutia historic district in Capitol Reef National Park where the type location is located.
The assignment of the cation-exchange activity class is inferred from lab data from similar soils in the surrounding area.

Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:

Particle-size control section - the zone from 10 to 40 inches (25 to 100 cm) (Bw, BC, and C horizons)

Ochric epipedon - the zone from 0 to 2.5 inches (0 to 6 cm) (Ap horizons)

Cambic horizon - the zone from 2.5 to 27 inches (6 to 68 cm) (Bw horizons)

Fluventic feature - irregular decrease in organic carbon with depth

Classifed according to Soil Taxonomy, Second Edition, 1999; Keys to Soil Taxonomy, Eleventh Edition, 2010

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.