LOCATION NORDIC UT

Established Series
Rev. LBC/JAC/AJE
09/2025

NORDIC SERIES

The Nordic series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in material weathered from argillite, phyllite and schist. These soils are on mountain slopes. The mean annual precipitation is about 30 inches and the mean annual air temperature is about 54 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive Typic Palecryolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Nordic gravelly loam, rangeland. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted.)

Oi--0 to 1 inches (0 to 3 cm), matted, decaying leaves, twigs, etc.

A1--1 to 7 inches (3 to 18 cm), very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) gravelly loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) dry; weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; many fine and few medium and coarse roots; 20 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.1); clear wavy boundary. (6 to 7 inches thick)

A2--7 to 16 inches (18 to 41 cm), very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) gravelly loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) dry; weak medium and coarse subangular blocky structure that parts to weak fine granular; soft, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine and few medium and coarse roots; 25 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.1); gradual irregular boundary. (9 to 13 inches thick)

E1--16 to 25 inches (41 to 64 cm), dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) gravelly loam, light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) dry; weak medium and coarse subangular blocky structure that parts to weak coarse granular; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and plastic; common fine and few medium roots; many fine and very fine pores; 35 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.1); gradual wavy boundary. (9 to 21 inches thick)

E2--25 to 41 inches (64 to 104 cm), dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/5) gravelly loam, light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) dry; weak medium and fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine and medium roots; many fine and very fine pores; 30 percent gravel and 10 percent cobbles; slightly acid (pH 6.2); gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 17 inches thick)

Bt1--41 to 48 inches (104 to 119 cm), strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) gravelly clay loam, light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) dry weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, slightly sticky and plastic; few fine roots; many very fine and fine pores; 35 percent gravel, 5 percent cobbles; slightly acid (pH 6.2); gradual irregular boundary. (7 to 16 inches thick)

Bt2--48 to 59 inches (119 to 150 cm), strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) very gravelly clay loam, light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) dry; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, slightly sticky and plastic; few fine roots, 40 percent gravel, 20 percent cobbles, 5 percent stones; slightly acid (pH 6.1); clear wavy boundary. (0 to more than 13 inches thick)

C--59 to 71 inches (150 to 180 cm), brown (7.5YR 5/4) very cobbly loam, light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) dry; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine roots; 25 percent gravel, 45 percent cobbles; slightly acid (pH 6.1).

TYPE LOCATION: Weber County, Utah; near Nordic Valley ski lift; 170 feet west and 2,000 feet south of the N 1/4 corner of sec. 32, T 7N, R 1E.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mollic epipedon is 15 to 19 inches thick. Depth to the upper boundary of the Bt horizon ranges from 40 to 45 inches. The combined thickness of the A, E, and Bt horizons is 55 to more than 60 inches. The mean annual soil temperature at a depth of 20 inches ranges from 45 to 47 degrees F. The mean summer soil temperature ranges from 57 to 59 degrees F. The soils are usually moist, but are dry for 30 to 45 consecutive days during the late summer. Rock fragments consist of angular pebbles, cobbles, and stones, and range from 20 to 25 percent in the A horizon, 35 to 55 percent in the E horizon, and 50 to 65 percent in the Bt horizon. The control section (10 to 40 inches) ranges from 35 to 55 percent rock fragments.

The A horizon has value of 3 or 4 dry, 2 or 3 moist, and chroma of 2 or 3 dry or moist. It ranges from 15 to 19 inches thick.

The E horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 6 or 7 dry, 4 or 5 moist, and chroma of 4 through 6 dry or moist. It ranges from gravelly or very gravelly clay loam to gravelly loam, and is 19 to 28 inches thick.

The Bt horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 4 or 5 moist, and chroma of 4 through 6 dry or moist. It is gravelly or very gravelly clay loam with less than 35 percent clay. Structure is weak or moderate, fine to coarse, subangular blocky. Clay films are thin and range from few to many. Reaction is medium acid to slightly acid.

The C horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR. It is very gravelly or very cobbly heavy loam.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Goldmine, Lucky Star, and Mayhill series. Goldmine and Mayhill soils are less than 40 inches to the upper boundary of the argillic horizon. Lucky Star soils have E/B or B/E horizons, and have hue of 5YR or redder in at least part of the argillic horizon.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Nordic soils are at elevations of 5,200 to 7,000 feet. They occur dominantly on north- and east-facing mountain slopes. Slope gradients are 30 to 60 percent. Parent materials are residuum and colluvium weathered from argillite, phyllite, and schist. The climate is humid, and the average annual precipitation ranges from 25 to 35 inches. The mean annual temperature is 43 to 45 degrees F. The mean summer temperature is 53 to 55 degrees F, and the frost-free period ranges from 70 to 100 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Lamondi, Patio, and Yeates Hollow soils. Lamondi soils have mollic epipedons more than 20 inches thick, and lack both E and argillic horizons. Patio soils lack argillic horizons and are 20 to 40 inches deep to bedrock. Yeates Hollow soils have clayey-skeletal argillic horizons, lack E horizons, and have mean summer soil temperature of more than 59 degrees F.

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

USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for watershed, range and wildlife habitat. The present native vegetation is maple and oak with an understory of fern, Oregon grape, larkspur, and blue wildrye.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northern Utah, MLRA 47. This series is not extensive.

SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Morgan Area, Weber County, Utah, 1974.

REMARKS: OSED scanned by NSSQA. Last revised by state on 11/74.
9/2025--Formatting and horizon designations updated, metric horizon depths added to description, depth class updated. Competing series checked and updated. -JBB

ADDITIONAL DATA:
NASIS User Pedon ID: 74UT057014

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.