LOCATION OAKSPRING UTTentative Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Cumulic Haploxerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Oakspring gravelly silt loam, on a east facing, linear to concave, 14 percent slope in oak at an elevation of 5,828 feet. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.) The surface is covered by 10 percent gravel, 10 percent cobbles, and 5 percent stones of mixed origin and subangular in shape.
A1--0 to 4 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) gravelly silt loam, black (10YR 2/1) moist; moderate fine and very fine granular structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine, few fine and medium roots; many very fine, few fine and medium tubular and interstitial pores; 10 percent gravel, 5 percent cobbles; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); clear smooth boundary.
A2--4 to 18 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) gravelly silt loam, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure structure parting to weak fine and very fine granular; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine, few fine and medium roots; many very fine, few fine tubular pores; 10 percent gravel, 5 percent cobbles; very slightly effervescent, (3 percent calcium carbonate), carbonates are disseminated; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); gradual wavy boundary.
A3--18 to 24 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) cobbly silt loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure parting to moderate fine and very fine subangular blocky; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine, few fine and medium roots; many very fine, few fine tubular pores; few fine masses of organic matter; 10 percent gravel, 10 percent cobbles; slightly effervescent, (6 percent calcium carbonate equivalent), carbonates are disseminated and segregated in less than 1 mm thick coats on undersides of rocks; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear wavy boundary. (total thickness of A horizons - 24 to 38 inches thick)
Bk1--24 to 30 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) cobbly silt loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure parting to moderate fine and very fine subangular blocky; hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine, few fine and medium roots; common very fine, few fine tubular pores; 10 percent gravel, 20 percent cobbles; strongly effervescent, (9 percent calcium carbonate equivalent), carbonates are disseminated and segregated in common fine irregular shaped soft masses and in less than 1 mm thick coats around rocks; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); gradual wavy boundary.
Bk2--30 to 50 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) gravelly silty loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; weak medium and fine subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, slightly sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine, fine, and medium roots; common very fine tubular pores; 15 percent gravel, 5 percent cobbles; strongly effervescent, (9 percent calcium carbonate equivalent), carbonates are disseminated and segregated in common fine irregular shaped soft masses and in less than 1 mm thick coats around rocks; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); gradual wavy boundary. (total thickness of Bk horizons - 10 to 30 inches)
2Bk3--50 to 60 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) very cobbly silt loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak medium and fine subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, slightly sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine and fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; 20 percent gravel, 20 percent cobbles; strongly effervescent, (10 percent calcium carbonate equivalent), carbonates are disseminated and segregated in common fine irregular shaped soft masses and in less than 1 mm thick coats around rocks; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0).
TYPE LOCATION: Utah County, Utah; about 1 mile southwest of Oak Springs; located about 1,900 feet east and 300 feet south of the northwest corner of sec. 5, T. 5 S., R. 2 W.; Tickville Spring USGS quad; lat. 40 degrees 25 minutes 12 seconds N. and long. 112 degrees 05 minutes 18 seconds W., NAD 27
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture regime: Xeric moisture regime; soil moisture control section is dry 45 to 60 consecutive days following the summer solstice.
Soil temperature regime: frigid
Mean annual soil temperature: 43 to 47 degrees F.
Surface rock fragments: 5 to 25 percent subangular fragments, dominantly gravel and cobbles of mixed origin
Particle-size control section: 18 to 35 percent clay; 10 to 35 percent rock fragments, dominantly gravels and cobbles
Depth to secondary calcium carbonate: 15 to 25 inches
Thickness of the mollic epipedon: greater than 20 inches, may include parts of the Bk horizons
A horizon:
Hue: 10YR
Value: 3 or 4 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 1 to 3
Texture: silt loam
Rock fragments: 15 to 35 percent, dominantly gravel and cobbles
Reaction: neutral to mildly alkaline
Bk horizon:
Hue: 10YR
Value: 4 to 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: loam, silt loam, or silty clay loam
Rock fragments: 10 to 35 percent, dominantly gravel and cobbles
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 1 to 10 percent
Reaction: slightly alkaline to moderately alkaline
2Bk horizon:
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: loam, silt loam, silty clay loam
Rock fragments: 35 to 70 percent, dominantly gravel and cobbles
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 1 to 15 percent
Reaction: slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Echocreek T (UT), Koosharem (UT), Roschene (OR), Toehead (UT), and Zola (ID) series.
Echocreek soils are dry for 60 consecutive days following the summer solstice and have 0 to 10 percent rock fragments in the particle size control section.
Koosharem soils are dry for 60 consecutive days following the summer solstice and lack Bk horizons.
Roschene soils are moderately well drained and have redoximorphic concentrations from 30 to 60 inches.
Toehead soils do not have a lithologic discontinuity and have less than 35 percent rock fragments in the lower horizons.
Zola soils have mottles from 36 to 54 inches and have less than 35 percent rock fragments in the lower horizons.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Oakspring soils.
Parent material: alluvium from mixed sedimentary and igneous rocks.
Landform: stream terraces
Slopes: 3 to 15 percent
Elevation: 4,700 to 7,300 feet
Mean annual air temperature: 41 to 45 degrees F.
Mean annual precipitation: 16 to 22 inches.
Wettest months: October to May.
Driest months: June to September.
Frost-free period: 70 to 110 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Tickville, Beefhollow, Cedarpoint, and Vitale series.
Beefhollow and Cedarpoint: do not have deep surface horizons and are located on adjacent mountain slopes.
Tickville and Vitale: are rocky throughout and are located on adjacent mountain slopes.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: well drained, medium runoff, moderate to moderately slow permeability
USE AND VEGETATION: Wildlife habitat and rangeland. Some potential native plants are Gambel oak, bluebunch wheatgrass, mountain snowberry, and serviceberry. These soils have been correlated to Mountain Loam (Oak) - 047AY432UT range sites in Utah.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northern Utah. LRR D, MLRA 28A. This series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Phoenix, Arizona.
SERIES PROPOSED: Utah county, Utah. 1999. The name coined from a nearby geographic location.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon and cumulic feature: The zone from 0 to 24 inches. (A1, A2, and A3 horizons)
Keys to Soil Taxonomy: Eighth Edition 1998.