LOCATION PENNELL            UT+AZ NM CO
Established Series
Rev. JMD/RLM/MJD/WWJ
01/2010

PENNELL SERIES


The Pennell series consists of shallow, well drained, moderately permeable soils formed in colluvium, residuum and eolian material from sedimentary rocks. These soils are on mesas and benches. Slopes are 1 to 50 percent. Mean annual temperature is about 50 degrees F. and average annual precipitation is about 6 inches.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Lithic Haplocalcids

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

A--0 to 3 inches; yellowish red (5YR 5/6) fine sandy loam, yellowish red (5YR 4/6) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine and very fine roots; few fine pores; slightly calcareous; carbonates are disseminated; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear smooth boundary. (1 to 4 inches thick)

AB--3 to 8 inches; reddish yellow (5YR 6/6) fine sandy loam, yellowish red (5YR 5/6) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots; few fine pores; 10 percent fine gravel; strongly calcareous; carbonates are disseminated; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); gradual wavy boundary. (2 to 10 inches thick)

Bk--8 to 15 inches; pink (5YR 7/4) channery loam, reddish brown (5YR 5/4) moist; massive; hard, friable, slightly sticky and plastic; few very fine roots; 20 percent channers; very strongly calcareous; carbonates are disseminated and in soft masses; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); clear smooth boundary. (6 to 10 inches thick)

R--15 inches; sandstone.

TYPE LOCATION: Garfield County, Utah, near Hansen Canyon, west of Starr Springs, sec. 28, T. 35 S., R. 11 E. MLRA is 35

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:

Mean annual soil temperature: 50 to 59 degrees F.

Soil moisture: Typic aridic moisture regime

Depth to bedrock: 10 to 20 inches

Depth to calcic horizon: 1 and 14 inches

Rock fragments (particle-size control section): 0 to 35 percent gravel or channers.

A horizon
Hue: 5YR, 7.5YR
Value: 4 or 6 dry, 4 or 6 moist
Chroma: 3 through 6, dry or moist

AB and Bk horizons
Hue: 5YR, 7.5YR
Value: 5 through 8 dry, 4 through 7 moist
Chroma: 2 through 6, dry or moist
Texture: gravelly loam, fine sandy loam, sandy loam, sandy clay loam, gravelly sandy loam, channery sandy loam, loam, sandy clay loam, gravelly sandy clay loam or channery loam

COMPETING SERIES: This is the Herlong (NV) series. Herlong soils have hue of 10YR or yellower, have sodium adsorption ratios of more than 13, and have uncemented parent materials below the lithic contact. In addition, Herlong soils are in the western Great Basin (MLRA 27) and have precipitation that occurs primarily in the winter months and summers are typically very dry.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Pennell soils are on mesas and benches at elevations of 3,120 to 5,500 feet. Slopes range from 1 to 50 percent. These soils formed in colluvium, residuum, and eolian material from sedimentary rocks. The average annual precipitation is 5 to 10 inches. The precipitation is distributed evenly throughout the year with a slight bulge from July to October. The mean annual air temperature is 50 to 57 degrees F. The frost-free period is 140 to 180 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Moenkopie and Sheppard soils. Moenkopie soils lack a calcic horizon. Sheppard soils are deep and have a sandy particle-size control section.

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

USE AND VEGETATION: Used for livestock grazing, wildlife habitat, and recreation. Vegetation is dominantly blackbrush, broom snakeweed, Mormon-tea, shadscale, and galleta.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: South Central Utah, Northern Arizona, northwestern New Mexico and western Colorado. These soils are of moderate extent. MLRA is 35.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Garfield County Utah, 1985. The name is from a mountain in the survey area.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this series are:

Ochric epipedon - the zone from 0 to 3 inches (A horizon)

Calcic horizon - the zone from 8 to 15 inches (Bk horizon)

Lithic contact - the boundary with hard bedrock at 15 inches (R layer)

Classified according to Soil Taxonomy, Second Edition, 1999; Keys to Soil Taxonomy, Tenth Edition, 2006.

In August 1994, the classification was changed from Lithic Calciorthids to Lithic Haplocalcids with the Aridisol amendment.

In Utah this series is correlated with Desert range sites.

In January 2004, the Competing Series section was revised to correct a spelling error and competing statement.

Update and revisions for the correlation of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, January 2010, CEM


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.