LOCATION PROVO BAY UTEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-silty, carbonatic, mesic Typic Calciaquolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Provo Bay silty clay loam - rangeland (Colors are for air-dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ak1--0 to 3 inches; gray (2.5Y 5/1) silty clay loam, very dark gray (2.5Y 3/1.5) moist; weak coarse prismatic structure; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky, plastic; common fine and few medium roots; few large and common medium pores; very strongly calcareous; disseminated lime and numerous fresh water snail shells; moderately saline; neutral (pH 7.2); clear smooth boundary. (3 to 5 inches thick)
Ak2--3 to 8 inches; gray (2.5Y 5/1) light silty clay loam, very dark gray (2.5Y 3/1) moist; weak coarse prismatic structure that parts to weak medium and fine; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky, plastic; few medium and large roots; moderately saline; very strongly calcareous; disseminated lime and numerous fresh water snail shells; neutral (pH 7.2); gradual smooth boundary. (4 to 5 inches thick)
Ak3--8 to 13 inches; gray (2.5Y 5/1) silty clay loam; very dark gray (2.5Y 3/1) moist; few fine distinct, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) mottles; weak moderate and fine subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky, plastic; many fine and few medium roots; many fine and few medium pores; very strongly calcareous; disseminated lime; neutral (pH 7.3); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 5 inches thick)
Ak4--13 to 22 inches; dark gray (10YR 4/1) clay loam, black (10YR 2/1) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky, plastic; common fine, few medium and large roots; common fine and few medium pores; very strongly calcareous, disseminated lime and numerous fresh water snail shells; mildly alkaline (pH 7.6); gradual smooth boundary. (0 to 9 inches thick)
Ck--22 to 33 inches; light gray (2.5Y 7/2) loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; few medium and few fine roots; common large, few medium and fine pores; strongly calcareous; disseminated lime and numerous fresh water snail shells; moderately alkaline (pH 7.9). (10 to 20 inches thick)
C--33 to 60 inches: light gray (2.5Y 7/2) loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; few fine and medium roots; common large, few medium and fine pores; strongly calcareous; disseminated lime; mildly alkaline (pH 7.7). (10 to 30 inches thick)
TYPE LOCATION: Utah County, Utah; in Provo Bay area, about 2,600 feet south of the south end of the runway of the Provo Airport; sec. 22, T.7S., R.2E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Mean annual soil temperature is 47 to 54 degrees F., and average summer temperature is about 68 degrees F.
Depth to high water table is 6 to 20 inches. Fine snail shells range from few to numerous. The weighted average calcium carbonate content above a depth of 40 inches is more than 40 percent. Salinity ranges from slightly to moderate. Layers of peat may occur and are less than 12 inches thick. Calcic horizons occur within a depth of 16 inches. These soils are neutral to moderately alkaline.
The 10 to 40 inch control section is silt loam, loam, silty clay loam or clay loam containing 18 and 35 percent clay and less than 15 percent coarser than very fine sand.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5YR, value of 4 to 5 dry. The mollic epipedon is more than 16 inches thick and organic matter content ranges from 5 to 10 percent.
The C horizons have hue of 2.5Y or 10YR, value of 5 through 7 dry, 3 through 5 moist, and chroma of 1 or 2.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Provo Bay soils are on valley bottoms subject to deposition of limy sediments at elevations of 4,400 to 5,000 feet. The soils formed in mixed alluvium from limestone, quartzite, and shale rocks. They are flooded for periods of 2 months or more in 6 out of 10 years. The climate is dry subhumid with average annual rainfall of 12 to 14 inches. Mean annual temperatures are 45 to 52 degrees F. Frost-free period is 100 to 140 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Mcbeth and Chipman soils. They have less than 40 percent calcium carbonate in the particle size control section. Mcbeth soils lack calcic horizons and have less than 18 percent clay in the control section.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Poorly drained; ponded; slow permeability, high water table is 0-24 inches.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used principally as habitat for wildlife and for seasonal grazing during dry years. Native vegetation is tules, sedges, and annual weeds.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Valley bottoms in the Great Basin in Northern Utah. The series is inextensive. MLRA 28A
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Phoenix, Arizona
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Utah County, Utah, 1972
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - the zone of dark colored soil material from the surface to a depth of 22 inches. (Ak1, Ak2, Ak3, and Ak4 horizons)
Calcic horizon - the zone of calcium carbonate accumulation at depths of 0 to 33 inches. (Ak1, Ak2, Ak3, Ak4, and Ck horizons)
The classification is based on the "Keys to Soil Taxonomy, Eighth Edition, 1998". This series was last reviewed in the field in 1972. Depth and duration of the seasonal high water table needs to be verified in the field.