LOCATION ROFISS UTEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, carbonatic, mesic Xeric Torriorthents
TYPICAL PEDON: Rofiss gravelly clay loam--rangeland. (Colors are for air-dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A1--0 to 7 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) gravelly clay loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; moderate thin platy structure parting to weak fine granular; soft, firm, sticky and plastic; common fine roots; few fine pores; 10 percent angular cobbles, 20 percent angular pebbles; very strongly calcareous; carbonates are disseminated and in hard shale fragments; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); clear smooth boundary. (3 to 8 inches thick)
A2--7 to 12 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) very gravelly clay loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, firm, sticky and plastic; few fine roots; few fine pores; 50 percent angular pebbles; very strongly calcareous; carbonates are disseminated and in hard shale fragments; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); clear smooth boundary. (5 to 12 inches thick)
C1--12 to 27 inches; light gray (2.5Y 7/2) extremely gravelly clay loam, grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, firm, sticky and plastic; few fine roots; few fine pores; 65 percent angular pebbles; very strongly calcareous; carbonates are disseminated and in hard shale fragments; strongly alkaline (pH 8.6); clear smooth boundary. (6 to 14 inches thick)
C2--27 to 41 inches; light gray (2.5Y 7/2) gravelly clay loam, grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) moist; massive; hard, firm, sticky and plastic; few fine roots; few fine pores; 30 percent angular pebbles, very strongly calcareous; carbonates are disseminated and in hard shale fragments; strongly alkaline (pH 8.6); clear smooth boundary. (9 to 14 inches thick)
C3--41 to 60 inches; light gray (2.5Y 7/2) extremely gravelly clay loam, grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) moist; massive; hard, firm, sticky and plastic; few fine roots; few fine pores; 75 percent angular pebbles; very strongly calcareous; carbonates are disseminated and in shale fragments; strongly alkaline (pH 8.6).
TYPE LOCATION: Juab County, Utah; about 1 mile east and 1 1/2 mile south of Nephi; 1,800 feet west and 600 feet south of the northeast corner of sec. 9, T. 13 S., R. 1 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Rock fragments in the particle-size control section range from 30 to 65 percent, mainly as pebble-size hard shale fragments, and average more than 35 percent. The mean annual soil temperature is 49 to 56 degrees F., The soils are usually dry, but moist in all parts of the moisture control section 40 to 50 consecutive days or more.
The A horizon has a hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 6 or 7 dry, 4 or 5 moist, chroma of 2 or 3 moist or dry. Reaction is moderately alkaline or strongly alkaline.
The C horizon is very gravelly clay loam or extremely gravelly clay loam with 27 to 35 percent clay. Hue is 10YR or 2.5Y, value is 6 or 7 dry, 4 through 6 moist, and chroma of 2 or 3.
COMPETING SERIES: There presently are no competing series in the family. The Ramshorn and Shoken series are in other families. Ramshorn soils have frigid soil temperatures. Shoken soils have bedrock at depths less than 20 inches.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Rofiss soils are on alluvial fans. Slopes are convex and range from 4 to 15 percent. The soils formed in alluvium derived dominately from shale. Elevations are 5,100 to 5,500 feet. The mean annual temperature is 47 to 54 degrees F., and the average annual precipitation is 12 to 14 inches. Freeze-free period is 100 to 140 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: This is the Juab soil. Juab soils have less than 15 percent coarse fragments in the particl-size control section and have less than 40 percent calcium carbonate equavalent.
DRAINAGE AND PEREMABILITY: Well drained; medium or rapid runoff; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for rangeland, wildlife habitat and irrigated pasture. Potential vegetation is needleandthread, mutton grass, Indian ricegrass and big sagebrush.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Rofiss soils occur in Central Utah. They are inextensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Phoenix, Arizona
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Juab County, Utah 1980. The name is coined.