LOCATION SCHAUSON UTEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Pachic Argiustolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Schauson loam--rangeland. (Colors are for air-dry soils unless otherwise stated.)
A--0 to 5 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; weak fine granular structure; soft, friable, slightly sticky; common fine and few medium roots; few fine pores; neutral (pH 7.0); clear smooth boundary. (3 to 10 inches thick)
Bt1--5 to 12 inches; dark brown (10YR 4/3) sandy clay loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; very hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common thin clay films on faces of peds; few fine and medium pores; neutral (pH 7.0); clear smooth boundary. (7 to 14 inches thick)
Bt2--12 to 25 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) sandy clay loam, dark brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate coarse subangular blocky structure; very hard, firm, sticky and plastic; common thin clay films on faces of peds; few fine roots; few fine pores; neutral (pH 7.0); gradual wavy boundary. (9 to 22 inches thick)
BC--25 to 45 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) sandy clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; massive; hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine roots; common fine and medium pores; mildly alkaline (pH 7.4); clear smooth boundary. (6 to 20 inches thick)
Btb--45 to 60 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) clay loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; weak moderate angular blocky structure; hard, firm, sticky and plastic; common thin clay films on faces of peds; few fine roots; common fine and medium pores; mildly alkaline (pH 7.4).
TYPE LOCATION: Garfield County, Utah; 8 miles north of Bear Valley Junction; SE 1/4 of sec. 28, T. 31 S., R. 5 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mollic epipedon is 22 to 40 inches thick and includes all or part of the argillic horizon. The thickness of A and Bt horizons range from 19 to 46 inches. The mean annual soil temperature at a depth of 20 inches is 42 to 47 degrees F. The mean summer temperature is 59 to 62 degrees F. The soils are dry in parts of the moisture control section for 60 to 75 days during the winter months, and are dry for 50 to 55 percent of the time when the soil temperature at 20 inches depth is more than 41 degrees F.
The A horizon is neutral to moderately alkaline.
The Bt horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 4 or 5 dry, 2 to 4 moist, chroma of 2 to 4 dry or moist. Textures are sandy clay loam and clay loam. This horizon averages 27 to 35 percent clay. Rock fragment content ranges from 0 to 5 percent. It is neutral to mildly alkaline.
The BC horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist and chroma of 2 to 4. Textures range from sandy clay loam to clay loam. This horizon contains 0 to 5 percent rock fragments that are mainly pebble size. Reaction ranges from neutral to moderately alkaline.
The Btb horizon does not occur in all pedons.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Bowbells, Center Creek, Detra, Flaxton, Hereford, and Hesperus series. Bowbells, Flaxton, and Hereford soils are calcareous within the paritcle-size control section and have continuous horizons of visible calcium carbonate accumulation. Center Creek soils have lithologic discontinuities and have mottles between 20 and 40 inches. Detra and Hesperus soils are moist more than one half of the time the soil temperature is above 41 degrees F.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Schauson soils are on alluvial fans and valley plains. Slopes range from 2 to 15 percent. The soils formed in alluvium from basic and intermediate igneous rocks, mainly basalt. The mean annual temperature is 40 to 45 degrees F., and the average annual precipitation is 14 to 16 inches. The precipitation is distributed fairly evenly throughout the year with 55 to 65 percent falling between April and September. July, August and September are the wettest months with December and January being the driest. Elevation is 7,300 to 8,500 feet. The freeze-free period is 70 to 100 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These the Andys, Frandsen, Harol, Notter, and Venture soils. Harol and Venture soils are loamy-skeletal and are on mountainsides and ridgetops. Notter soils have 35 to 60 percent rock fragments below the argillic horizon and have a calcic horizon and are on higher parts of the fan. Andys soils are calcareous throughout and have a calcic horizon. Frandsen soils lack an argillic horizon. Andys and Frandsen soils are on similar landscapes.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow runoff; moderately slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: The Schauson soils are used for rangeland and wildlife habitat with some areas used for irrigated cropland. Principle crops grown are alfalfa and small grains. Potential vegetation is bluebunch wheatgrass, blue grama, Indian ricegrass, mountain big sagebrush, and western wheatgrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Schauson soils are of small extent. They are mapped in the Panguitch and Johns Valley areas of Garfield County.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Garfield County, (Panguitch Soil Survey Area) Utah, 1984.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - the zone from surface of the soil to a depth of 25 inches (A, Bt1, Bt2 horizons)
Argillic horizon - the zone from 5 to 25 inches (Bt1, Bt2 horizons)