LOCATION SCHMUTZ UT+AZEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, gypsic, mesic Ustic Torrifluvents
TYPICAL PEDON: Schmutz loam - rangeland (Colors are for air dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
Al--0 to 4 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/4) loam, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/4) moist; moderate thin platy structure that parts to moderate very fine granular structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky, plastic; few fine and common very fine roots; common fine and very fine tubular, and many very fine interstitial pores; moderately calcareous; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); clear smooth boundary. (2 to 4 inches thick)
C1--4 to 24 inches; reddish brown (5YR 5/4) heavy loam, reddish brown (5YR 4/4) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky, plastic; few fine roots; common fine, and many very fine tubular pores; gypsum occurs as fine crystals in thin filaments; moderately calcareous, lime is disseminated and also in filaments; strongly alkaline (pH 8.6); clear smooth boundary. (10 to 20 inches thick)
C2--24 to 60 inches; light reddish brown (5YR 6/3) loam, reddish brown (5YR 4/4) moist; massive; soft, friable, slightly sticky, nonplastic; many fine, very fine interstitial pores; many gypsum crystals, from silt size up to about 5mm.; moderately calcareous; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0).
TYPE LOCATION: Washington County, Utah; about 1.3 miles southeast of Rancho Vue Desert guest ranch; approximately 500 feet north and 1,600 feet west of the southeast corner of sec. 19, T.42S., R.12W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mean annual soil temperature: 54 to 58 degrees F.
Mean summer soil temperature: 71 to 76 degrees F.
Soil moisture: The soils are usually dry during the period the soil temperature is above 41 degrees F. They are moist in some part of the moisture control section for 30 to 40 days during the summer months and are dry for 70 to 85 days during the 120 days following the winter solstice. Ustic aridic moisture regime.
Texture (control section): commonly stratified with layers of silty clay loam, heavy loam, and silt loam
Rock fragments: 5 to 15 percent fine gravel in some pedons
Gypsum: Soft to hard fragments of gypsum crystals, ranging from about silt size to 5mm in diameter, comprise about half the volume
Reaction: moderately to strongly alkaline
Calcium carbonate: Lime is weakly cemented in some pedons
A horizon
Hue: 7.5YR or 5YR
Texture: commonly loam but strata in some pedons range from sandy loam to silt loam.
C horizon
Hue: 5YR or 7.5YR
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Schmutz soils are on alluvial fans and valley floors at elevations of 3,600 to 4,800 feet. Slopes range from 1 to 5 percent. These soils formed in alluvium from gypsiferous siltstone, sandstone, and shale. The mean annual temperature is 52 to 56 degrees F., and the mean summer temperature is 76 to 79 degrees F. The average annual precipitation is 10 to 13 inches. The frost-free period ranges from 165 to 170 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Redbank soils and the competing Naplene soils. Redbank soils have sandy loam control sections and lack gypsum.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well-drained; medium runoff; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used mostly as rangeland. Vegetation is rabbitbrush, sagebrush, galleta, cheatgrass, and cholla cactus.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southern Utah. The series is inextensive. MLRA 35.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Phoenix, Arizona
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Washington County, Utah, 1972.