LOCATION SHEPRIDGE UTEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, mesic Lithic Argixerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Shepridge extremely gravelly loam, on a southwest facing, convex to convex, 17 percent slope in sagebrush at an elevation of 5,612 feet. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted). The surface is covered by 65 percent gravel, 5 percent cobbles of quartzite origin and angular in shape.
A--0 to 3 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) extremely gravelly loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak fine and very fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine, few fine and medium roots; many very fine, common fine tubular and interstitial pores; 45 percent gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); clear wavy boundary. (2 to 6 inches thick)
Bt1--3 to 9 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) extremely gravelly loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak thin platy structure parting to weak fine and very fine angular blocky; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine, few fine and medium roots; many very fine, few fine tubular and interstitial pores; few patchy faint clay skins on ped faces; 65 percent gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); gradual wavy boundary.
Bt2--9 to 13 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) extremely gravelly loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak thin platy structure parting to weak fine and very fine angular blocky; hard, firm, moderately sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine and fine roots; many very fine, few fine tubular and interstitial pores; few patchy faint clay skins on ped faces; 75 percent gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); gradual wavy boundary. (total thickness of Bt horizons 8 to 14 inches)
R--13 inches; fractured quartzite bedrock.
TYPE LOCATION: Utah County, Utah; about 1.5 miles southeast of Tickville Springs; located about 900 feet north and 200 feet west of the southeast corner of sec. 35, T. 4 S., R. 2 W.; Tickville USGS quad; lat. 40 degrees 25 minutes 25.88 seconds N. and long. 112 degrees 01 minutes 17.71 seconds W., NAD 27
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture regime: xeric moisture regime bordering on aridic. Soil moisture control section is dry for greater than 60 consecutive days following the summer solstice.
Soil temperature regime: mesic
Mean annual soil temperature: 47 to 55 degrees F.
Surface rock fragments: 50 to 80 percent angular quartzite fragments, dominantly gravel, minor cobbles and stones.
Particle-size control section: 18 to 27 percent clay; 50 to 80 percent rock fragments, dominantly gravel with minor cobbles and stones
Thickness of the mollic epipedon: 7 to 17 inches, includes all or part of the argillic horizon
Depth to lithic contact: 10 to 20 inches to quartzite bedrock
A horizon:
Hue: 10YR
Value: 5 or 4 dry, 3 or 2 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: loam
Rock fragments: 60 to 80 percent, dominantly gravel with minor cobbles and stones
Reaction: slightly alkaline
Bt horizon:
Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4
Texture: loam or silt loam
Rock fragments: 50 to 80 percent, dominantly gravel and cobbles with minor stones
Reaction: slightly alkaline
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Argabak (WA), Bellehelen (NV), Brier (NV), Chinabutte (ID), Clovercreek (OR), Duco (NV), Gwin (WA), Horseflat (WA), Ocud T (NV), Orhood (CA), Reywat (ID), Upatad (NV), and Windry (WA) series.
Argabak, Bellehelen, Brier, Horseflat, Ocud, and Orhood soils formed in igneous rock and have aridic moisture regimes.
Duco soils formed in igneous rock, have 27 to 35 percent clay in the particle size control section, and have aridic moisture regimes.
Chinabutte soils have 27 to 35 percent clay in the particle size control section and formed in igneous rock.
Clovercreek soils formed in greenstone parent material.
Gwin and Windry soils formed in igneous rock.
Reywat soils have 24 to 35 percent clay in the particle size control section, formed in igneous rock, and have aridic moisture regimes.
Upatad soils formed in igneous rock and have 27 to 35 percent clay in the particle size control section.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Shepridge soils.
Parent material: colluvium and/or alluvium derived from quartzite.
Landform: mountain slopes.
Slopes: 8 to 60 percent
Elevation: 5,100 to 7,300 feet
Mean annual air temperature: 45 to 53 degrees F.
Mean annual precipitation: 14 to 16 inches.
Wettest months: October to May.
Driest months: June to September.
Frost-free period: 100 to 140 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Butterfield and Vitale series. Butterfield is moderately deep to quartzite and under Pinyon and Juniper. Vitale is moderately deep to quartzite and is in concave positions under oak.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: well drained, high runoff, moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Wildlife habitat and rangeland. Some potential native plants are Wyoming big sagebrush, bluebunch wheatgrass, Indian ricegrass, and bitterbrush. These soils have been correlated to Upland Shallow Loam (Wyoming Big Sagebrush) - 047AY320UT, range sites in Utah.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northern Utah. LRR D, MLRA 28A. This series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Phoenix, Arizona.
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Utah county, Utah. 1999. The name is coined from a nearby geographic location.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon: from 0 to 13 inches (A, Bt1, and Bt2 horizons).
Argillic horizon: from 3 to 13 inches (Bt1 and Bt2 horizons).
Keys to Soil Taxonomy: Eighth Edition 1998