LOCATION SPAGER                  UT+NV

Established Series
Rev. DTH/DLT/TER/JBF
06/2012

SPAGER SERIES

The Spager series consists of shallow over a calcium carbonate cemented hardpan, somewhat excessively drained, that formed in alluvium derived mainly from limestone. Spager soils are on alluvial plains, fan remnants and hillslopes. Slopes are 2 to 30 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 250 mm and the mean annual temperature is about 9 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, carbonatic, mesic, shallow Calcic Petrocalcids

TYPICAL PEDON: Spager gravelly loam--rangeland. (Colors are for air-dry soil unless otherwise noted.)

A--0 to 10 cm; pale brown (10YR 6/3) gravelly loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; moderate fine granular structure; soft, friable, slightly sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine and few fine roots; common fine pores; 20 percent gravel and hardpan fragments; strongly effervescent; carbonates are disseminated and in hardpan fragments; strongly alkaline (pH 8.6); clear smooth boundary. (5 to 10 cm thick)

Bk1--10 to 33 cm; pale brown (10YR 6/3) very gravelly loam; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky and moderately plastic; few medium, fine and very fine roots; common fine pores; 50 percent gravel; violently effervescent; carbonates are disseminated and in hardpan fragments; strongly alkaline (pH 8.8); abrupt smooth boundary. (10 to 28 cm thick)

Bk2--33 to 43 cm; very pale brown (10YR 8/2) very gravelly loam, very pale brown (10YR 7/3) moist; massive; soft, friable, slightly sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine roots; 60 percent gravel and hardpan fragments, 10 percent cobbles; violently effervescent; carbonates are disseminated and in hardpan fragments; very strongly alkaline (pH 9.4); abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 18 cm thick)

Bkm--43 to 64 cm; indurated lime cemented hardpan that has a trowelled surface and very pale brown (10YR 7/3) laminae 2 mm to 1 cm thick. Subjacent layers are very pale brown (10YR 8/2) moist and are softer; roots are matted on the surface; 50 percent gravel; violently effervescent; strongly alkaline (pH 9.0).

TYPE LOCATION: Utah County, Utah; Lake Mountain area, alluvial fan at the mouth of Mercer Canyon; NW 1/4 NE 1/4 NW 1/4 sec. 16, T. 7 S., R. 1 W.; latitude 40 degrees 13 minutes 2 seconds N and longitude 111 degrees 57 minutes and 31 seconds W; NAD 83.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: Usually dry; moist in winter and spring; aridic soil moisture regime is bordering on xeric.
Mean annual soil temperature: 8 to 12 degrees C.
Depth to a petrocalcic horizon: 25 to 50 cm.
Calcic horizon depth: 5 to 25 cm.

Particle-size control section - Clay content: 15 to 20 percent.
Rock fragments; Average 35 to 60 percent, but range from 20 to 75 percent and are composed of gravel, cobbles, and cemented carbonate fragments

A horizon
Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR.
Value: 5 or 6 dry and 3 or 4 moist.
Chroma: 2 or 3 dry and moist.
Reaction: Slightly alkaline through strongly alkaline

Bk horizon
Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR.
Value: 6 through 8 dry, 4 through 7 moist.
Chroma of 2 through 6 moist and dry.
Texture: Very gravelly loam, very gravelly very fine sandy loam or very gravelly fine sandy loam.
Reaction: Strongly alkaline or very strongly alkaline.

The Bkm horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 7 or 8 dry, 6 through 8 moist and chroma of 2 or 3.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Goodwater and Purop series.

Goodwater soils have an aridic soil moisture regime bordering on ustic. Purab soils have a typic aridic soil moisture regime.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Spager soils are on alluvial plains, fan remnants, hillslopes, and alluvial fans. Elevations range from 1,435 to 2,135 meters. The soils formed in alluvium derived mainly from limestone, but some sandstone and quartzite. Slopes are 2 to 30 percent. The soils are in a semiarid climate. Mean annual temperature is 7 to 11 degrees C. Average annual precipitation is 200 to 300 mm. The freeze-free period is 100 to 140 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Amtoft, Atepic, Genola, Hiko Peak, and Sanpete soils. Amtoft, Atepic, Genola, Hiko Peak and Sanpete soils lack hardpans.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Somewhat excessively drained; medium runoff; high saturated hydraulic conductivity.

USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for livestock grazing. Potential vegetation is bluebunch wheatgrass, black sagebrush, little rabbitbrush, and Indian ricegrass.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Central Utah. These soils are moderately extensive.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Phoenix, Arizona

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Fairfield-Nephi Soil Survey Area, Utah, 1980.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric horizon - The zone from the soil surface to a depth of 18 cm. (A and part of Bk1 horizon)
Calcic horizon - The zone of calcium carbonate accumulation from a depth of 10 to 43 cm. (Bk1 and Bk2 horizons)
Petrocalcic horizon - The zone of indurated calcium carbonate with a trowelled surface that stops roots from a depth of 43 to 64 cm. (Bkm horizon)
Particle-size control section - The zone from 25 to 43 cm (Bk2 andpart of Bk1 horizons).

Classification changed from Xerollic Paleorthids to Calcic Petrocalcids in 5/95.

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.