LOCATION SULPHURCREEK UT
Established Series
Rev. KWC/VLP
07/2013
SULPHURCREEK SERIES
The Sulphurcreek series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in alluvium derived from sandstone and shale. Sulphurcreek soils are on stream terraces. Slopes range from 1 to 5 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 9 inches(229 mm) and the mean annual temperature is about 52 degrees F (11.1 degrees C).
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Ustic Haplargids
TYPICAL PEDON: Sulphurcreek loam - farmland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
Ap--0 to 3 inches (0 to 7 cm); brown (7.5YR 4/4) loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/3), moist; 24 percent clay; strong fine subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, slightly sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine, fine, and medium roots throughout; common very fine dendritic tubular and very fine irregular pores; very slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline, pH 7.6; clear smooth boundary. (2 to 4 inches (5 to 10 cm) thick)
Bt--3 to 12 inches (7 to 30 cm); reddish brown (5YR 4/4) clay loam, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/4), moist; 29 percent clay; strong medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, slightly sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine and fine roots throughout; common very fine and fine irregular and dendritic tubular pores; few distinct clay films on vertical faces of peds; very slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline, pH 7.8; gradual wavy boundary. (9 to 12 inches (23 to 31 cm) thick)
BC--12 to 17.5 inches (30 to 45 cm); yellowish red (5YR 4/6) loam, yellowish red (5YR 4/6), moist; 12 percent clay; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; soft, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine roots throughout; common fine irregular pores; very few faint clay films on all faces of peds; very slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline, pH 7.6; gradual wavy boundary. (4 to 9 inches (11 to 22 cm) thick)
C1--17.5 to 27 inches (45 to 68 cm); yellowish red (5YR 5/6) silt loam, reddish brown (5YR 4/4), moist; 25 percent clay; massive; hard, firm, slightly sticky and very plastic; common very fine and fine roots throughout; common very fine dendritic tubular and irregular pores; few distinct pressure faces on peds; very slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline, pH 7.6; clear wavy boundary. (10 to 20 inches (25 to 50 cm) thick)
C2--27 to 64 inches (68 to 162 cm); yellowish red (5YR 4/6) fine sandy loam, yellowish red (5YR 4/6), moist; 9 percent clay; massive; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine irregular pores; noneffervescent; slightly alkaline, pH 7.8.
TYPE LOCATION: Capitol Reef National Park, Wayne County, Utah, Guy Smith Orchard; lat. 38 degrees 17 minutes 20 seconds N. and long. 111 degrees 15 minutes 14 seconds W., NAD 83
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: Intermittently moist in some part of the soil moisture control section from December to March and July to September, Driest from May to June, Ustic aridic moisture regime.
Soil temperature: 47 to 53 degrees F (8.4 to 11.8 degrees C), Mesic
Clay content of control section (weighted average): 23 to 35 percent
Ap horizon
Hue: 5YR, 7.5YR
Value: 3 to 5, dry or moist
Chroma: 3 or 4, dry or moist
Texture: loam, silt loam, silty clay loam, clay loam
Clay content: 24 to 30 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 0 to 10 percent
Electrical conductivity: 0 to 3 mmhos/cm
Rock fragments: 0 to 5 percent gravel
Bt horizon
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Texture: silty clay loam, clay loam
Clay content: 28 to 34 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 0 to 10 percent
Electrical conductivity: 0 to 3 mmhos/cm
Rock fragments: none
Reaction: slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline (7.4 to 8.4)
BC horizon
Value: 4 or 5, dry or moist
Clay content: 10 to 25 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 1 to 3 percent
Electrical conductivity: 0 to 2 mmhos/cm
Rock fragments: none
C horizons
Value: 4 or 5, dry or moist
Chroma: 4 or 6, dry or moist
Texture: fine sandy loam, silt loam, loam, loamy fine sand
Clay content: 6 to 25 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 1 to 3 percent
Electrical conductivity: 0 to 2 mmhos/cm
Rock fragments: none
COMPETING SERIES: These are the
Balon (AZ),
Blancot (NM),
Bowbac (WY),
Buckle (NM),
Cambria (WY),
Cerropelon (NM),
Chilerojo (NM),
Chilojo (I) (NM)
Cumacho (NM),
Cushman (WY),
Decolney (WY),
Doakum (NM),
Forkwood (WY),
Fort (CO)(T),
Gaddes (AZ),
Gapmesa (CO),
Hagerman (NM),
Hagerwest (I) (NM),
Hiland (WY),
Mentmore (NM),
Oelop (NM),
Olney (CO),
Palacid (NM),
Penistaja (NM),
Pokeman (WY),
Potts (WY),
Pugsley (WY),
Quagwa (AZ),
Redpen (NM),
Spangler (WY),
Sundance (CO),
Tamarindo (NM)(T),
Teckla (WY), and
Yenlo (CO) series. Balon, Blancot, Decolney, Doakum, Fort, Mentmore, and Yenlo soils typically have hue yellower than 5YR in the Bt horizon. Bowbac, Cerropelon, Cushman, Gaddes, Gapmesa, Hagerman, Pokeman, Pugsley and Spangler soils have lithic or paralithic contacts at depths between 20 and 40 inches. Buckle, Oelop, Palacid, Penistaja, Quagwa, Redpen, and Tamarindo soils have layers of secondary carbonate accumulations. Chilerojo soils are very deep to a densic horizon. Cumacho soils are deep to a paralithic contact. Chilojo and Hagerwest soils are inactive. Sundance soils have buried paleosol horizons. Teckla soils contain 35 to 70 percent porcelanite rock fragments below a 20 to 40 inch depth. In addition, the Bowbac, Cambria, Cushman, Decolney, Forkwood, Fort, Hagerman, Hiland, Olney, Pokeman, Potts, Pugsley, Spangler, Sundance, Tekla and Yenlo series reflect the soil forming factors of the Western Great
Plains (LRR-G) and are more moist in
May and June.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Sulphurcreek soils are on stream terraces at elevations of 5,425 to 5,525 feet (1,645 to 1,675m). Slopes range from 1 to 5 percent. Sulphurcreek soils formed in alluvium derived from sandstone and shale. The mean annual precipitation is 9 to 13 inches (229 to 330mm) which occurs as summer thunderstorms and light winter rain and snow. The mean annual air temperature is 46 to 54 degrees F (7.8 to 12 degrees C.). The average frost-free period is 140 to 160 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the
Mulford(UT),
Tineoyler(UT)(T), and
Radnik(UT) series. The Mulford and Tineoyler soils lack an argillic horizon. The Radnik soils are fluvents and are on floodplain steps.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained, low runoff, moderately rapid permeability, rarely or very rarely flooded for very brief periods during the months of July to September.
USE AND VEGETATION: Sulphurcreek soils are used for irrigated farmland, livestock grazing, and wildlife habitat. Native vegetation includes Fremont cottonwood, rubber rabbitbrush, fourwing saltbush, and Indian ricegrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Capitol Reef National Park, Utah; LRR D, MLRA 35; Sulphurcreek soils are of limited extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Phoenix, Arizona
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Wayne County, Utah, Capitol Reef National Park Soil Survey, 2013
REMARKS: Sulphurcreek is the name of the creek that formed the stream terrace that contains the type location in the historic Fruita distict of Capitol Reef National Park. The Sulphurcreek soils exhibit unexpected soil development in the form of pronounced argillic horizons and structure. The landscape position (stream terrace) and parent material (alluvium) would suggest poorly developed soils. It is hypothesized that over 100 years of irrigation has increased the rate of pedogenSis. The assignment of the cation-exchange activity class is inferred from lab data from similar soils in the surrounding area.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Particle-size control section - the zone from 3 to 12 inches (8 to 30 cm) (Bt horizons)
Ochric epipedon - the zone from 0 to 3 inches (0 to 8 cm) (Ap horizons)
Argillic horizon - the zone from 3 to 12 inches (8 to 30 cm) (Bt horizons)
Classified according to Soil Taxonomy, Second Edition, 1999; Keys to Soil Taxonomy, Eleventh Edition, 2010
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.