LOCATION UINTA WY+CO UTEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive Eutric Glossocryalfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Uinta gravelly sandy loam--forest. (Colors are for air-dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
The surface is covered with a layer of needles, twigs, and bark about 3 inches thick.
Oi--0 to 1 inch; partially decomposed needles, twigs, and bark.
A--1 to 3 inches; dark gray (10YR 4/1) gravelly sandy loam, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) moist; moderate very fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; 15 percent quartzite pebbles; neutral (pH 6.8); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 3 inches thick)
E--3 to 13 inches; pinkish gray (7.5YR 7/2) gravelly sandy loam, pinkish gray (7.5YR 6/2) moist; moderate thin platy structure parting to moderate very fine granular; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; 25 percent quartzite pebbles and cobbles; neutral (pH 6.8); gradual irregular boundary. (6 to 14 inches thick)
E/B--13 to 21 inches; pinkish gray (7.5YR 7/2), pinkish gray (7.5YR 6/2) moist (E part); reddish brown (5YR 5/3) gravelly sandy clay loam, reddish brown (5YR 4/3) moist (Bt part); moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, moderately sticky and slightly plastic; few thin clay films on faces of some peds; 15 percent quartzite pebbles and cobbles; neutral (pH 6.8); gradual irregular boundary. (6 to 12 inches thick)
Bt1--21 to 44 inches; reddish brown (5YR 5/3) gravelly sandy clay loam, reddish brown (5YR 4/3) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; very hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; continuous moderately thick clay films on faces of peds; 15 percent quartzite pebbles and cobbles; neutral (pH 6.8); gradual smooth boundary. (8 to 25 inches thick)
Bt2--44 to 53 inches; light reddish brown (5YR 6/4) gravelly sandy clay loam, reddish brown (5YR 4/4) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; many thin clay films on faces of peds; 15 percent quartzite pebbles and cobbles; neutral (pH 6.6); gradual wavy boundary. (6 to 15 inches thick)
C--53 to 71 inches; light reddish brown (5YR 6/4) gravelly sandy clay loam, reddish brown (5YR 4/4) moist; massive; hard, friable, moderately sticky and slightly plastic; 30 percent quartzite pebbles and cobbles; neutral (pH 6.8).
TYPE LOCATION: Uinta County, Wyoming; 1/2 mile south of the point where the road crosses Gilbert Creek, approximately 1,256 feet east and 2,321 feet south of the northwest corner of sec. 5, T. 12 N., R. 115 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: (Depths given are measured from the mineral soil surface) The mean annual soil temperature is 39 to 43 degrees F. The mean summer soil temperature is 54 to 58 degrees F. Depth to the argillic horizon is less than 24 inches. Rock fragments consisting of quartzite pebbles and cobbles range from 0 to 35 percent throughout.
The E horizon has hue of 10YR to 5YR, value of 5 to 8 dry, 4 to 7 moist, and chroma of 2 to 4 dry and moist. Reaction is slightly acid or neutral.
The Bt2 horizon has hue of 5YR or 2.5YR, value of 4 or 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist, and chroma of 2 to 6 dry and moist. The matrix is loam, sandy clay loam, clay loam, gravelly sandy clay loam, or gravelly clay loam, and averages 18 to 35 percent clay and less than 35 percent fine or coarse sand. Reaction is slightly acid to slightly alkaline.
The C horizon has hue of 7.5YR to 2.5YR value of 4 or 5 dry and moist and chroma of 2 to 6 dry and moist. Reaction is slightly acid to slightly alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Ansel, Castelleia, Edloe, Erickson, Grimstone, Hierro, Indart, Lick, Limber, Peeler, Perceton, Sapphire, Schofield, Shule, Swapps, Swiftcurrent (MT), Swifton, Tongue River, Trapper, Whitefish, and Woodrock series. Ansel, Castelleia Erickson, Lick and Peeler soils have hue yellower than 5YR in the Bt2 horizon. Edloe, Limber, Sapphire, Schofield, Shule, Swapps, and Woodrock soils have a lithic contact at depths of less than 40 inches. Grimstone, Indart, Perceton and Tongue River soils have a paralithic contact at depths of less than 40 inches. Hierro soils have more than 35 percent fine or coarser sand in the argillic horizon. Swifton soils are deeper than 24 inches to the Bt2 horizon. Swiftcurrent, Trapper, and Whitefish soils have horizons of calcium carbonate accumulation. Haviland soils are usually moist when the soil temperature is greater than 41 degrees F.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Uinta soils are on till plains, glaciated basins, or mountain slopes. Slopes are 3 to 60 percent. The soils formed in alluvium or colluvium and till from conglomerate, sandstone, shale and quartzite. Elevation is 7,000 to 10,600 feet. Annual precipitation is 13 to 35 inches. The mean annual temperature is 35 to 42 degrees F. The mean summer temperature is 50 to 58 degrees F. Freeze-free period is 20 to 70 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Duchesne, Hourglass, Michelson, Leavitt, Skutum and Tabernash soils. Hourglass, Michelson, Leavitt and Skutum soils have mollic epipedons. Tabernash soils have sandy-skeletal material below the argillic horizon. Duchesne soils have more than 35 percent rock fragments in the particle-size control section.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; medium to rapid runoff; moderately slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for forestry, range, recreation, and wildlife habitat. The native vegetation is lodgepole pine, Engelmann spruce, fir, and some aspen in places.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Mountainous areas of Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming. These soils are of moderate extent. MLRA 47.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Uinta County, Wyoming, 1934.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon:
Ochric epipedon - from 1 to .13 inches (A, E horizons)
Albic horizon - from 3 to 13 inches (E horizon)
Glossic horizon - from 13 to 21 inches (E/B horizon)
Argillic horizon - 21 to 53 inches (Bt1, Bt2 horizon). The upper boundary of the argillic is unclear in the original description. The required clay increase (using the composite clay content of E/B) is presumed to be met from the E/B horizon to the Bt1, and not from the E to the E/B.
Particle-size control section: The zone from 21 to 41 inches (part of Bt1 horizon)
Classification: Keys to Soil Taxonomy, Eighth Edition, 1998