LOCATION WENZEL UTEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Clayey-skeletal, mixed, superactive, frigid Typic Argixerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Wenzel cobbly loam, rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
The soil surface is covered with 25 percent cobbles.
A--0 to 5 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) cobbly loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure that parts to moderate fine and very fine granular; soft, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few medium, many fine and very fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; 10 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 7.3); clear smooth boundary. (2 to 5 inches thick)
BAt--5 to 9 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) cobbly clay loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium and fine subangular blocky structure that parts to moderate very fine subangular blocky; hard, firm, sticky and plastic; few medium, fine and very fine roots; few very fine tubular and many very fine interstitial pores; common distinct clay films on faces of peds and in pores; 10 percent cobbles, 10 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.3); clear smooth boundary. (3 to 8 inches thick)
Bt--9 to 17 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) very gravelly clay loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/3) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure that parts to moderate fine subangular blocky; very hard, very firm, sticky and plastic; few medium, fine and very fine roots; many very fine interstitial and tubular pores; many distinct clay films on faces of peds and in pores; 15 percent cobbles, 35 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.3); gradual wavy boundary. ( 8 to 12 inches thick)
BC--17 to 30 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) very gravelly loam, dark brown (7.5YR 4/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure that parts to moderate fine and very fine subangular blocky; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few medium, fine and very fine roots; common fine and many very fine tubular pores; few faint clay films on faces of peds and on rock fragments; 10 cobbles, 35 gravel; neutral (7.3); clear smooth boundary. (10 to 17 inches thick)
2C1--30 to 46 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) extremely cobbly coarse sandy loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) moist; single grained; few medium fine and very fine roots; many very fine interstitial pores; 40 percent cobbles, 20 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.3); clear smooth boundary (14 to 16 inches thick)
2C2--46 to 60 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) extremely gravelly loamy coarse sand, dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) moist; single grained; few fine and very fine roots; many very fine interstitial pores; 10 percent cobbles, 50 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.3).
TYPE LOCATION: Iron County, Utah; south end of Buckskin Valley in the northeast corner of Iron County; 50 feet north and 50 feet west of the southeast corner of section 25, T. 32 S., R. 7 W. Little Creek Peak Quadrangle; lat. 37 degrees 59 minutes 4 seconds N. and long. 112 degrees 36 minutes 28 seconds W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature at a depth of 20 inches ranges from 41 to 47 degrees F. and the mean summer soil temperature ranges from 59 to 62 degrees F. These soils are usually moist but are dry 50 to 85 consecutive days in the moisture control section during the summer. The soil moisture regime is typic xeric.
The mollic epipedon is 17 to 20 inches thick and extends into the argillic horizon. The combined thickness of the A and B horizon is 28 to 30 inches. The particle size control section ranges from 35 to 44 percent clay and 35 to 60 percent gravel and cobble igneous rock fragments.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR, value 3 moist, 2 dry and chroma is 2. Reaction is neutral to slightly alkaline.
The BAt and Bt horizons has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 4 or 5 dry, 3 moist and chroma of 2 or 3. Texture ranges from very gravelly clay loam, cobbly clay loam, very cobbly clay or very gravelly clay. Reaction is neutral to slightly alkaline.
The BC horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 5 or 6 dry, 3 to 5 moist and chroma of 3 or 4. Texture ranges from very gravelly loam to very cobbly loam. Reaction is neutral to slightly alkaline.
The 2C horizon has hue of 10YR, value 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist and chroma 3 or 4. Texture ranges from extremely cobbly coarse sandy loam, very cobbly coarse sandy loam, extremely gravelly loamy coarse sand, or very gravelly sandy clay loam. Rock fragments range from 45 to 65 percent gravel and cobbles. Reaction is neutral to slightly alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: This is the Minesinger (MT) series. Minesinger soils have mollic epipedons that are 8 to 14 inches thick and Bk horizons with carbonate accumulations.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Wenzel soils are at elevations of 7,200 to 8,200 feet. They occur on fan remnants and mountain slopes. Slopes range from 15 to 40 percent. These soils formed in alluvium derived from intermediate and basic igneous rock. The average annual precipitation is 16 to 22 inches. Mean annual temperature is 39 to 45 degrees F., and the mean summer temperature is 60 to 63 degrees F. The frost-free period is 80 to 100 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Rob Roy, Siroco and Tolman soils. Rob Roy soils are 20 to 40 inches deep over bedrock. Siroco soils have horizons of carbonate accumulation, a mollic epipedon 20 inches or more thick and montmorillonitic clay mineralogy. Tolman soils are 14 to 19 inches deep over bedrock.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained, medium runoff; slow permeability in the subsoil and moderately rapid permeability below about 30 inches.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for rangeland and for wildlife habitat. Principal native vegetation is Gambel oak, big sagebrush, bitterbrush, snowberry, lupine, western wheatgrass, Letterman needlegrass, tall native bluegrass, squirreltail and bluebunch wheatgrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southern Utah. MLRA 47B. These soils are of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Iron County, Utah, Iron-Washington Area, 1997.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features found in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - from 0 to 17 inches (A, BAt and Bt horizons).
Argillic horizon - from 5 to 17 inches (BAt and Bt horizons).
Keys to Soil Taxonomy: Series classified according to Eighth Edition, 1998.
ADDITIONAL DATA: