United States In cooperation Soil Survey of Department of with Agriculture United States Department of Arches Natural Interior, National Resources Park Service Conservation National Park, Service Utah Agricultural Experiment Utah Station i How To Use This Soil Survey The information provided in this publication can be useful in planning the use and management of small areas. The text includes descriptions of detailed soil map units and provides an explanation of the information presented in the tables. The publication also includes a glossary of terms used in the text and tables and a list of references. Bookmarks and links in the publication allow the user to navigate from one part of the text to another. Maps showing soil lines and map unit symbols can be accessed for a particular area of interest through the Web Soil Survey of the Natural Resources Conservation Service, accessible at http://websoilsurvey.nrcs.usda.gov/app/. The symbols on the map represent the detailed soil map units in the area. These map units are listed in the bookmarks panel of the text. Information about the map units can be accessed by clicking on the appropriate bookmark. The bookmarks panel corresponds to the Contents and allows the user to navigate easily throughout the book. ii This soil survey is a publication of the National Cooperative Soil Survey, a joint effort of the United States Department of Agriculture and other Federal agencies, State agencies including the Agricultural Experiment Stations, and local agencies. The Natural Resources Conservation Service (formerly the Soil Conservation Service) has leadership for the Federal part of the National Cooperative Soil Survey. Major fieldwork for this soil survey was initiated in 2006, and completed in 2008. Soil names and descriptions were approved in 2008. Unless otherwise indicated, statements in this publication refer to conditions in the survey area in 2008. This survey was made for Arches National Park, Utah, by the Natural Resources Conservation Service in cooperation with the National Park Service. Soil maps in this survey may be copied without permission. Enlargement of these maps, however, could cause misunderstanding of the detail of mapping. If enlarged, maps do not show the small areas of contrasting soils that could have been shown at a larger scale. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all of its programs on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact the USDA’s TARGET Center at 202-720-2,600 (voice or TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20250- 9410, or call 202-720-5,964 (voice or TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. The correct citation for this soil survey is as follows: United States Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service. 2010. Soil Survey of Arches National Park, Utah. Accessible online at: http://soils.usda.gov/survey/ printed_surveys/. Cover: View of Double O Arch in Arches National Park, map unit 85. Additional information about the Nation’s natural resources is available online from the Natural Resources Conservation Service at http://www.nrcs.usda.gov. Contents How To Use This Soil Survey......................................................................................i Contents...................................................................................................................... 3 Foreword..................................................................................................................... 7 Introduction................................................................................................................ 9 General Nature of the Survey Area......................................................................... 9 Physiography....................................................................................................... 9 Climate .............................................................................................................. 10 Vegetation...........................................................................................................11 Geology ................................................................................................................. 12 Stratigraphy ....................................................................................................... 12 Salt Domes, Fins, and Arches........................................................................... 25 Soils Overview....................................................................................................... 25 Eolian soils ........................................................................................................ 27 Alluvial Soils ...................................................................................................... 30 Residual and Colluvial Soils.............................................................................. 30 How This Survey Was Made ................................................................................. 30 General Soil Map Units............................................................................................ 33 Soil Descriptions ........................................................................................................ 33 Alluvial soils on flood-plain steps and terraces, and in drainageways .................. 33 1—Bowington-Livan family-Radnik complex..................................................... 33 Residual soils formed in deposits from salt dome collapse................................... 35 2—Persayo-Retsabal-Somorent family complex .............................................. 35 Soils formed in eolian deposits on cuestas ........................................................... 36 3—Rock Outcrop-Arches-Pensom, moderately deep complex ........................ 36 Soils associated with Entrada Formation, Main Body (Slick Rock) and Dewey Bridge Members sandstone................................................................ 37 4—Rock Outcrop-Crosscan family-Mido complex ............................................ 37 Soils formed in shallow eolian deposits on Navajo formation sandstone mesas and cuestas ......................................................................................... 38 5—Rock Outcrop-Rizno-Arches complex ......................................................... 38 Soils associated with scarp slopes of cuestas and canyon walls.......................... 39 6—Arches-Chedeski family-Rizno complex ...................................................... 39 Soils associated with mixed alluvial and eolian deposits in sand sheets.............. 40 7—Milok-Begay-Mido complex.......................................................................... 40 Soils associated with areas of deep eolian deposits............................................. 41 8—Mido-Mido, strongly calcareous complex .................................................... 41 Detailed Soil Map Units ........................................................................................... 43 Soil Descriptions ........................................................................................................ 44 80—Remorris loam, 5 to 45 percent slopes.......................................................... 44 81—Rock outcrop-Moclom-Simel complex, 2 to 30 percent slopes...................... 48 83—Rock outcrop-Arches-Pensom, moderately deep complex, 2 to 15 percent slopes..................................................................................... 53 85—Rock outcrop-Mident family-Mido complex, 15 to 30 percent slopes ............ 59 3 86—Arches-Rock outcrop complex, Entrada Formation, 2 to 15 percent slopes.............................................................................................................. 63 87—Arches-Rock outcrop complex, 2 to 15 percent slopes ................................. 66 88—Crosscan family-Rock outcrop complex, 5 to 30 percent slopes................... 69 89—Reef-Rock outcrop complex, 5 to 30 percent slopes..................................... 72 91—Mido-Mido, strongly calcareous complex, 2 to 30 percent slopes ................. 76 100—Arches-Rizno-Rock outcrop complex, 2 to 15 percent slopes..................... 81 103—Mido, strongly calcareous-Mido complex, 2 to 15 percent slopes............... 87 106—Retsabal very fine sandy loam, 2 to 15 percent slopes............................... 93 108—Milok-Mido, strongly calcareous complex, 2 to 15 percent slopes .............. 95 110—Bowington-Radnik-Patterfield complex, 0 to 6 percent slopes .................. 102 111—Hanksville-Persayo complex, 2 to 45 percent slopes..................................114 116—Begay fine sandy loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes, overwash.......................... 120 117—Rock outcrop-Arches complex, 2 to 15 percent slopes ............................. 124 118—Monue gravelly loamy fine sand, 1 to 6 percent slopes.............................127 119—Persayo-Somorent family complex, 15 to 70 percent slopes..................... 130 126—Rizno-Arches-Mido complex, 2 to 15 percent slopes, very rocky..............136 127—Pocum family, 2 to 8 percent slopes.......................................................... 145 129—Milok very gravelly sandy loam, 2 to 15 percent slopes, eroded............... 148 132—Livan family, 0 to 6 percent slopes............................................................. 151 133—Chedeski family, 15 to 60 percent slopes .................................................. 155 Use and Management of the Soils........................................................................ 159 Interpretive Ratings ............................................................................................. 159 Rangeland and Woodland Understory Vegetation .............................................. 160 Land Management............................................................................................... 181 Engineering.......................................................................................................... 182 Recreation ...........................................................................................................183 Building Site Development .................................................................................. 184 Sanitary Facilities................................................................................................. 186 Construction Materials.........................................................................................187 Water Management ............................................................................................. 188 Soil Properties........................................................................................................191 Engineering Index Properties .............................................................................. 191 Physical Properties.............................................................................................. 192 Chemical Properties ............................................................................................194 Water Features.................................................................................................... 195 Soil Features........................................................................................................196 Formation of the Soils........................................................................................... 199 References..............................................................................................................203 Glossary.................................................................................................................. 205 Tables...................................................................................................................... 219 Table 1.—Temperature and Precipitation ............................................................ 220 Table 2.—Freeze Dates in Spring and Fall.......................................................... 221 Table 3.—Growing Season.................................................................................. 221 4 Table 4.—Taxonomic Classification of the Soils..................................................222 Table 5.—Acreage and Proportionate Extent of the Soils ...................................223 Table 6.—Ecological Sites and Characteristic Plant Communities ..................... 224 Table 7.—Index of Plant Symbols, Common Names, and Scientific Names...........................................................................................................230 Table 8.—Index of Common Names, Plant Symbol, and Scientific Names ........231 Table 9.—Land Management - Suitability for Planting and Soil Rutting Hazard...........................................................................................................232 Table 10.—Land Management – Hazard of Erosion and Suitability for Roads............................................................................................................ 236 Table 11.—Land Management - Site Preparation................................................ 239 Table 12.—Land Management - Damage by Fire and Seedling Mortality...........242 Table 13.—Camp and Picnic Areas..................................................................... 247 Table 14.—Trail Management.............................................................................. 251 Table 15.—Dwellings and Small Commercial Buildings...................................... 254 Table 16.—Roads and Streets and Shallow Excavations.................................... 258 Table 17.—Sewage Disposal............................................................................... 263 Table 18.—Source of Gravel and Sand............................................................... 268 Table 19.—Source of Reclamation Material, Roadfill, and Topsoil...................... 272 Table 20.—Ponds and Embankments .................................................................278 Table 21.—Engineering Properties...................................................................... 282 Table 22.—Physical Soil Properties..................................................................... 291 Table 23.—Erosion Properties of Soils................................................................ 297 Table 24.—Chemical Soil Properties................................................................... 301 Table 25.—Water Features.................................................................................. 305 Table 26.—Soil Features ..................................................................................... 308 Table 27.—Landscape, Parent Material, and Ecosite ID......................................311 NRCS Accessibility Statement.............................................................................. 317 Issued 2011 5 Foreword This soil survey was developed in conjunction with the National Park Service Inventory and Monitoring Program and is intended to serve as the official source document for soils occurring within Arches National Park. This soil survey contains information that affects land use planning in this survey area. It contains predictions of soil behavior for selected land uses. The survey also highlights soil limitations, improvements needed to overcome the limitations, and the impact of selected land uses on the environment. This soil survey is designed for many different users. Planners and engineers can use the survey to plan land use, select sites for construction, and identify special practices needed to ensure proper performance. Conservationists, teachers, students, and specialists in ecology, recreation, wildlife management, waste disposal, and pollution control can use the survey to help them understand, protect, and enhance the environment. The information in this report is intended to identify soil properties that are used in making various land use or land treatment decisions. Statements made in this report are intended to help the land users identify and reduce the effects of soil limitations on various land uses. Great differences in soil properties can occur within short distances. Some soils are seasonally wet or subject to flooding. Some are shallow to bedrock. Some are too unstable to be used as a foundation for buildings or roads. Clayey, sandy, or wet soils are poorly suited to use as septic tank absorption fields. A high water table makes a soil poorly suited to basements or underground installations. These and many other soil properties that affect land use are described in this soil survey. Broad areas of soils are shown on the general soil map. The location of each soil is shown on the detailed soil maps. Each soil in the survey area is described. Information on specific uses is given for each soil. Help in using this publication and additional information are available at the local office of the Natural Resources Conservation Service or the Cooperative Extension Service, as well as the National Park Service Natural Resources Program Center. Sylvia A. Gillen State Conservationist Natural Resources Conservation Service 7