{"id":10,"date":"2021-09-27T19:18:19","date_gmt":"2021-09-27T19:18:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cwcedb.test.utah.edu\/?page_id=10"},"modified":"2025-04-17T21:24:00","modified_gmt":"2025-04-17T21:24:00","slug":"geology-soils","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/cwc.utah.gov\/central-wasatch-dashboard\/geology-soils\/","title":{"rendered":"Geology & Soils"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Geology<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>
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Soil Type & Characteristics<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>
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Soil Disturbance<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>
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Hazards<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t
Geology<\/div>
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\n General Geology <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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\n General Geology <\/div>\n
\n Geology of the Central Wasatch.

Photo: Derrellwilliams<\/a>, CC BY-SA 4.0<\/a><\/p> <\/div>\n \n \n \n Learn More <\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n \n <\/div>\n \n\n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\n Geologic Structures <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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\n Geologic Structures <\/div>\n
\n Geologic structures are the architecture of the earth's crust <\/div>\n \n \n \n Learn More <\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n \n <\/div>\n \n\n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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\n Aquifers <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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\n Aquifers <\/div>\n
\n Geologic material (rocks and sediments) capable of delivering groundwater in usable quantities

Photo: UGS<\/a><\/p> <\/div>\n \n \n \n Learn More <\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n \n <\/div>\n \n\n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Soil Type & Characteristics<\/div>
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How is soil formed?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Soil formation reflects the complex interaction of many factors, among the most important of which are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  • \u00a0Parent material<\/strong> – Few soils weather directly from the underlying rocks. These \u201cresidual\u201d soils have the same general chemistry as the original rocks. More commonly, soils form in materials that have moved in from elsewhere. Materials may have moved many miles or only a few feet. The material in which soils form is called \u201cparent material.\u201d In the lower part of the soils, these materials may be relatively unchanged from when they were deposited by moving water, ice, or wind.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Climate<\/strong> – Soils vary, depending on the climate. Temperature and moisture amounts cause different patterns of weathering and leaching. Wind redistributes sand and other particles especially in arid regions. The amount, intensity, timing, and kind of precipitation influence soil formation. Seasonal and daily changes in temperature affect moisture effectiveness, biological activity, rates of chemical reactions, and kinds of vegetation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Topography <\/strong>– Slope and aspect affect the moisture and temperature of soil. Steep slopes facing the sun are warmer, just like the south-facing side of a house. Steep soils may be eroded and lose their topsoil as they form. Thus, they may be thinner than the more nearly level soils that receive deposits from areas upslope. Deeper, darker colored soils may be expected on the bottom land.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Biological factors<\/strong> – Plants, animals, micro-organisms, and humans affect soil formation. Animals and micro-organisms mix soils and form burrows and pores. Plant roots open channels in the soils. Different types of roots have different effects on soils. Grass roots are \u201cfibrous\u201d near the soil surface and easily decompose, adding organic matter. Taproots open pathways through dense layers. Micro-organisms affect chemical exchanges between roots and soil. Humans can mix the soil so extensively that the soil material is again considered parent material.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Time<\/strong> – Time for all these factors to interact with the soil is also a factor. Over time, soils exhibit features that reflect the other forming factors. Soil formation processes are continuous. Recently deposited material, such as the deposition from a flood, exhibits no features from soil development activities. The previous soil surface and underlying horizons become buried. The time clock resets for these soils. Terraces above the active floodplain, while genetically similar to the floodplain, are older land surfaces and exhibit more development features.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    How are soils classified?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Soils are named and classified on the basis of physical and chemical properties in their horizons (layers). \u201cSoil Taxonomy\u201d uses color, texture, structure, and other properties of the surface two meters deep to key the soil into a classification system to help people use soil information. \u00a0(Source: NRCS)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Soil texture is determined by the composition of the soil particles. There are three categories for soil particles – sand, silt and clay. The following textural triangle represents all possible combinations of soil particles:<\/p>\n\n\n

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    Explore soil types classified by soil texture in the map below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n