LOCATION BALLENTINE ID

Established Series
IRD: JCB/ALH
07/2012

BALLENTINE SERIES

The Ballentine series consists of very deep, moderately well drained soils with high saturated hydraulic conductivity that formed in alluvium from granitic rocks. Slopes range from 0 to 1 percent in valleys. The average annual precipitation is about 292 mm and the average annual temperature is about 10.5 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy over sandy or sandy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, mesic Torrifluventic Haploxerolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Ballentine fine sandy loam -- on a nearly level stream terrace, in a pasture being converted to homesites, at 755 meters elevation. When described on October 19, 2006, the soil was dry to 174 cm and wet below. (Colors are for air-dry soil unless otherwise stated.)

A1--0 to 5 cm; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) fine sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate thin platy structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine, few medium roots; many very fine and fine tubular and vesicular pores; 5 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.1); abrupt smooth boundary.

A2--5 to 36 cm; brown (10YR 5/3) fine sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine roots; many very fine, common fine tubular and vesicular pores; common fine faint dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist redox concentrations; 5 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.3); abrupt smooth boundary. (combined A horizon - 25 to 63 cm thick)

AC--36 to 54 cm; pale brown (10YR 6/3) fine sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; massive; moderately hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine, few fine roots; many very fine, common fine tubular and vesicular pores; many fine distinct dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist redox concentrations; slightly acid (pH 6.1); clear smooth boundary. (8 to 25 cm thick)

C1--54 to 88 cm; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) fine sandy loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine, few fine roots; many very fine, common fine tubular and vesicular pores; many fine and medium distinct dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist redox concentrations; moderately acid (pH 5.7); abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 37 cm thick)

2C2--88 to 183 cm; multi-colored very gravelly sand; single grain; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; 50 percent gravel, 5 percent cobbles; slightly acid (pH 6.2).

TYPE LOCATION: Ada County, Idaho; about one-half mile southeast of Star; 930 feet north and 600 feet east of the center of section 17, T.4 N., R.1 W.; USGS Star Quadrangle; Latitude - 43 degrees, 41 minutes, 13 seconds N. and Longitude - 116 degrees, 28 minutes, 52 seconds W., NAD 83.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Thickness of mollic epipedon - 25 to 63 cm
Depth to discontinuity (sand & gravel) - 50 to 100 cm
Depth to bedrock - greater than 180 cm
Particle-size control section (upper part) - 8 to 18 percent clay; less than 50 percent fine sand or coarser sand; 0 to 15 percent gravel; (lower part) - 0 to 10 percent clay; 25 to 70 percent rock fragments
Moisture control section - dry 60 to 90 consecutive days following the summer solstice
Average annual soil temperature - 11 to 12 degrees C.

A horizon
Hue - 10YR or 2.5Y
Value - 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma - 2 or 3 dry and moist
Clay content - 10 to 20 percent
Rock fragments - 0 to 15 percent gravel
Reaction - slightly acid or neutral
Redoximorphic features - anthropogenic (irrigation)

AC and C horizons
Hue - 10YR or 2.5Y
Value - 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma - 2 through 4 dry and moist
Texture - FSL or SL
Clay content - 7 to 18 percent
Rock fragments - 0 to 15 percent gravel
Reaction - moderately acid through neutral
Redoximorphic features - relict or anthropogenic (irrigation)
Thin layers of fine-loamy material occur in some pedons

2C horizon
Texture - stratified LS to COS
Clay content - 0 to 10 percent
Rock fragments - 25 to 60 percent gravel, 0 to 10 percent cobbles and 25 to 70 percent total
Reaction - moderately acid through neutral

COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series. The Falk soils are closely related, but do not have a mollic epipedon.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Ballentine soils are on stream terraces at elevations of 748 to 869 meters. Slopes range from 0 to 1 percent. These soils formed in recent alluvium from granitic rocks with minor influence of other igneous materials. The average annual precipitation is 254 to 330 mm. The average annual temperature is 10 to 11 degrees C. The frost-free period is 145 to 155 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Eagle, Moulton, Notus and Phyllis soils. Eagle and Notus soils do not have mollic epipedons, and are less than 50 cm deep to sand and gravel. Moulton and Notus soils are somewhat poorly drained and on lower geomorphic positions. Phyllis soils are very poorly drained (hydric) and on concave geomorphic positions. Eagle soils are on similar geomorphic positions.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Moderately well drained with normal seasonal high saturation between depths of 100 and 150 cm; rare flooding where not protected; very slow runoff; high over very high saturated hydraulic conductivity. These soils are commonly saturated during the growing season due to flood irrigation.

USE AND VEGETATION: Ballentine soils are used mainly for irrigated cropland and hayland/pasture. Principle crops are corn and small grains. Native vegetation is basin big sagebrush and basin wildrye. Recently large tracts have been urbanized and river corridors used for recreation and wildlife habitat.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southwestern Idaho. MLRA 11. Ballentine soils are of small extent.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Ada County, Idaho, 2012.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this profile:
Mollic epipedon - zone from 0 to 36 cm (A1 and A2 horizons)
Lithologic discontinuity - at 88 cm
Redoximorphic features - anthropogenic (flood irrigation)
Particle-size control section - zone from 25 to 100 cm
Soil moisture regime - aridic bordering on xeric
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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.