LOCATION DRAGE IDEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, frigid Calcic Argixerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Drage gravelly loam - on 3 percent east-facing slope at an elevation of 5,800 feet in rangeland. When described on October 4, 1978, the soil was dry throughout. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A--0 to 8 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) gravelly loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist, weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine, fine and medium roots; many very fine and fine interstitial pores; 15 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.8); abrupt smooth boundary. (5 to 10 inches thick)
BAt--8 to 14 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) gravelly loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; soft, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine, fine and medium roots; many very fine and fine interstitial pores; 15 percent gravel; few faint clay films on faces of peds and lining pores; neutral (pH 6.8); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 7 inches thick)
Bt1--14 to 25 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) very gravelly clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; moderate medium angular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine and fine roots; many very fine and fine interstitial pores; 35 percent gravel; many faint clay films on faces of peds and lining pores; neutral (pH 7.0); gradual wavy boundary.
Bt2--25 to 30 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) very gravelly clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; moderate medium angular blocky structure; hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine and fine roots; many very fine and fine interstitial pores; 40 percent gravel and 10 percent cobbles; many faint clay films on faces of peds and lining pores; neutral (pH 7.2); gradual wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bt horizons is 13 to 30 inches thick.)
Bk--30 to 61 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/4) extremely gravelly sandy loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable; nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine and fine roots; 50 percent gravel and 15 percent cobbles; violently effervescent; (10 percent calcium carbonate); slightly alkaline (pH 7.6).
TYPE LOCATION: Blaine County, Idaho about 4 miles north and 2 miles east of Hailey; 1,200 feet north and 3,400 feet east of the southwest corner, sec. 16, T. 3 N., R. 18 E. Latitude - 43 degrees, 35 minutes, 28 seconds North; Longitude - 114 degrees, 18 minutes, 33 seconds West.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Depth to bedrock - more than 60 inches
Average annual soil temperature - 40 to 46 degrees F.
Thickness of mollic epipedon - 10 to 17 inches
Depth to secondary carbonates - 25 to 43 inches
A horizon
Color value, dry - 3 to 5
Value, moist - 1 to 3
Chroma, moist or dry - 2 or 3
Rock fragments - 5 to 55 percent
Reaction - neutral or slightly alkaline
Bt horizon
Color value, dry - 5 or 6
Value, moist - 3 or 4
Chroma, moist or dry - 2 to 4
Clay content - 27 to 35 percent
Rock fragments - 35 to 60 percent
Reaction - neutral to slightly alkaline
Texture - GRV-CL, GRV-SICL, GRV-SCL, CBV-CL, CBV-SICL
Bk or Bkq horizon
Color value, dry - 5 to 8
Value, moist - 4 to 6
Chroma, moist or dry - 2 to 4
Texture - GRX-L, CBX-SIL, GRX-SL, CBX-SL, GRX-CL, GRV-SIL, CBV-SIL, GRV-L or CBV-L
Rock fragments - 50 to 75 percent
Greater than 3 inches - 25 to 45 percent
Reaction - slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline
Calcium carbonate equivalent averages less than 15 percent
COMPETING SERIES:
Amelar (NV) - have depths to secondary carbonates at 10 to 15 inches
Broad (UT) are 20 to 40 inches to bedrock (lithic)
Custco(T ID) - have 18 to 27 percent clay in the argillic horizon
Rawnjay (UT) - average greater than 15 percent calcium carbonate equivalent in the Bk horizon
Remount (MT) - have secondary carbonates at depths less than 24 inches and have 60 to 80 percent rock fragments in the particle-size control section
Scalfar (NV) have a lithologic discontinuity; depth to the argillic horizon is 1 to 5 inches
Searla (ID) have 60 to 80 percent rock fragments in the argillic horizon
Sheep Creek (UT) - are 22 to 40 inches to bedrock (lithic)
Small(T ID) - are 20 to 40 inches to bedrock (lithic); depth to argillic horizon is 3 to 5 inches
Swampydraw (T ID) - have a lithologic discontinuity; average greater than 15 percent calcium carbonate equivalent in the Bk horizon
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Drage soils are on alluvial fan and hills. Slopes range from 0 to 30 percent. Elevation ranges from 4,800 to 7,050 feet. The soil formed in alluvium from mixed igneous and sedimentary rocks with an influence of loess in some areas. The average annual precipitation is 12 to 18 inches, most of which falls as snow or early spring rain. The average annual temperature is about 40 to 45 degrees F. The frost-free season is 60 to 90 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: They are Goodington, Little Wood, Molyneux, and Vitale soils. Goodington soils have more than 35 percent clay in the Bt and are on basalt plains. Little Wood soils have a base saturation of 50 to 75 percent in some part above 75 cm. Molyneux soils have fine-loamy control sections. Vitale soils have bedrock at 20 to 40 inches and are on south- and west-facing mountainsides. Molyneux soils are on similar landscapes as are Drage soils. Little Wood soils occur on stream terraces.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. Permeability is moderately slow.
USE AND VEGETATION: Mainly used for range, hay and pasture and some small grains. Vegetation is basin big sage, mountain big sagebrush, bluebunch wheatgrass, Sandberg bluegrass, and Idaho fescue.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Drage soils are inextensive in south-central and southeastern Idaho.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Blaine County, Idaho, 1985.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this series are:
Mollic epipedon - occurs from the soil surface to approximately 14 inches (A and BAt horizons).
Argillic horizon - zone from approximately 14 to 30 inches (Bt1 and Bt2 horizons).
Secondary accumulations of calcium carbonate - occurs at approximately 30 inches (Bk horizons).
Where this soil is mapped in southeastern Idaho the parent material is influenced by loess or silty alluvium from loess.