LOCATION FERGIE             ID
Established Series
Rev. TNT/CLM
06/2001

FERGIE SERIES


The Fergie series consists of deep, well drained soils on foothills and canyonsides. They formed in colluvium and residuum derived predominantly from welded tuff, rhyolite and basalt. Slopes are 2 to 70 percent. Permeability is moderately slow. The average annual precipitation is about 14 inches and the average annual temperature is about 44 degrees.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, frigid Ultic Argixerolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Fergie gravely loam - rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)

A--0 to 2 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) gravelly loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak very fine and fine granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine, fine and common medium and coarse roots; many very fine and fine tubular and irregular pores; 15 percent gravel; moderately acid (pH 5.9); clear smooth boundary. (2 to 12 inches thick)

BA--2 to 10 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) gravelly loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak very fine and fine subangular blocky structure parting to moderate fine granular; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine, fine and common medium and coarse roots; common very fine and fine tubular and irregular pores; 15 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.3); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 12 inches thick)

Bt1--10 to 22 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) very gravelly clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine, fine and few medium and coarse roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; few faint clay films on faces of peds; 30 percent gravel, 15 percent cobbles; slightly acid (pH 6.4); abrupt wavy boundary. (4 to 13 inches thick)

Bt2--22 to 52 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) extremely gravely sandy clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, sticky and plastic; few very fine, fine, medium and coarse roots; common fine and very fine tubular pores; 50 percent gravel, 20 percent cobbles, 10 percent stones; few faint clay films on faces of peds; slightly acid (pH 6.4); gradual wavy boundary. (3 to 52 inches thick)

R--52 inches; highly fractured basalt bedrock.

TYPE LOCATION: Gooding County, Idaho; about 17 miles north of Bliss, 2,000 feet west, 1,500 feet south of the northeast corner of section 8, T.3S.,R.12E.; Lat. 43 degrees North, 10 minutes, 53 seconds; Long. 115 degrees West, 3 minutes, 4 seconds.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:

Depth to bedrock - 40 to 60 inches
Rock fragments in control section - 35 to 80 percent
Thickness of mollic epipedon - 10 to 20 inches
Average annual soil temperature - 45 to 47 degrees F.
Base saturation - less than 75 percent in upper 30 inches
Soil moisture control section - dry for 90 to 120 days in summer and fall

A horizon
Hue - 7.5YR or 10YR
Value - 2 or 3 moist
Chroma - 2 or 3 dry or moist
Rock fragments - 15 to 30 percent gravel; 0 to 20 percent cobbles; 0 to 5 percent stones
Reaction - moderately acid to neutral

BA horizon
Chroma - 3 or 4 moist
Rock fragments - 15 to 30 percent gravel; 0 to 20 percent cobbles; 0 to 5 percent stones
Clay content - 20 to 25 percent
Reaction - slightly acid to neutral

Bt1 and Bt2 horizons
Hue - 10YR or 7.5YR
Value - 5 or 6 dry, 3 through 5 moist
Chroma - 4 through 6 dry or moist
Rock fragments - 10 to 50 percent gravel; 0 to 45 percent cobbles; 0 to 10 percent stones
Texture - GRV-L, GRX-CL, CBV-L, CBX-CL, GRX-SCL
Clay content - 25 to 35 percent
Reaction - slightly acid to neutral

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Apmat, Durst, Fraval, Henhoit, Kalo (T), Klicker, Klickson, Little Wood, Morningstar, Mulshoe, Sapkin and Sattley series. The Apmat soil has 10 to 18 percent clay in the particle-size control section. Little Wood soils are moderately deep to loose sand and gravel. Durst, Fraval, Kalo, Klicker, Mulshoe, and Sapkin soils have either a paralithic or lithic contact between 20 and 40 inches. Henhoit, Klickson and Morningstar soils have O horizons and are dry less than 90 days in summer and fall. Sattley soils have an O horizon and are moderately or strongly acid in the argillic horizon.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Fergie soils are on foothills and canyonsides. Slopes range from 2 to 70 percent. Elevations range from 4,700 to 6,200 feet. The soils formed in colluvium and residuum weathered from volcanics. The average annual precipitation is 13 to 16 inches. The average annual temperature is 43 to 45 degrees F. The frost-free period is 70 to 90 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Bringmee, Gaibson, Moreglade, Terracecreek, and Willho series. Bringmee soil is fine-loamy and is found in more level to concave positions. Gaibson soil is shallow to bedrock and is on convex positions. Moreglade soil is pachic and is found on more northerly slopes. Terracecreek soils is moderately deep to bedrock and is on convex positions. Willho is fine and is found on more level positions.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. Runoff is medium to rapid. Permeability is moderately slow.

USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used mainly for rangeland and wildlife habitat. The vegetation is mainly mountain big sagebrush and bluebunch wheatgrass.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Gooding County, Idaho; 1993.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features in this pedon are:

Mollic epipedon - zone from the surface to 10 inches (A and BA horizons)

Argillic horizon - zone from 10 to 52 inches. (Bt1 and Bt2 horizons)

Ultic feature - base saturation below 75 percent in some horizon within the upper 30 inches of the profile

ADDITIONAL DATA: Soil survey sample number S91ID-063-302 and NSSC pedon number 91P115.


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.