LOCATION LOUPENCE           ID
Established Series
Rev. MEJ/CLM
10/2002

LOUPENCE SERIES


The Loupence series consists of very deep, well drained or moderately well drained soils on stream terraces. They formed in alluvium. Slopes range from 0 to 3 percent. The average annual precipitation is about 10 inches and the average annual temperature is about 50 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-silty, mixed, superactive, mesic Cumulic Haploxerolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Loupence silt loam on a 1 percent smooth west facing slope in cultivated cropland at an elevation of about 3,570 feet. When described on September 28, 1987, the soil profile was moist below 8 inches. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)

Ap--0 to 5 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) silt loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium platy structure parting to moderate fine, medium and coarse granular; very hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine, fine, medium and few coarse roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; neutral (pH 6.6); abrupt wavy boundary. (2 to 11 inches thick)

BA--5 to 11 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) silty clay loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; moderate fine angular blocky structure; very hard, friable, sticky and plastic; few very fine, fine and medium roots; few very fine and fine tubular pores; neutral (pH 6.8); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 9 inches thick)

Bw1--11 to 19 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) silty clay loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak medium and coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate fine subangular blocky; very hard, very friable, slightly sticky and plastic; few very fine, fine and medium roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; neutral (pH 6.9); gradual wavy boundary. (5 to 12 inches thick)

Bw2--19 to 28 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) silt loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak medium and coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate fine and medium subangular blocky; hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine and few medium tubular pores; neutral (pH 6.8); clear wavy boundary. (7 to 13 inches thick)

Bw3--28 to 42 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) very fine sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; neutral (pH 6.7); clear wavy boundary. (9 to 16 inches thick)

Bw4--42 to 67 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) silty clay loam, dark brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; hard, very friable, slightly sticky and plastic; few very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; neutral (pH 6.6).

TYPE LOCATION: Gooding County, Idaho, about 1,300 feet north and 2580 feet east of the southwest corner of section 5, T. 6 S., R. 15 E.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Average annual soil temperature - 47 to 54 degrees F. Thickness of mollic epipedon - 20 to 50 inches Depth to bedrock - 60 inches or more Clay content (control section average)- 18 to 27 percent Reaction - neutral to mildly alkaline

A horizons Value - 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist Chroma - 2 or 3 dry or moist

BA, Bw1, and Bw2 horizons Value - 5 or 6 dry, 2 through 4 moist Chroma - 1 through 3 dry or moist Texture - SIL, SICL Clay content - 18 to 28 percent

Bw3 and Bw4 horizons Value - 5 through 7 dry, and 4 or 5 moist Chroma - 3 or 4 dry or moist Texture SL, VFSL, SIL, SICL, L Clay content - 10 to 28 percent Mottles - few to common relic mottles in some pedons

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Caldwell, Harana, Jett, Keigley, Red Rock, Rustico (T), and the Snow soils. The Caldwell soils are somewhat poorly drained and have a xeric soil moisture regime. The Harana soils have 27 to 35 percent clay throughout the particle-size control section and have chroma of 1 moist and dry throughout the profile. The Jett soils are calcareous in all or in some part of the mollic epipedon. The Keigley soils have 15 to 30 percent calcium carbonate in the particle-size control section. The Red Rock soils have a xeric soil moisture regime. Rustico soils are calcareous in the upper part of the control section and have 27 to 35 percent clay in the particle-size control section. The Snow soils have a xeric soil moisture regime.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Loupence soils are on stream terraces. These soils formed in mixed alluvium. Slopes range from 0 to 3 percent. Elevation ranges from 3,500 to 4,200 feet. The average annual precipitation ranges from 9 to 12 inches. The average annual temperature is 45 to 52 degrees F. and the frost-free season ranges from 80 to 120 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Bruncan, Harsan, Quencheroo, Schnipper, Snowmore and Wenas soils. Bruncan soils have ochric epipedons, have a duripan above 20 inches, and have bedrock above 40 inches. Schnipper and Snowmore soils have indurated duripans above 40 inches. Harsan soils have argillic horizons and have fine-loamy control sections. Quencheroo soils have fine-loamy control sections. Bruncan, Harsan, Schnipper, and Snowmore soils are on basalt plains. Quencheroo soils are on landscape positions similar to the Loupence soil. Wenas soils have aquic soil conditions and are on lower positions on the terrace.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained or moderately well drained; runoff is very slow; and permeability is moderately slow or moderate. A watertable may occur at 40 to 60 inches in late winter or early spring. Due to incised drainage, flooding is none or rare.

USE AND VEGETATION: Loupence soils are used for irrigated cropland, hayland and homesite development.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Loupence soils are of small extent in southcentral Idaho; and eastern Oregon, MLRA 10..

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Gooding County, Idaho, 1993.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:

Mollic epipedon - the zone from the soil surface to 28 inches (Ap, BA, Bw1, and Bw2 horizons)

Cambic horizon - the zone from 28 to 67 inches (Bw3 and Bw4)

Some pedons lack a cambic horizon.

Aridic soil moisture regime.

Particle-size control section - the zone from 10 to 40 inches (part of the BA horizon, the Bw1, Bw2, and part of the Bw3 horizons)


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.