LOCATION MOORETOWN IDEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Cumulic Haploxerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Mooretown loam, in pastureland - on a 1 percent slope at 5,510 feet elevation. (The profile was moist throughout when described on July 20, 1988. Colors are for air-dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
A1--0 to 3 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; moderate medium granular structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; slightly effervescent; 2 percent gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); clear smooth boundary.
A2--3 to 7 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) loam, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) moist; strong fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine and common medium roots; common very fine tubular pores; slightly effervescent; 2 percent gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.5); clear wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the A horizons is 6 to 11 inches)
Bk1--7 to 10 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) loam, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) moist; strong fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine and common medium roots; common very fine tubular pores; slightly effervescent with disseminated lime (8 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); 1 percent gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear wavy boundary.
Bk2--10 to 19 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) loam, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) moist; strong fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine, fine, and medium roots; common very fine tubular pores; strongly effervescent with disseminated lime (8 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); 1 percent gravel; moderately alkaline (pH 7.9); gradual wavy boundary.
Bk3--19 to 27 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) loam, very dark grayish brown (2.5Y 3/2) moist; common fine prominent iron accumulations dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) moist; moderate medium platy structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine and common fine and medium roots; common very fine tubular pores; strongly effervescent with disseminated lime (9 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); 1 percent gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); abrupt wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bk horizons is 10 to 22 inches)
2Bg--27 to 46 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) fine sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; common fine prominent iron accumulations strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) moist, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine, fine, and medium roots; common very fine tubular pores; 1 percent gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear wavy boundary. (10 to 24 inches thick)
2C1--46 to 57 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) loamy sand, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; common fine prominent iron accumulation strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) moist, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and few fine and medium roots; common very fine tubular pores; 4 percent gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); abrupt wavy boundary. (0 to 15 inches thick)
2C2--57 to 60 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) fine sandy loam, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) moist; common fine prominent iron accumulations strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) moist, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine and fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; 2 percent gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.5).
TYPE LOCATION: Butte County, Idaho; about 3 miles north of Moore, Idaho; about 10 feet south and 200 feet east from the northwest corner of sec. 10, T. 5N., R. 26E. Latitude - 43 degrees, 47 minutes, 0 seconds North; Longitude - 113 degrees, 21 minutes, 15 seconds West.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mollic epipedon thickness - 24 to 48 inches
Depth to redox concentrations - 16 to 30 inches
Depth to seasonal high water table - 18 to 36 inches in April through July except in drained phases where it is greater than 60 inches throughout the year
Average annual soil temperature - 39 to 44 degrees F.
Depth to sand and gravel is 30 to more than 60 inches
Particle-size control section
Clay content - 10 to 17 percent average
Rock fragment content - 0 to 15 percent
A horizons
Hue - 10YR or 2.5Y
Value - 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma - 1 or 2 dry or moist
Reaction - neutral or slightly alkaline
Bk horizons
Hue - 10YR or 2.5Y
Value - 4 or 5 dry
Chroma - 1 or 2 dry or moist
Texture - L or SL
Calcium carbonate equivalent - 5 to 15 percent
Reaction - slightly or moderately alkaline
2C and 2Bg horizons
Hue - 10YR to 5Y
Value - 4 through 6 dry, 3 through 5 moist
Chroma - 1 or 2 dry and moist
Rock fragment content - 0 to 80 percent
Texture - LS, FSL, SL, GR-SL, GRV-SL, GRV-LS, or GRX-LS
Reaction - neutral or slightly alkaline
COMPETING SERIES: This is the Freels series. Freels soils lack carbonates.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Mooretown soils are on flood plains and stream terraces. Slopes range from 0 to 2 percent. Elevation ranges from 5,000 to 6,300 feet. The soil formed in mixed alluvium. The climate is cold and moist in the winter and warm and dry in the summer. The average annual precipitation is 8 to 13 inches. The average annual air temperature is 37 to 45 degrees F. The frost-free period is 50 to 90 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Blackfoot, Borah, Borco and Darlington series. Blackfoot soils are on flood plains and have fine-loamy particle-size control sections. Borah and Borco soils are on flood plains and stream terraces and have sandy-skeletal particle-size control sections. Darlington soils are on fan terraces and stream terraces and have loamy-skeletal particle-size control sections.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat poorly drained. Drained phases are well drained. Slow runoff. Permeability is moderate throughout with some pedons moderate in the upper part and rapid in the lower part. Rare or occasional flooding for brief periods during spring months.
USE AND VEGETATION: Mooretown soils are used for irrigated cropland, hayland, and pastureland. They are also used for nonirrigated pastureland, rangeland and homesites. The major crops are alfalfa, wheat, barley and potatoes. The native vegetation in undrained areas is willows, woods rose, sedges and mountain brome.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: East-central Idaho. This series is not extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Custer-Lemhi Counties, Idaho, 1999.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - the zone from the surface to 27 inches (A1, A2, Bk1, Bk2, and Bk3 horizons)
The Bk horizon lacks sufficient carbonate accumulation to qualify as a calcic horizon.
Particle-size control section - the zone from 10 to 40 inches (Bk2 and Bk3 horizons and part of the 2Bg horizon)