LOCATION PACKERJOHN              ID

Established Series
Rev. DJT/ALH/RWL
06/2011

PACKERJOHN SERIES

The Packerjohn series consists of very deep, excessively drained soils with rapid permeability that formed in colluvium from granitic rocks mixed with volcanic ash in the upper part. Slopes range from 4 to 90 percent in mountains. The average annual precipitation is about 32 inches and the average annual temperature is about 41 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy, isotic, frigid Vitrandic Humixerepts

TYPICAL PEDON: Packerjohn ashy coarse sandy loam, forested -- on a north-facing slope of 65 percent at 4,400 feet elevation. When described on July 7, 1998, the soil was moist throughout. (Colors are for air-dry soil unless otherwise noted.)

Oi--0 to 2 inches; slightly decomposed forest litter.

Al--2 to 10 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) ashy coarse sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine, few medium and coarse roots; many very fine, fine, medium and coarse irregular pores; 10 percent fine gravel; neutral (pH 6.7); clear wavy boundary.

A2--10 to 19 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) fine gravelly ashy coarse sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine, few medium and coarse roots; many very fine, fine, medium and coarse irregular pores; 20 percent fine gravel; neutral (pH 6.7); clear wavy boundary. (combined A horizon - 10 to 20 inches thick)

Bw--19 to 33 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) fine gravelly ashy loamy coarse sand, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine and fine, few medium and coarse roots; many very fine, fine, medium and coarse irregular pores; 20 percent fine gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.2); gradual smooth boundary. (6 to 25 inches thick)

2C1--33 to 44 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) fine gravelly loamy coarse sand, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; single grain; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine, fine, medium and coarse roots; many very fine, fine, medium and coarse irregular pores; 25 percent fine gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.1); clear smooth boundary. (10 to 30 inches thick)

2C2--44 to 60 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) very gravelly loamy coarse sand, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; single grain; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine, fine, medium and coarse roots; common very fine, fine, medium and coarse irregular pores; 35 percent fine gravel; few distinct 2-5 mm wide dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) discontinuous lamellae; moderately acid (pH 6.0); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 20 inches thick)

2C3--60 to 66 inches; pale yellow (2.5Y 7/3) very gravelly coarse sand, light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) moist; single grain; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine, fine and medium roots; common very fine, fine and medium irregular pores; 50 percent gravel; few distinct 2-10 mm wide dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) discontinuous lamellae; moderately acid (pH 5.9).

TYPE LOCATION: Boise County, Idaho; about 3 miles northwest of Crouch; 2,050 feet north and 2,250 feet east of the southwest corner of section 5, T.9 N., R.4 E.; USGS Packer John Mountain Quadrangle; Latitude - 44 degrees, 08 minutes, 28 seconds N. and Longitude - 116 degrees, 00 minutes, 34 seconds W.; NAD 83.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Umbric epipedon thickness - 10 to 20 inches
Vitrandic feature thickness - 10 to 35 inches
Depth to bedrock - 60 inches or more
Particle-size control section - 2 to 7 percent clay; 10 to 35 percent rock fragments
Moisture control section - dry 45 to 75 consecutive days following the summer solstice
Average annual soil temperature - 41 to 46 degrees F.

A horizon
Value - 4 or 5 dry
Chroma - 2 through 4 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Rock fragments - 0 to 20 percent fine gravel
Reaction - slightly acid or neutral
Volcanic glass content - 5 to 20 percent
Acid oxalate extract Al+1/2 Fe - 0.4 to 1.0 percent

Bw (or AC) horizon
Value - 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma - 3 or 4 dry or moist
Texture - ASHY-SL, ASHY-COSL, ASHY-LS or ASHY-LCOS
Clay content - 3 to 8 percent
Rock fragments - 10 to 35 percent fine gravel
Reaction - moderately acid or slightly acid
Volcanic glass content - 2 to 10 percent
Acid oxalate extract Al+1/2 Fe - 0.2 to 1.0 percent

2C horizon
Hue - 10YR or 2.5Y
Value - 6 or 7 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma - 3 or 4 dry or moist
Texture - LS or LCOS
Clay content - 1 to 4 percent
Rock fragments - 10 to 35 percent gravel
Reaction - moderately acid or slightly acid

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Karamin and Orwig series. Karamin soils do not have an umbric epipedon and have 0 to 10 percent rock fragments in the particle-size control section. Orwig soils do not have an umbric epipedon and have E horizons less than 1 inch thick directly over a Bw horizon with 0 to 10 percent gravel.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Packerjohn soils are on mountain slopes and ridges at elevations of 3,200 to7,000 feet. These soils formed in colluvium from granitic rocks mixed with volcanic ash in the upper part. Slopes range from 4 to 90 percent. The average annual precipitation is 26 to 36 inches. The average annual temperature is 39 to 44 degrees F. The frost-free period is 60 to 90 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Pajo, Shirts and Tripod soils. Pajo and Tripod soils are sandy-skeletal. Shirts soils are coarse-loamy and moderately deep. These soils are on similar geomorphic positions.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Excessively drained; slow to rapid runoff; rapid permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: Packerjohn soils are used mainly for timber production and wildlife habitat. Native vegetation is grand fir, Douglas-fir, ponderosa pine, mountain maple, mallow ninebark, white spirea and thinleaf (blue) huckleberry.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: West-central Idaho. MLRA 43B. Packerjohn soils are not extensive.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Boise County Area, Idaho, Parts of Ada and Boise Counties, 2005.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon:
Umbric epipedon - zone from the mineral soil surface to 19 inches (Al and A2 horizons)
Vitrandic feature - zone from mineral surface to 33 inches (A1, A2 and Bw horizons)
Particle-size control section - zone from 12 to 42 inches
Soil moisture regime - xeric

All depths related to diagnostic horizons and features listed in the range of characteristics are from the top of the first mineral horizon.

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.