LOCATION RICREST IDEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Calcic Pachic Haploxerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Ricrest stony loam - on a 32 percent north-facing mountain slope. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A1--0 to 4 inches; very dark gray (10YR 3/1) (very dark grayish brown, 10YR 3/2) crushed) stony loam, black (10YR 2/1) moist; moderate fine and medium granular structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; many fine and medium roots; many very fine interstitial pores; about 5 percent stones and cobbles; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); clear smooth boundary. (2 to 10 inches thick)
A2--4 to 9 inches; very dark gray (10YR 3/1) (dark gray, 10YR 4/1 crushed) loam, black (10YR 2/1) moist; moderate medium and coarse granular structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; common fine and medium roots; many very fine interstitial pores; few stones and cobbles; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 10 inches thick)
Bw1--9 to 15 inches; dark gray (10YR 4/1) light clay loam, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, sticky, plastic; common fine and medium roots; many very fine and fine tubular pores; about 5 percent gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 8 inches thick)
Bw2--15 to 23 inches; dark gray (10YR 4/1) (gray, 10YR 5/1 crushed) light clay loam, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, sticky plastic; common fine and medium roots; many very fine and fine tubular pores; about 10 percent limestone gravel, otherwise noncalcareous; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); abrupt wavy boundary. (0 to 10 inches thick)
Bk1--23 to 27 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) light clay loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; few very fine, fine, and medium roots; many very fine and fine tubular pores; about 15 percent limestone gravel; violently effervescent and few spots of lime; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); gradual wavy boundary. (3 to 10 inches thick)
Bk2--27 to 40 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) gravelly loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; few fine and medium roots; few very fine and fine tubular pores; about 25 percent gray (10YR 5/1) limestone gravel; slightly lime-coated on lower side; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); gradual wavy boundary. (8 to 16 inches thick)
Bk3--40 to 60 inches; light gray (10YR 7/2) gravelly loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; few fine and medium roots; many very fine and fine pores; about 40 percent gray limestone gravel, slightly lime-coated on lower half; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2).
TYPE LOCATION: Bingham County, Idaho; about 4 miles east of Alridge; 50 feet west and 20 feet north of center of section. 30, T. 2 S., R. 39 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Average annual soil temperature - 40 to 47 degrees F.
Particle-size control section - 18 to 27 percent clay
Thickness of mollic epipedon - 20 to 30 inches
Depth to calcareous material - 12 to 30 inches
A horizon
Value - 3 or 4 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma, dry or moist - 1 to 3
Reaction - neutral or mildly alkaline
Bw horizon
Value - 4 or 5 dry, 2 through 4 moist
Chroma, dry or moist - 1 through 3
Texture - CL, SIL, GR-SIL, L, GR-L, or GR-SCL
Bk horizon
Value - 5 through 7 dry, 3 through 5 moist
Chroma, dry or moist - 2 through 4
Calcium carbonate equivalent - 15 to 40 percent
Rock fragments - 15 to 60 percent
Texture (less than 2 mm) - SIL, L, CL, or SCL
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series in this family. The Pavohroo series is similar but is cryic and lacks a calcic horizon.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Ricrest soils are on foothills, mountainsides, and ridges. Slopes range from 8 to 80 percent. They formed in colluvium and alluvium from mixed sources but dominantly quartzite and limestone. Average annual precipitation ranges from 14 to 20 inches. Average annual temperature ranges from 39 to 46 degrees F. Frost-free season is about 50 to 100 days. Elevation ranges from 5,000 to 6,500 feet.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Cedarhill, Hymas, Ridgecrest, and Wahtigup soils. Cedarhill soils are loamy-skeletal and are calcareous to the surface. Hymas soils have limestone bedrock within 20 inches of the surface. Ridgecrest soils are loamy-skeletal and are moderately deep. Wahtigup soils are calcareous to the surface and are not pachic. Cedarhill soils are on south-facing mountain slopes. Hymas soils are on ridges. Ridgecrest soils are on convex mountain slopes. Wahtigup soils are on concave south-facing mountain slopes.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; medium through very rapid runoff; permeability is moderate.
USE AND VEGETATION: This Ricrest soil is used mainly for rangeland. The potential natural vegetation is mountain big sagebrush and bluebunch wheatgrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southeastern Idaho. This series is moderately extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Bingham County, Idaho, 1972.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Pachic mollic epipedon - the zone from the surface to 23 inches (A1, A2, Bw1, and Bw2 horizons)
Cambic horizon - the zone from 9 to 23 inches (Bw1 and Bw2 horizons)
Calcic horizon - the zone from 23 to 60 inches (Bk1, Bk2, and Bk3 horizons)