LOCATION SLIGHTS IDEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic Vertic Argicryolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Slights loam, rangeland; on a 10 percent east-facing slope at an elevation of 6,880 feet. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
A--0 to 5 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; moderate fine granular structure; soft, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine, and few medium and coarse roots; common fine interstial pores; 5 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.0); clear smooth boundary. (4 to 6 inches thick)
AB--5 to 12 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; soft, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine, and few medium and coarse roots; common fine interstial pores; 5 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.0); clear smooth boundary. (7 to 10 inches thick)
Bt1--12 to 20 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) silty clay loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; strong medium angular blocky structure; hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine and fine and few medium roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; common distinct, continuous clay films on faces of peds and in pores; 10 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.8); clear smooth boundary. (5 to 9 inches thick)
Bt2--20 to 39 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) silty clay, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; strong medium prismatic structure parting to strong fine and medium angular blocky; very hard, very firm, very sticky and very plastic; few very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; common distinct, continuous clay films on faces of peds and in pores; 10 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.8); clear wavy boundary. (13 to 20 inches thick)
Bt3--39 to 60 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) silty clay, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; strong medium and coarse prismatic structure; very hard, very firm, very sticky and very plastic; few very fine roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; common distinct, continuous clay films on faces of peds and in pores; 10 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.8).
TYPE LOCATION: Bear Lake County, Idaho; about 3 miles west of Bennington, Idaho; 1,550 feet east and 265 feet north of the southwest corner of section 12, T. 12 S., R. 43 E. (Latitude 42 degrees, 23 minutes, 14.6 seconds N.; Longitude 111 degrees, 22 minutes, 47.5 seconds W.)
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture control section - usually moist, dry in all parts for 45 consecutive days or more in the four months following the summer solstice. Xeric moisture regime.
Thickness of mollic epipedon; pachic - 16 to 25 inches;
Mean annual soil temperature - 39 to 42 degrees F.
Mean annual summer soil temperature - 54 to 59 degrees F. cryic soil temperature regime.
Particle-size control section
Clay content - 35 to 50 percent
Rock fragments - 3 to 10 percent
A and AB horizons
Value - 3 or 4 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Textures - loam, silt loam
Clay content - 18 to 22 percent
Rock fragments - 0 to 10 percent gravel
Bt1 horizon
Value - 3 or 4 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Textures - silty clay loam, silty clay, clay
Clay content - 35 to 50 percent
Rock fragments - 0 to 10 percent gravel
Bt2 and Bt3 horizons
Value - 4 or 5 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma - 3 or 4 dry or moist
Textures - silty clay, clay
Clay content - 40 to 55 percent
Rock fragments - 0 to 10 percent gravel
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Beaverdam, Buckskin, Cimarron, Cucharas, Gillum, Gourley, Hairpin, Heathcoat, Helmet, Savar, Sudduth, Sudpeak, Toponce, Wetopa, and Youman series. Beaverdam soils have a mollic epipedon less than 16 inches thick and a udic moisture regime. Buckskin soils have a mollic epipedon less than 16 inches thick. Cimarron soils have a mollic epipedon less than 16 inches thick and an ustic moisture regime. Cucharas soils are moderately deep to a paralithic contact. Gillum soils have an E horizon and horizons of calcium carbonate accumulation. Gourley, Savar, and Heathcoat soils have horizons of calcium carbonate accumulation. Hairpin soils have a Bt/E horizon. Helmet soils have a udic moisture regime and a mollic epipedon less than 16 inches thick. Sudduth soils have a 2B/E horizon and carbonates at 40 to 60 inches. Sudpeak soils have a water table at 3 to 6 feet. Toponce soils have an udic moisture regime. Wetpoa soils have 7.5YR and 5Y colors. Youman soils have carbonates at 40 to 60 inches and 5YR and 10R hues in the control section.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform: Basins and on hill and mountain slopes
Elevation: 5,850 to 7,850 feet
Slope: 2 to 40 percent
Parent Material: clayey alluvium with loess in the upper part
Climate: long, cool winters; dry, warm summers
Mean annual precipitation: 15 to 24 inches
Mean annual temperature: 37 to 41 degrees F.
Frost-free season: 50 to 70 days
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Dranburn, Streek, and Swanpeak soils. Dranburn soils are fine-loamy with aspen canopy on concave north aspects. Streek and Swanpeak soils have a frigid soil temperature regime on west and south aspects and north aspects at lower elevations.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained, very slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used mainly for wildlife habitat and rangeland. The dominant native vegetation is mountain big sagebrush, snowberry, serviceberry, Idaho fescue, bluebunch wheatgrass, bluegrass, buckwheat.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southeastern Idaho. The soils are of small extent. MLRA 13, 43B and 47.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Bear Lake County, Idaho, 2008.
REMARKS: Depths to diagnostic horizons and features start from the mineral soil surface. Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in his pedon are:
Mollic epipedon: the zone from 0 to 20 inches (A, AB, and Bt1 horizons)
Argillic horizon: the zone from 12 to 60 inches (Bt1, Bt2, and Bt3 horizons)
The upper 40 inches of the profile has a linear extensibility of 6 centimeters or more.
This draft reflects a change in the series type location. The map unit at the original type location in Section 9 T14S R43E does not contain Slights as a component.