LOCATION TREEMOLD IDEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Ashy-skeletal, glassy, frigid Lithic Vitrixerands
TYPICAL PEDON: Treemold very gravelly ashy loam; rangeland; on a 2 percent east facing slopes at 6,300 feet elevation with dwarf buckwheat, mountain big sagebrush and bluebunch wheatgrass. When described on Oct 30, 1997, the soil was moist through out. (Color is for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A--0 to 2 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) very gravelly ashy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate fine granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; 40 percent gravel size basalt; slightly acid (pH 6.2); clear smooth boundary. (1 to 4 inches thick)
Bw--2 to 9 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) very gravelly ashy sandy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine roots; many very fine and fine tubular pores; 45 percent gravel size basalt; slightly acid (pH 6.4); gradual wavy boundary. (3 to 7 inches thick)
2R--9 inches; basalt with vertical fractures 0.5 to 2.0 mm wide (1 to 3 meters apart) with B material in fractures.
TYPE LOCATION: Butte County, Idaho; about 1 mile south of the Craters of the Moon Visitor's Center; about 17 miles west of Arco, Idaho; 800 feet east and 1,100 feet north of the southwest corner of section. 23, T. 2 N., R. 24 E. (Latitude - 43 degrees, 29minutes, 03 seconds north Longitude - 113 degrees, 34 minutes, 17 seconds west)
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
The moisture control section is dry throughout for 100 to 120 days
Average annual soil temperature - 42 to 47 degrees F
Depth to basalt - 4 to 10 inches
Andic soil properties Phosphate retention - 25 to 50 percent.
Acid oxalate aluminum plus one-half the acid oxalate iron is 0.4-1.0
15-bar water dry is 5 to 12 and moist is 10 to 20 percent
Glass content is 30 to 50 percent
A horizons
Value - 4 or 5 dry
Chroma - 2 through 4 moist or dry
Bw horizons
Hue - 10YR or 7.5YR
Value - 4 through 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma - 4 through 6 dry or moist
Texture - GRV-L and GRV-SL
Rock fragment content - 35 to 45 percent gravel size basalt
Field estimated clay content - 10 to 26 percent
COMPETING SERIES: This is the Henkle Series; Henkle soils are 10 to 20 inches deep to bedrock.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Treemold soils are on recent basalt plains and associated with recent lava flows. Slopes range from 2 to 15 percent. Elevations of 4,600 to 6,000 feet. The soils formed in wind deposited ash and cinders. The average annual precipitation ranges from 14 to 18 inches. The average annual air temperature is about 40 to 45 degrees F. The frost free season is 60 to 90 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: This is the silentcone soil and lava flows. The Silentcone soils are moderately deep to bedrock.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; Rapid runoff. Moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used primarily for range and wildlife habitat. Vegetation is mainly dwarf buckwheat, mountain big sagebrush and bluebunch wheatgrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southeast Idaho. These soils are of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Craters of the Moon Area, Idaho, 1999
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this soil are:
Andic soil properties - 0 to 9 inches.
Particle size control section - the zone from 0 to 9 inches