LOCATION VALMAR IDEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, frigid Typic Argixerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Valmar very cobbly silt loam on 47 percent south-facing slopes at an elevation of 5,500 feet in rangeland. (Colors are for dry soils unless otherwise noted. When described on June 29, 1978, the soil was moist throughout.)
A--0 to 4 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) very cobbly silt loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure parting to weak fine granular; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and few fine roots; many very fine interstitial pores; about 15 percent pebbles, 20 percent cobbles, and 5 percent stones; neutral (pH 7.3); clear smooth boundary. (3 to 9 inches thick)
BA--4 to 9 inches; brown (10 YR 5/3) very cobbly silt loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure parting to weak fine granular; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and few fine roots; many very fine interstitial pores; about 25 percent pebbles, 20 percent cobbles, and 5 percent stones; neutral (pH 7.3); clear smooth boundary. (4 to 13 inches thick)
Bt--9 to 14 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) very cobbly silt loam; dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist; moderate medium and fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and few fine roots; many very fine interstitial and few very fine tubular pores; few thin clay films in pores and on faces of peds; about 25 percent pebbles, 20 percent cobbles and 5 percent stones; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); abrupt irregular boundary. (5 to 10 inches thick)
BC--14 to 24 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) extremely stony silt loam; dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist; moderate medium and fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine and very fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; about 5 percent pebbles, 5 percent cobbles, and 75 percent stones; soil material and roots are restricted to vertical and horizontal fractures through the weathered rock; few thin lime coats on stones; slightly alkaline (pH 7.7); abrupt irregular boundary. (1 to 10 inches thick)
R--24 inches; quartzite bedrock.
TYPE LOCATION: Bannock County, Idaho; about 1 1/2 miles southwest of Pocatello; 1,560 feet east and 629 feet south of the northwest corner, sec. 4, T. 7 S., R. 34 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Depth to bedrock - 20 to 40 inches
Thickness of solum - 20 to 40 inches
Average annual soil temperature - 41 to 47 degrees F
Thickness of mollic epipedon - 9 to 16 inches
A horizon
Color value, dry - 4 or 5
Value, moist - 2 or 3
Chroma, moist or dry - 2 or 3
Reaction - slightly acid to neutral
B horizon
Color value, dry - 4 to 6
Value, moist - 2 to 4
Chroma, dry or moist - 2 to 4
Clay content - 20 to 27 percent
Texture - very stony, very cobbly, extremely stony, or extremely flaggy silt loam
Rock fragments - 50 to 85 percent
Reaction - neutral to mildly alkaline
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Brunzell (T), Homes, Horrocks, Hoskin, Howcan (T), Stemilt, and Vitale (T) series. Brunzell (T), Holmes, Horrocks, Howcan (T), and Stemilt soils are greater than 40 inches to bedrock. Hoskin soils have C horizons and color hues in the A and B horizons of 7,5YR or redder. The Vitale soils have less silt and more sand coarser than very fine sand in the control section, and the rock fragments in the B horizon.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Valmar soils are on mountainsides and have slopes of 20 to 80 percent. They formed in residuum, alluvium, and colluvium derived from quartzite and other related metasedimentary rocks. Elevations are 4,500 to 7,000 feet. Average annual precipitation is 16 to 20 inches. Average annual temperature is 39 to 45 degrees F. Frost-free season is about 70 to 100 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Cedarhill (T), Camelback (T), Hades, Hondoho, Ireland (T), Moonlight (T), and Watercanyon (T) soils. Cedarhil soils are on landscapes similar to Valmar but in areas associated with limestone and dolomite. Camelback, Hades and Moonlight soils are pachic and are on lower concave positions on the slopes where associated with Valmar. Hondoho and Watercanyon soils are on fan terraces where associated with Valmar soils. Hondoho soils have calcic horizons. The Watercanyon soils are coarse-silty, deeper than 60 inches and are calcareous to the surface. Moonlight soils are coarse-loamy and pachic and are on north and east-facing concave slopes where associated with Valmar soils.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; very rapid runoff; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used for rangeland and wildlife habitat. Vegetation is mountain big sagebrush, bluebunch wheatgrass, Nevada bluegrass, western snowberry, lupine, and cutleaf balsamroot.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Mountain areas of southeastern Idaho. The series is of modertate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Bannock County, Idaho, 1983
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizon and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - the zone from the soil surface to 9 inches (A and BA horizons)
Argillic horizon - the zone from 9 to 14 inches (Bt horizon)
Particle-size control section - the zone from 9 to 14 inches (Bt horizon)
Lithic contact - hard bedrock at 24 inches