LOCATION WOSPRING IDTentative Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, carbonatic, frigid Typic Endoaquolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Wospring loam, 1 percent slope, in a meadow at 1887 meters. When described on August 14, 1992 the soil was moist to 114 cm and saturated below. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
Oi--0 to 3 cm; live and slightly decomposed roots with about 10 percent mineral material; clear smooth boundary. (3 to 10 cm thick)
A1--3 to 8 cm; light gray (10YR 7/2) loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; moderate very fine and fine granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine roots; many very fine irregular pores; 70 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; violently effervescent; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); clear smooth boundary.
A2--8 to 28 cm; light gray (10YR 7/2) loam, grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) moist; moderate medium and coarse subangular blocky structure parting to strong very fine and fine granular; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine, common fine and few medium roots; many very fine irregular and tubular pores; 75 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); abrupt smooth boundary. (combined thickness of A horizons 10 to 51 cm)
AB--28 to 64 cm; pale yellow (2.5Y 8/2) very fine sandy loam, light gray (2.5Y 7/2) moist; weak medium and coarse subangular blocky structure parting to moderate very fine and fine granular; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine, few fine and medium roots; common very fine irregular and tubular pores; 75 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 36 cm thick)
Bg1--64 to 145 cm; pale yellow (2.5Y 8/2) very fine sandy loam, light gray (2.5Y 7/2) moist; 15 percent very coarse and coarse distinct pale yellow (2.5Y 7/4) moist iron masses throughout and 15 percent coarse white (2.5Y 8/1) moist iron depletions throughout; massive; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and few fine roots; common very fine irregular and tubular pores; 80 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2). (46 to 81 cm thick)
Bg2--145 to 160 cm; pale yellow (2.5Y 8/2) very fine sandy loam, light gray (2.5Y 7/2) moist; 15 percent very coarse and coarse distinct pale yellow (2.5Y 7/4) moist iron masses throughout and 15 percent coarse white (2.5Y 8/1) moist iron depletions throughout; massive; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine and fine roots; common very fine irregular and tubular pores; 75 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2).
TYPE LOCATION: Caribou County, Idaho; about 14.5 kilometers north of Soda Springs; 155 meters north and 645 meters west of the southeast corner of section 28, T. 7S., R. 42E.; China Hat, USGS topographic quadrangle; latitude, 42 degrees 46 minutes 50.6 seconds north and longitude, 111 degrees 33 minutes 08.2 seconds west, NAD 83.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mean annual soil temperature: 3.3 to 5.6 degrees C.
Mean summer soil temperature: 15.0 to 18.3 degrees C.
Thickness of mollic epipedon: 25 to 50 cm.
Depth to water table: 0 to 46 cm, December through July
Particle-size control section:
Clay content: averages 7 to 14 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 70 to 85 percent
Oi horizon:
Live and slightly decomposed roots, with about 10 to 15 percent mineral material.
A horizons:
Hue: 2.5Y or 10YR
Value: 5 to 7 dry, 4 to 6 moist
Chroma: 1 to 3 dry, 2 to 4 moist
Reaction: slightly or moderately alkaline
AB horizon:
Hue: 2.5Y or 10YR
Value: 6 to 8 dry, 4 to 7 moist
Chroma: 2 to 3 dry or moist
Bg horizons:
Hue: 2.5Y or 10YR
Value: 6 to 8 dry, 4 to 8 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3 dry or moist
Texture: VFSL, FSL, or SL
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series at this time.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landscape: Valleys
Landform: Travertine terraces
Elevation: 1765 to 1905 meters
Slope: 0 to 3 percent
Parent material: Residuum from travertine
Mean annual air temperature: 2.2 to 4.4 degrees C
Mean annual precipitation: 400 to 500 millimeters
Frost free period: 60 to 90 days
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Formation(T), Foundem, Lostine, Vertine(T) and Wover (T) series. Formation soils are well drained and are on adjacent travertine terraces and old drainageways. Foundem, and Lostine soils are well drained, and are on south and west-facing convex slopes on loess covered basalt plains. Vertine soils are moderately deep to cemented travertine layers, and are above Wospring soils on travertine terraces. Wover soils have a histic epipedon and are found on travertine terraces adjacent to Wospring soils.
DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY:
Drainage class: Poorly drained
Runoff: Very low and low
Saturated hydraulic conductivity: Moderately high
USE AND VEGETATION:
Major uses: Nonirrigated pasture
Vegetation: Mainly shrubby cinquefoil and sedges
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southeastern Idaho; MLRA 13. The soils are of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES PROPOSED: Caribou County, Idaho; 2010
REMARKS: Diagnostic properties recognized in the typical pedon are:
Mollic epipedon: from a depth of 3 to 28 cm; this pedon meets mollic criteria by having a fine-earth fraction that has a calcium carbonate equivalent of 40 percent or more and a color value, moist of 5 or less;
Particle-size control section: from a depth of 25 to 100 cm
Soil temperature regime: Frigid
Soil moisture regime: Xeric
Carbonatic mineralogy: particle-size control section averages greater than 40 percent calcium carbonate equivalent