LOCATION ACKELTON           ID
Established Series
Rev. MEJ/CLM
03/1999

ACKELTON SERIES


The Ackelton series consists of deep to a duripan, well drained soils on basalt plains and buttes that formed in eolian deposits reworked by water. Slopes are 0 to 8 percent. Average annual temperature is 49 degrees F., and average annual precipitation is about 10 inches.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Xeric Calciargids

TYPICAL PEDON: Ackelton loamy fine sand, cropland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)

Ap1--0 to 8 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) loamy fine sand, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; single grain; loose; common very fine and fine roots; many very fine and few fine irregular pores; neutral (pH 7.1); clear smooth boundary. (4 to 8 inches thick)

Ap2--8 to 14 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) fine sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak very fine, fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and few fine roots; many very fine and few fine irregular pores; neutral (pH 7.2); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 8 inches thick)

BA--14 to 19 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) fine sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak very fine and fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine and fine roots; many very fine and few fine irregular pores; neutral (pH 7.0); gradual wavy boundary. (1 to 6 inches thick)

Bt1--19 to 26 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) sandy clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; weak fine, medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots; common very fine and few fine tubular and common very fine irregular pores; few faint clay films bridging sand grains; neutral (pH 6.9); gradual wavy boundary. (8 to 11 inches thick)

Bt2--26 to 34 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) sandy clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; moderate fine, medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; very hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots; common very fine and few fine tubular and few very fine irregular pores; few faint clay films lining pores and as bridging between sand grains; neutral (pH 7.3); abrupt wavy boundary. (6 to 10 inches thick)

Bk1--34 to 37 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) sandy clay loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots; many very fine and common fine tubular and few very fine irregular pores; strongly effervescent (about 20 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); disseminated lime; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); clear wavy boundary. (3 to 9 inches thick)

2Bk2--37 to 44 inches; very pale brown (10YR 8/3) loam, very pale brown (10YR 7/3) moist; massive; very hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots; common very fine and few fine tubular and few very fine irregular pores; violently effervescent (about 30 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); disseminated lime; slightly alkaline (pH 7.7); abrupt wavy boundary. (3 to 10 inches thick)

2Bkq--44 to 53 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/4) loam, light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) moist; massive; very hard, firm and brittle, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots; common very fine and few fine tubular and few very fine irregular pores; violently effervescent (about 30 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); disseminated lime; slightly alkaline (pH 7.7); abrupt wavy boundary. (0 to 10 inches thick)

2Bkqm--53 to 62 inches; very pale brown (10YR 8/3) indurated duripan, very pale brown (10YR 7/4) moist; continuous laminar cap; violently effervescent; gradual wavy boundary. (6 to 14 inches thick)

3Bkq--62 to 76 inches; very pale brown (10YR 8/3) loamy very fine sand, light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) moist; massive; extremely hard, 65 percent firm and brittle and 35 percent extremely firm and brittle, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and few fine tubular pores; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4).

TYPE LOCATION: Gooding County, Idaho; about 5 miles south and 1.5 miles west of Wendell; about 600 feet east and 900 feet south of the northwest corner of Sec 32, T8S, R15E; Lat. 42 degrees, 42 minutes, 53 seconds north, Long. 114 degrees, 44 minutes, 15 seconds west.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:

Soil moisture - moist in winter and spring, dry in summer and fall Combined thickness of A and Bt horizons - 20 to 40 inches
Reaction - neutral to moderately alkaline
Depth to duripan - 43 to 58 inches
Depth to secondary calcium carbonate - 25 to 38 inches
Average annual soil temperature - 50 to 53 degrees F.

Particle-size control section
Clay content - 18 to 27 percent
Sand content - 45 to 70 percent
Rock fragments - 0 to 15 percent gravel and cobbles

Ap horizons
Value - 5 or 6 dry, 3 to 5 moist
Chroma - 2 or 3 dry or moist

BA horizon
Value - 5 or 6 dry, 3 to 5 moist
Chroma - 3 or 4 dry or moist
Texture - FSL, LFS, or SL

Bt horizons
Value - 5 or 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma - 3 or 4 dry or moist
Texture - SCL, FSL or L
Clay content - 18 to 27 percent

Bk horizons
Value - 5 or 6 dry, 4 to 6 moist
Chroma - 3 or 4 dry or moist
Texture - SCL, FSL, L or SL

2 Bk and 2Bkq horizons
Hue - 7.5YR or 10YR
Value - 7 or 8 dry, 5 to 7 moist
Chroma - 3 or 4 dry or moist
Texture - L, SL, FSL
Clay - 10 to 20 percent

2Bkqm horizon
Value - 6 to 8 dry, 4 to 7 moist
Chroma - 2 to 4 dry or moist
Thickness of laminar cap - 0.5 to 3mm
Distance between caps - 0.5 to 4 inches

3Bkq horizon
Value - 6 to 8 dry, 5 or 6 moist
Chroma - 3 or 4 dry or moist

COMPETING SERIES: Dixie, Paulville, Sevy and Woozle series. These soils lack a duripan below 40 inches.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Ackelton soils are on basalt plains and buttes. They formed in eolian material reworked by water. Slopes are 0 to 8 percent. Elevations are 3,200 to 4,200 feet. The average annual temperature is 48 to 51 degrees F., and the average annual precipitation is 9 to 11 inches. Frost-free season is 100 to 120 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: Ackelton soils occur in concave positions in complex with Wako and Wendell soils. Wendell soils are on convex positions, have a weak argillic horizon and are moderately deep to a thin duripan and bedrock. Wako soils are in concave positions on sideslopes, have a well-developed argillic horizon and are moderately deep to a thick duripan.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow runoff; moderate permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: Cropland and Rangeland. Some areas are cropped or used for homesite development. The potential native vegetation is principally Thurber needlegrass, Indian ricegrass and basin big sagebrush.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southcentral Idaho. Ackelton soils are of small extent.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Gooding County, Idaho, 1993.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:

Ochric epipedon - The zone from about 0 to 14 inches (Ap1 and Ap2)

Argillic horizon - The zone from about 19 to 34 inches (Bt1 and Bt2)

Calcic horizon - The zone from about 34 to 53 inches (Bk, 2Bkq1 and 2Bkq2)

Duripan- The zone from about 53 to 62 inches (2Bkqm)

Particle-size control section - The zone from about 19 to 34 inches (Bt1 and Bt2 horizons)


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.