LOCATION BAHEM IDEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-silty, mixed, superactive, mesic Xeric Haplocalcids
TYPICAL PEDON: Bahem silt loam - cultivated. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
Ap--0 to 7 inches; light gray (10YR 7/2) silt loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; weak thin platy structure in the upper 3 inches, weak very fine granular below; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many fine and very fine roots; many very fine and fine tubular pores; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); clear smooth boundary. (7 to 20 inches thick)
Bk1--7 to 15 inches; light gray (10YR 7/2) silt loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; weak very fine granular structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine and very fine roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); gradual wavy boundary.
Bk2--15 to 34 inches; light gray (10YR 7/2) silt loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine and fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; few firm nodules of soil material or cicada krotovinas; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.3); gradual smooth boundary. (Combined thickness is 20 to 50 inches.)
C1--34 to 48 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) very fine sandy loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine and fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; few soft nodules or cicada krotovinas; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.3); gradual smooth boundary. (0 to 15 inches thick)
2C2--48 to 60 inches; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) fine sandy loam, dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine roots; many very fine pores; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.3).
TYPE LOCATION: Owyhee County, Idaho; about 4 miles southwest of Homedale on a level terrace at 2,375 feet elevation; 2,340 feet west and 400 feet north of the southeast corner of section 14, T. 3 N., R. 6 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Average annual soil temperature - 48 to 54 degrees F.
Control section texture - SI, SIL, VFSL (8 to 18 percent clay, 5 to 15 percent carbonate clay, 3 to 10 percent carbonate free clay)
Depth to calcic horizon - 7 to 20 inches
Depth to bedrock - more than 60 inches
Electrical conductivity - less than 8 mmhos per cm
A horizon
Hue - 10YR or 2.5Y
Value - 5 to 7 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma - 2 or 3 dry or moist
Reaction - slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline
Bk or Bkq horizons
Hue - 10YR or 2.5Y
Value - 6 through 8 dry, 4 through 6 moist
Chroma - 1 through 4 dry or moist
Nodules or krotovina - 0 to 15 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent - 10 to 30 percent
Texture - SIL, VFSL
Reaction - slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline
C horizons
Hue - 10YR or 2.5Y
Value - 6 or 7 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma - 2 to 4
Texture - SI, SIL, FSL, VFSL, LVFS - some pedons have textures of CBX-S or STX-S below depths of 49 inches
Reaction - moderately alkaline to strongly alkaline
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Barrymore, Bram, Idahome, Nyssaton, Pogal, and Portino series. Bram soils are somewhat poorly drained. Idahome soils have greater than 8 mmhos per cm of salinity in their Bk horizons. Nyssaton soils have stratified lake sediments at a depth of 15 to 40 inches. Pogal soils have more than 40 percent exchangeable sodium within a depth of 30 inches and are greater than 20 inches deep to a calcic horizon. Barrymore and Portino soils have basalt at a depth of 20 to 40 inches.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Bahem soils are on terraces, basalt plains, buttes, and hillsides. Slopes range from 0 to 50 percent and are dominantly less than 8 percent. They formed in loess or silty alluvium. Elevation ranges from 2,000 to 5,000 feet. The average annual precipitation ranges from 7 to 12 inches, and the average annual temperature ranges from 46 to 52 degrees F. The frost-free period is about 100 to 170 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Broncho, Broxon, Minidoka, Pocatello, Portneuf, Scism, and Turbyfill soils. Broncho soils are sandy-skeletal and have a noncalcareous surface layer. Broxon soils have strongly contrasting textural control sections. Minidoka soils have an indurated duripan at a depth of 20 to 40 inches. Pocatello soils lack a calcic horizon. Portneuf soils have greater than 20 percent durinodes within the control section. Scism soils have a weak duripan at a depth of 20 to 40 inches. Turbyfill soils are coarse-loamy and lack calcic horizons. Broncho soils are on terrace breaks. Broxon soils are on similar landscapes in areas of thinner surface deposits over sandy or gravelly material. Pocatello soils are on similar landscapes as Bahem and south-facing slopes. Minidoka, Portneuf, and Scism soils are in higher positions on older landforms. Turbyfill soils are on similar landscapes in areas of more sandy parent material.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained, slow through very rapid runoff; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used primarily for irrigated cropland. The potential natural vegetation is mainly Wyoming big sagebrush and Thurber needlegrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southern Idaho. The series is moderately extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Owyhee County, Idaho, 1973.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and other features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon
Calcic horizon - the zone from 7 to 34 inches (Bk1 and Bk2 horizons)
Particle-size control section - the zone from 10 to 40 inches