LOCATION BEDKE IDEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Durinodic Xeric Calciargids
TYPICAL PEDON: Bedke silt loam, rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A1--0 to 4 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) silt loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate very fine granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine roots; neutral (pH 6.9); clear smooth boundary. (4 to 8 inches thick)
A2--4 to 8 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) silt loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine and medium roots; many very fine pores; mildly alkaline (pH 7.6); abrupt smooth boundary. (2 to 4 inches thick)
Bt--8 to 18 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) silty clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist; strong medium prismatic structure that parts to strong fine and medium subangular blocky structure; very hard, firm, sticky and plastic; common medium and very fine roots; common fine pores; thin continuous clay films on vertical and horizontal faces of peds and in pores; mildly alkaline (pH 7.8); clear smooth boundary. (4 to 10 inches thick)
Bk--18 to 21 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) silt loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine roots; root matting on faces of peds; common fine pores; common hard (cicada) krotovinas; slightly calcareous; strongly alkaline (pH 8.7); clear smooth boundary. (3 to 5 inches thick)
Bkq1--21 to 27 inches; very pale brown (10YR 8/3) loam, light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) moist; massive; very hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine roots; few fine pores; discontinuous silica cementation between many hard (cicada) krotovinas; strongly calcareous; strongly alkaline (pH 8.9); gradual smooth boundary. (4 to 9 inches thick)
Bkq2--27 to 37 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) loam, dark brown (10YR 4/3) moist; massive; hard, firm and very firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots; common fine pores; discontinuous silica cementation between common hard (cicada) krotovinas; slightly calcareous; strongly alkaline (pH 8.9); clear smooth boundary. (7 to 18 inches thick)
C--37 to 60 inches; light gray (10YR 7/2) loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots; common fine pores; strongly alkaline (pH 8.6).
TYPE LOCATION: Cassia County, Idaho; about 3 miles east and 5 miles south of Rock Creek; 1,050 feet west and 300 feet north of the SE corner of sec. 20, T.12S., R.19E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Mean annual soil temperature is about 47 to 52 degrees F.
The Ap or A horizon has value of 6 or 7 dry, 3 or 4 moist, and chroma of 2 to 4. It has weak platy or granular structure.
The Bt horizon has value of 4 through 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist and chroma of 3 or 4. It is silty clay loam or clay loam and has 27 to 35 percent clay. This horizon has moderate or strong prismatic to strong or moderate fine or medium subangular blocky structure.
The Bkq horizon has value of 6 to 8 dry, 4 to 6 moist, and chroma of 2 to 4. It is loam, coarse sandy loam, or sandy loam. This horizon has common to many cicada krotovinas which are weakly cemented by silica. The matrix has firm or very firm moist consistence.
The C horizon has value of 6 to 8 dry, 4 to 6 moist, and chroma of 2 to 4. It is loam, coarse sandy loam, or sandy loam.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Alley, Cath, Conklin, Honey, Nevador, and Wedertz series. Alley soils have 20 to 35 percent coarse fragments in the B2t horizon. Cath soils have an A&B, B&A, or A2 horizon. Conklin soils lack lime above depth of 40 inches. Honey soils are strongly alkaline throughout. Nevador and Wedertz soils have neutral sola.
GEOGRAPHICALLY SETTING: Bedke soils are on high terraces and alluvial fans and have gradients of 0 to 15 percent. They formed in material weathered from loess and mixed alluvium. Elevations are 4,500 to 6,000 feet. Mean annual precipitation is 12 to 14 inches. Frost-free season is about l00 to 120 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Neeley and Weeks soils. These soils lack argillic horizons.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow to medium runoff; moderately slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used for range and dryland wheat production. Vegetation is big sagebrush, tall gray rabbitbrush, bluebunch wheatgrass, and thickspike wheatgrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: South-central Idaho. The series is moderately extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Cassia County, Idaho, 1975.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and other features recognized in this pedon:
Ochric epipedon - the zone from 0 to 8 inches (A1 and A2 horizons
Argillic horizon and particle-size control section - the zone from 8 to 18 inches (Bt horizon)
Calcic horizon - the zone from 21 to 37 inches (Bkq1 and Bkq2 horizons)
"Durinodic" feature - the zone 21 to 37 inches (Bkq1 and Bkq2 horizons)
OSED scanned by SSQA. Classification and horizonation revised 3/2001.