LOCATION BELLSLAKE               ID

Established Series
Rev. CJW-RL-RJS
06/2016

BELLSLAKE SERIES

The Bellslake series consists of very deep, very poorly drained soils on flood plains. They formed in material weathered from alluvium and organic material. Permeability is moderate. Slope ranges from 0 to 1 percent. The average annual air temperature is about 45 degrees F and the average annual precipitation is about 30 inches.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-silty, mixed, superactive, nonacid, frigid Aquandic Humaquepts

TYPICAL PEDON: Bellslake ashy silt loam, pasture; on a concave slope of 0.5 percent at 2,130 feet elevation. When described on October 14, 1982, the soil was saturated throughout. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated).

Ag1--0 to 5 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) ashy silt loam, very dark grayish brown (2.5Y 3/2) moist; common fine and medium distinct and prominent dark gray (5Y 4/1) moist redox depletions and dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist redox concentrations; moderate very fine and fine granular structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine, fine, and medium roots; many very fine and fine tubular pores; common very fine and fine mica flakes; moderately acid (pH 6.0); abrupt wavy boundary.

Ag2--5 to 9 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) ashy silt loam, very dark grayish brown (2.5Y 3/2) moist; common fine and medium distinct and prominent dark gray (5Y 4/1) moist redox depletions and dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist redox concentrations; weak very fine and fine granular structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine, fine and medium roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; common very fine and fine mica flakes; moderately acid (pH 6.0); abrupt wavy boundary. (combined thickness of the Ag horizon is 7 to 15 inches)

Agb--9 to 12 inches; mixed grayish brown (10YR 5/2) and dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) mucky silt loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) and very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; few fine and medium distinct dark olive gray (5Y 3/2) moist redox depletions and dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist redox concentrations; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure parting to weak very fine and fine granular; soft, very friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; common very fine, fine and medium roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; common very fine and fine mica flakes; 20 percent organic matter; moderately acid (pH 6.0); abrupt wavy boundary. (3 to 12 inches thick)

Bgb--12 to 27 inches; mixed light gray (2.5Y 7/2) and light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) silt loam, grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) and dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) moist; common fine and medium faint very dark grayish brown (2.5Y 3/2) moist redox depletions and few fine prominent dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist redox concentrations; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine and fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; many large black (N 2.5/) moist organic stains; common very fine and fine mica flakes; moderately acid (pH 6.0); clear wavy boundary. (12 to 16 inches thick)

Agb'--27 to 38 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) silt loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; common fine and medium distinct dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) moist redox depletions; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; common fine and medium black (N 2.5/) moist organic stains; common very fine and fine mica flakes; moderately acid (pH 6.0); abrupt wavy boundary. (0 to 12 inches thick)

Oa--38 to 42 inches; muck (sapric material) that is very dark brown (10YR 2/2) on broken face and when rubbed; common fine faint very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist redox depletions and dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist redox concentrations; about 50 percent primarily herbaceous fibers, about 5 percent after rubbing; massive; slightly plastic; about 40 percent mineral material; moderately acid (pH 6.0); abrupt wavy boundary. (4 to 15 inches thick)

Oe--42 to 60 inches; mucky peat (hemic material) that is dark gray (10YR 4/1) on broken face and when rubbed; about 80 percent primarily herbaceous fibers, about 50 percent after rubbing; massive; about 10 percent mineral material; moderately acid (pH 6.0).

TYPE LOCATION: Benewah County, Idaho; about 3 miles northeast of St. Maries, about 2300 feet west and 1000 feet south of the northeast corner of section 18, T.46 N., R.1 W. Latitude - 47 degrees, 20 minutes, 21 seconds N, Longitude - 116 degrees, 30 minutes, 37 seconds W; NAD 83; USGS St. Maries quadrangle.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Depth to seasonal high water table - +12 to 18 inches - October to August 0 to 48 inches (January to December) drained
Umbric epipedon thickness - 10 to 20 inches
Depth to bedrock - >60 inches
Solum thickness - 30 to 48 inches
Volcanic glass content in the 0.02 to 2 mm fraction - 5 to 20 percent (estimated)
Acid-oxalate extractable Al + 1/2 Fe - 0.4 to 1.0 percent (estimated)
Moist bulk density - 1.0 to 1.2 g/cc (estimated)
Moisture control section - moist or saturated most of the time
Average annual soil temperature - 42 to 46 degrees F
Average summer soil temperature - 55 to 57 degrees F without an O horizon and saturated

Ag horizon and Ap horizon when present
Hue - 5Y, 2.5Y, 10YR
Value - 5 or 6 dry and 2 to 4 moist
Chroma - 0 to 2 dry or moist
Redox features - faint to prominent, hue 5Y, 2.5Y, 10YR, or 7.5YR,value 2 to 4 moist, chroma 0 to 6 moist
Textures - ashy silt loam, mucky silt loam, mucky ashy silt loam, stratified mucky ashy silt loam to very fine sandy loam
Clay content - 8 to 12 percent
Thin discontinuous layers of fine sandy loam - present in some pedons
Base saturation - 35 to 50 percent
Reaction - strongly acid or slightly acid

Agb horizon
Value - 4 to 6 dry and 2 to 4 moist
Chroma - 1 or 2 dry or moist
Redox features - faint to prominent, hue 5Y, 2.5Y, 10YR, 7.5YR,
value - 3 to 5 moist, chroma - 0 to 6 moist
Texture - silt loam, mucky silt loam
Clay content - 8 to 18 percent
Base saturation - 35 to 50 percent
Reaction - strongly acid or slightly

Bgb horizon
Hue - 5Y, 2.5Y, or 10YR
Value - 6 or 7 dry and 3 to 5 moist
Chroma - 1 or 2 dry or moist
Clay content - 8 to 18 percent
Redox features - faint to prominent, hue 2.5Y, 10YR, or 7.5YR,
Value - 2 to 4 moist
Chroma - 0 to 6 moist
Textures - mucky silt loam, ashy silt loam, silt loam, mucky ashy silt loam
Reaction - strongly acid or slightly acid

Oa and Oe horizons
Hue - 7.5YR or 10YR
Value - 2 or 3 rubbed
Chroma - 1 or 2 broken face and rubbed
Texture - muck or mucky peat
Reaction - strongly acid to slightly acid

Oa/Agb horizons are present in some pedons.

COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Bellslake soils are in basins on flood plains and in depressions of low stream terraces. Slopes range from 0 to 3 percent. These soils formed in material weathered from alluvium and organic material. Elevations range from 1,820 to 2,190 feet. The average annual air temperature ranges from 42 to 46 degrees F, average annual precipitation is 20 to 32 inches, and the frost-free season is from 80 to 120 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Miesen and Ramsdell soils. Miesen soils are on higher positions of flood plains, and are somewhat poorly drained and lack organic layers. Ramsdell soils are on adjacent positions of flood plains and lack organic layers.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: very poorly drained; ponded (no runoff); moderate permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for hay and pasture, wetland wildlife habitat, and recreation. Potential natural vegetation is mainly sedges, rush, cattails, quackgrass, reed canarygrass, iris, Douglas hawthorn, thinleaf alder, and Pacific willow.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northern Idaho; MLRA 44. This soil is not extensive.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana

SERIES ESTABLISHED: St. Joe Area, Shoshone County, Idaho, 1993.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Umbric epipedon - the zone from the surface to 12 inches (Ag1, Ag2, and Agb horizons)
Cambic horizon - the zone from 12 to 27 inches (Bgb horizon)
Particle-size control section - the zone from 10 to 40 inches (part of Agb1, Bgb, Agb2, and part of Oa horizon)

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.