LOCATION BELSH IDEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy-skeletal, isotic Vitrixerandic Humicryepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Belsh fine gravelly ashy coarse sandy loam, forested -- on a north-facing slope of 55 percent at 6,500 feet elevation. When described on August 5, 1997, the soil moist throughout. (Colors are for air-dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
Oi--0 to 1 inch; slightly decomposed forest litter.
A--1 to 7 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) fine gravelly ashy coarse sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; many very fine, fine, medium and coarse roots; many very fine, fine and medium irregular pores; 5 percent cobbles, 10 percent gravel; moderately acid (pH 5.9); clear smooth boundary. (4 to 7 inches thick)
AB--7 to 15 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) fine gravelly ashy coarse sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; many very fine, fine, medium and coarse roots; many very fine, fine and medium irregular pores; 10 percent cobbles, 20 percent gravel; moderately acid (pH 5.8); clear smooth boundary. (3 to 14 inches thick)
2Bw--15 to 21 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) very cobbly coarse sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; many very fine, fine, medium and coarse roots; many very fine, fine and medium irregular pores; 5 percent stones, 25 percent cobbles, 25 percent gravel; moderately acid (pH 5.7); gradual wavy boundary. (6 to 16 inches thick)
2C1--21 to 37 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/4) extremely cobbly coarse sand, light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) moist; single grain; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine, fine, medium and coarse roots; many very fine, fine and medium irregular pores; 10 percent stones, 50 percent cobbles, 15 percent gravel; moderately acid (pH 5.8); clear smooth boundary. (12 to 16 inches thick)
2C2--37 to 60 inches; brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) very gravelly coarse sand, light olive brown (2.5Y 5/6) moist; single grain; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine, fine and medium roots; 40 percent fine gravel; moderately acid (pH 5.9).
TYPE LOCATION: Boise County, Idaho; about 8 miles east of Horseshoe Bend; 2,000 feet south and 550 feet west of the northeast corner of section 13, T.7 N., R.3 E.; USGS Harris Creek Summit Quadrangle; Latitude - 43 degrees, 56 minutes, 46 seconds N. and Longitude - 116 degrees, 02 minutes, 25 seconds W.; NAD 83.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Umbric epipedon thickness - 10 to 20 inches
Vitrandic properties thickness - 7 to 20 inches
Depth to skeletal material (2Bw horizon) - 10 to 20 inches
Depth to bedrock - greater than 60 inches
Reaction - moderately acid or slightly acid
Particle-size control section - 2 to 8 percent clay; 35 to 75 percent rock fragments
Moisture control section - dry 45 to 60 consecutive days in the four months following the summer solstice
Average annual soil temperature - 37 to 40 degrees F.
Average summer soil temperature - 44 to 46 degrees F.
A and AB horizons
Value - 3 through 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma - 2 or 3 dry or moist
Clay content - 4 to 10 percent
Rock fragments - 0 to 10 percent stones, 0 to 10 percent cobbles, 10 to 35 percent gravel and 15 to 35 percent total
Base saturation (NH4OAc) - 30 to 50 percent
Volcanic glass content - 5 to 10 percent
Acid oxalate extract Al+1/2 Fe - 0.4 to 1.0 percent
15-bar moisture (dried) - 8 to 12 percent
2Bw horizon
Hue - 10YR or 2.5Y
Value - 4 through 6 dry, 3 through 5 moist
Chroma - 3 or 4 dry or moist
Texture - COSL or LCOS
Clay content - 4 to 10 percent
Rock fragments - 0 to 30 percent stones, 0 to 35 percent cobbles, 15 to 50 percent gravel and 35 to 70 percent total
2C horizon
Hue - 10YR or 2.5Y
Value - 5 through 7 dry, 4 through 6 moist
Chroma - 3 through 6 dry or moist
Texture - COS or LCOS
Clay content - 2 to 5 percent
Rock fragments - 0 to 15 percent stones, 0 to 50 percent cobbles, 15 to 50 percent gravel and 35 to 80 percent total
COMPETING SERIES: This is the Montchief series. The Montchief soils are 20 to 40 inches deep to bedrock.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Belsh soils are on canyon walls, mountain slopes and ridges at elevations of 4,700 to 7,350 feet. These soils formed in colluvium from granitic rocks and volcanic ash. Slopes range from 8 to 90 percent. The average annual precipitation is 28 to 40 inches. The average annual temperature is 36 to 39 degrees F. The frost-free period is 30 to 60 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Zan soils. Zan soils are sandy and occur on similar geomorphic positions.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Excessively drained; medium to very rapid runoff; rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Belsh soils are used mainly for timber production and wildlife habitat. Native vegetation is subalpine fir, Douglas-fir, mountain maple and thinleaf (blue) huckleberry.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: West-central Idaho. MLRA 43B. Belsh soils are not extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Boise County Area, Idaho; 2005.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon:
Umbric epipedon - zone from the mineral soil surface to 15 inches (A and AB horizons)
Vitrandic feature - zone from the mineral soil surface to 15 inches (A and AB horizons)
Cambic horizon - zone from 15 to 21 inches (2Bw horizon)
Particle-size control section - zone from 11 to 41 inches
Soil moisture regime xeric
All depths related to diagnostic horizons and features listed in the range of characteristics are from the top of the first mineral horizon.
ADDITIONAL DATA: Reference sample no. - S97ID-015-003 (NSSL Pedon 97P580)