LOCATION BURSTEADT IDEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Pachic Calcixerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Bursteadt very fine sandy loam--on a 2 percent slope at 4,640 feet with Basin big sagebrush, thickspike wheatgrass and needleandthread. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted. When described on August 5, 1987, the soil was dry throughout.)
A--0 to 5 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) very fine sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak medium platy structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and fine and few medium roots; many very fine and fine irregular pores; slightly effervescent (4 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear wavy boundary. (3 to 6 inches thick)
Ak1--5 to 12 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine and common fine roots; many very fine and fine irregular pores; strongly effervescent (15 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); carbonates are disseminated; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 9 inches thick)
Ak2--12 to 17 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) very fine sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak very thick platy structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and fine roots; many very fine and fine irregular pores; violently effervescent (20 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); carbonates are disseminated; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear smooth boundary.
Ak3--17 to 20 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) fine sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak very thick platy structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and few fine and coarse roots; many fine and very fine irregular pores; slightly effervescent (6 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); carbonates are disseminated; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear wavy boundary. (combined thickness of the Bk horizons is 7 to 15 inches)
Bw1--20 to 28 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) fine sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and few fine roots; many very fine and fine irregular pores; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear wavy boundary.
Bw2--28 to 31 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; common fine and medium distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) redox concentrations; weak very thick platy structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and few fine roots; many very fine and fine irregular pores; 5 percent gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear wavy boundary. (combined thickness of the Bw horizons is 8 to 15 inches)
2C--31 to 60 inches; multicolored extremely cobbly coarse sand; few fine and medium dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) redox concentrations on coarse fragments; single grain; loose; few very fine roots; many fine and medium irregular pores; 35 percent gravel and 45 percent cobbles; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6).
TYPE LOCATION: Lemhi County, Idaho; about 1 mile north of Ellis, Idaho, about 1,800 feet south and 2,500 feet west from the northeast corner of section 24, T.16N, R.20E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Average annual soil temperatures - 40 to 44 degrees F
Mollic epipedon thickness - 20 to 40 inches
Depth to calcic horizon - 3 to 6 inches
Depth to strongly contrasting material - 25 to 35 inches
Depth to seasonal high water table - 24 to 36 inches
Control section average - Percent clay: 5 to 15
Coarse fragments average - 10 to 35 percent (control section average)
Reaction - slightly or moderately alkaline
A horizon
Value - 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma - 2 or 3 dry or moist
Ak horizon
Value - 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma - 2 or 3 dry or moist
Texture - FSL, VFSL, SL
Coarse fragments - 0 to 10 percent gravel
Bw horizon
Value - 4 through 6 dry, 2 through 4 moist
Chroma - 2 or 3 dry or moist
Texture - FSL, SL
Coarse fragments - 0 to 5 percent gravel
2C horizons
Texture - LCOS, CBX-LCOS, SL, GRX-COS, CBX-COS
Reaction - slightly or moderately alkaline
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Bursteadt soils are on flood plains at elevations of 3,600 to 5,000 feet. The soils formed in alluvium. Slopes range from 0 to 3 percent. The climate is cold and moist in winter and spring and dry in summer. The average annual air temperature is 38 to 43 degrees F. The frost-free period is 60 to 90 days. The average annual precipitation is 8 to 14 inches.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Bartonflat, Bock, Bromaglin, Cowbone, Dawtonia, Sprabat, and Tohobit. Bartonflat, Bock, and Bromaglin soils are on terraces and fan terraces and are well drained. Bartonflat and Bromaglin soils have sandy skeletal particle -size control sections. Bock soils are on terraces, are well drained and are not pachic. Cowbone soils are on valley flats and are poorly drained. Dawtonia soils are on mountains and fan terraces, are well drained and have argillic horizons. Sprabat soils are on fan terraces, are well drained and lack mollic epipedons. Tohobit soils are on valley flats, are moderately well drained and have sandy skeletal particle-size control sections.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Moderately well drained. Slow runoff. Moderately rapid permeability in the upper part and very rapid permeability in the lower part. Occasional flooding for brief periods during April to June.
USE AND VEGETATION: Pastureland, hayland and wildlife habitat. The native vegetation is Basin big sagebrush, thickspike wheatgrass, western wheatgrass, Indian ricegrass, and basin wildrye.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: East-central Idaho. These soils are not extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Lemhi County, Idaho, 1999.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon (pachic feature) - The zone from the soil surface to 31 inches (A, Ak1, Ak2, Ak3, Bw1 and Bw2 horizons).
Calcic horizon - The zone from 5 to 17 inches (Ak1 and Ak2 horizons).
Particle-size control section - The zone from 10 to 40 inches (part of the Ak1, the Ak2, Ak3, Bw1, Bw2, and part of the 2C horizons).