LOCATION BUSTERBACK IDEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive Pachic Haplocryolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Busterback very gravelly loam--on a 3 percent west-facing slope in rangeland at 7,120 feet elevation. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted. When described on August 5, 1986, the soil was dry throughout).
A1--0 to 4 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) very gravelly loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable; nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine and fine and few medium roots; common very fine and fine irregular pores; 35 percent pebbles; moderately acid (pH 5.8); clear wavy boundary. (2 to 10 inches thick)
A2--4 to 13 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) very gravelly loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, friable; nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine and fine and few medium roots; common very fine and fine irregular pores; 40 percent pebbles; moderately acid (pH 5.8); clear wavy boundary. (7 to 12 inches thick)
Bw--13 to 19 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) very gravelly sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable; nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine and fine and few medium roots; common very fine and fine irregular pores; 40 percent pebbles, 10 percent cobbles; moderately acid (pH 5.9); gradual wavy boundary. (4 to 12 inches thick)
BC--19 to 30 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) extremely gravelly sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and fine and few medium roots; common very fine and fine irregular pores; 60 percent pebbles, 5 percent cobbles; moderately acid (pH 6.0); gradual wavy boundary. (8 to 15 inches thick)
2C1--30 to 45 inches; dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) extremely gravelly coarse sand, very dark gray (N 3/)moist; single grain; loose; common very fine and fine and few medium roots; common medium and coarse irregular pores; 65 percent pebbles, 5 percent cobbles; moderately acid (pH 6.0); clear wavy boundary. (6 to 18 inches thick)
2C2--45 to 60 inches; dark gray (5Y 4/1) extremely gravelly coarse sand, very dark gray (N 3/) moist; single grain; loose; common medium and coarse irregular pores; 60 percent pebbles, 25 percent cobbles; slightly acid (pH 6.2).
TYPE LOCATION: Custer County, Idaho; approximately 1 mile east of the Idaho Highway 93--Alturas Lake Road junction, about 300 feet south and 200 feet west from the northeast corner of section 15, T.7 N. , R. 14 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Average annual soil temperature - 34 to 38 degrees F.
Average summer soil temperature - 44 to 49 degrees F.
Mollic epipedon thickness - 20 to 30 inches.
Control section - Percent clay averages: 10 to 18.
Coarse fragments - Average 50 to 75 percent.
A horizon
Value - 3 through 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist.
Chroma - 2 or 3 dry, 1 through 3 moist.
Reaction - strongly acid or moderately acid.
Bw horizon
Value - 4 through 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist.
Chroma - 1 through 3 dry, 1 through 4 moist.
Texture - GRV-SL, GRX-SL, CBX-L, GRV-L, GRX-L, CBX-SL.
Coarse fragments - 50 to 85 percent.
Reaction - moderately acid or slightly acid.
BC horizon
Hue - 2.5Y, or 10YR.
Value - 4 through 6 dry.
Chroma - 2 or 3 dry or moist.
Texture - CBX-SL, GRX-SL.
Coarse fragments - 60 to 85 percent.
Reaction - moderately acid or slightly acid.
2C horizon
Hue - 2.5Y, 5Y or N.
Value - 3 through 5 moist.
Chroma - 1 or 2 dry, 0 through 3 moist.
Texture - GRX-COS, GRX-LCOS, CBX-S.
Coarse fragments - 60 to 90 percent.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Behanco, Behanin, Croesus, Dressel, Gateview, Hapgood, Namela, Papaspila (T), Parkcity, Poleline, Povey, and Tonigut series. Behanin soils have an O horizon and more than 18 percent clay in the particle-size control section. Belsac soils are moderately deep to a paralithic contact and have accumulations of secondary carbonates at 20 to 25 inches. Blanca soils have stones throughout the control section, have 5YR through 10YR colors in the substratum, and receive 26 inches of precipitation. Caballo soils have an O horizon, 18 to 35 percent clay in the control section and are mildly or moderately alkaline. Campone soils have water tables within 40 inches for at least one month and have more than 18 percent clay in the control section. Croesus soils are moderately deep to bedrock and have accumulations of secondary carbonates in the lower subsoil. Darland soils have hues of 10YR throughout and have loamy textures throughout the control section. Dateman soils are moderately deep to bedrock. Gateview soils lack sandy-skeletal textures in the lower part of the particle-size control section. Hapgood soils have 18 to 28 percent clay in the control section and have 7.5YR or 10YR hues in the substratum. Harcany soils have mollic epipedons that are 30 to 70 inches thick and mean summer soil temperatures of 54 to 59 degrees F. Hobacker soils have accumulations of secondary carbonates at 6 to 20 inches and have 18 to 35 percent clay in the upper part of the control section. Lionhead soils have accumulations of secondary carbonates at 18 to 37 inches. Lolon soils have average summer soil temperatures of 55 to 58 degrees F. and are neutral to mildly alkaline. Marcetta soils lack a sandy substratum and have hues of 7.5YR or 10YR in the substratum. Nagitsy soils are moderately deep to bedrock and have 18 to 35 percent clay in the control section. Namela soils are moderately deep to bedrock and have 18 to 27 percent clay in the control section. Nazaton soils have O horizons and hues of 7.5YR or 10YR in the substratum. Nevtah soils are moderately deep to bedrock and have hues of 7.5YR or 10YR throughout. Papaspila soils have more than 18 percent clay in the particle-size control section and are usually moist. Poleline soils have solum thickness of 40 to more than 60 inches over bedrock and have mollic epipedons more than 30 inches thick. Povey soils lack sandy textures in the substratum and are neutral to mildly alkaline. Prong soils have O horizons and are moderately deep to bedrock. Snag soils have an O horizon, have stones throughout the control section, and have hues of 7.5YR or 10YR in the substratum. Snopoc soils have 10YR hues in the substratum, have profiles dominated by coarse sand throughout and receive 14 to 16 inches of precipitation. Spearhead soils have accumulations of secondary carbonates at 16 to 40 inches, hues of 7.5YR or 10YR in the substratum, and receive 30 to 60 inches of precipitation. Splitbutte soils are moderately deep.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Busterback soils are on stream terraces and outwash fans. These soils formed in glacial outwash and alluvium. Slopes are 2 to 6 percent and elevations are 6,300 to 7,300 feet. The climate is cold and moist in winter and spring and cool in summer. Average annual precipitation is 16 to 19 inches. Average annual temperature is 33 to 37 degrees F. Frost-free period is 5 to 30 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Castlepeak, Wiggleton, and Yankeefork soils. Castlepeak soils are on outwash fans, fan terraces and stream terraces. They have sandy-skeletal particle-size control sections and have mollic epipedons that are 7 to 11 inches thick. Wiggleton soils are on fan terraces, outwash fans, and stream terraces. They have sandy-skeletal particle-size control sections and have mollic epipedons that are 10 to 16 inches thick. Yankeefork soils are on outwash fans, fan terraces, and stream terraces and lack mollic epipedons.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. Slow runoff. Moderate permeability in the upper part and very rapid in the lower part.
USE AND VEGETATION: Rangeland and irrigated pasture. The natural vegetation is mountain big sagebrush and Idaho fescue.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Central Idaho. These soils are not extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Custer County, Idaho, 1999.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - The zone from 0 to 30 inches (the A1, A2, Bw, and BC horizons).
Particle-size control section - The zone from 10 to 40 inches (part of the A2, the Bw, BC, and part of the 2C1 horizons).
Xeric Moisture Regime