LOCATION CACHECAN IDEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-silty, mixed, superactive, mesic Fluventic Haploxerepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Cachecan silt loam--on a nearly level slope--pastureland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted. When described on May 4, 1989, the soil was moist throughout.)
A--0 to 5 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) silt loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; weak thin platy structure parting to moderate fine and very fine granular; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine and fine and common medium roots; few very fine and common fine irregular and tubular pores; slightly effervescent; disseminated carbonate (5 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); moderately alkaline (pH 8.1); abrupt wavy boundary.
Bw1--5 to 12 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) fine sandy loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; few fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and fine and few medium roots; few very fine and common fine irregular and tubular pores; 2 percent gravel; few fine distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation that are relic redoximorphic features; strongly effervescent; disseminated carbonate (5 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear wavy boundary.
Bw2--12 to 20 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) silt loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; weak thick platy structure parting to moderate medium and coarse subangular blocky; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and few fine and medium roots; common very fine and few fine tubular pores; few fine distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation that are relic redoximorphic features; violently effervescent; disseminated carbonate (12 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); strongly alkaline (pH 8.5); abrupt wavy boundary.
Bg--20 to 37 inches; gray (10YR 6/1) silty clay loam, dark gray (10YR 4/1) moist; moderate coarse prismatic structure; very hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine and few fine and medium roots; common very fine and few fine tubular pores; common medium faint very dark gray (10YR 3/1) irregularly shaped iron depletions that are concentrated in the lower part of horizon below 30 inches; strongly effervescent; disseminated carbonate (10 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); gradual wavy boundary.
Cg--37 to 61 inches; light gray (10YR 7/1) silty clay loam, dark gray (10YR 4/1) moist; massive; very hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine and few fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; common medium faint very dark gray (10YR 3/1) irregularly shaped iron depletions; slightly effervescent; disseminated carbonate (15 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); common crushed snail shell fragments; strongly alkaline (pH 8.6).
TYPE LOCATION: Franklin County, Idaho; about 2.75 miles west of Fairview; approximately 1,200 feet south and 1,800 feet east of the northwest corner of section 29, T. 16 S., R. 39 E.; USGS Weston 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle; 42 degrees 00 minutes 35 seconds north latitude and 111 degrees 55 minutes 42 seconds west longitude, NAD83.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mean annual soil temperature - 49 to 51 degrees F.
Depth to base of cambic horizon - 12 to 25 inches.
Irregular decrease in organic carbon and is more than 0.5 percent at 50 inches.
Depth to redox depletions - 20 to 36 inches; the aquic condition is estimated to be below 30 inches due to the natural down cutting of the stream.
Particle-size control section - Clay content: Averages 18 to 27 percent.
A horizon - Value: 6 or 7 dry, 3 or 4 moist.
Chroma: 1 or 2, dry or moist.
Bw horizons - Value: 6 or 7 dry, 4 or 5 moist.
Chroma: 2 or 3, dry or moist.
Texture: Fine sandy loam or silt loam.
Bg horizon - Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y.
Value: 6 or 7 dry, 4 or 5 moist.
Chroma: 1 or 2, dry or moist.
Texture: Silt loam or silty clay loam.
Reaction: Moderately alkaline or strongly alkaline.
Cg horizon - Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y.
Value: 6 or 7 dry, 4 or 5 moist.
Chroma: 1 or 2, dry or moist.
COMPETING SERIES: There are currently no other series in this family.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Cachecan soils are on stream terraces. These soils formed in alluvium derived from mixed sources. Slopes are 0 to 2 percent. Elevations range from 4,400 to 4,900 feet. The mean annual precipitation is 14 to 16 inches, the mean annual temperature is 47 to 49 degrees F., and the frost-free period is 100 to 130 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Delish, Trenton, and Preston soils. Delish soils are somewhat poorly drained, have mottles at 15 to 22 inches, and occur on low stream terraces. Trenton soils are fine textured and occur on slightly higher stream terraces. Preston soils are sandy and occur on dunes.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Moderately well drained; medium surface runoff; moderately slow permeability (moderately high saturated hydraulic conductivity). Endosaturation is present with an apparent seasonal high water table between 2.5 and 3.5 feet (moderately deep or deep free water occurrence classes) between January and June. Cumulative annual duration class is Common. These soils are susceptible to rare flooding between February and May.
USE AND VEGETATION: Cachecan soils are used for pastureland and rangeland.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southeastern Idaho. These soils are not extensive. MLRA 28A.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California.
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Franklin County Area, Idaho, 1997. The name is coined from the nearby Cache Canal.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - The zone from the soil surface to 7 inches (A horizon and part of the Bw1 horizon).
Cambic horizon - The zone from 5 to 20 inches (Bw1 and Bw2 horizons).
Aquic conditions - The conditions of endosaturation, reduction, and redoximorphic features between 30 and 42 inches at certain times during normal years (parts of the Bg and Cg horizons).
Particle-size control section - The zone from 10 to 40 inches (Bw2 and Bg horizons and parts of the Bw1 and Cg horizons).
The superactive CEC activity class was assigned based on the CEC and total clay values in the NASIS database. The aquic subgroup was not used based on the assumption that aquic conditions are below 30 inches.