LOCATION CEDARHILL ID+UT
Established Series
Rev. CLM/FRK/KP
10/2026
CEDARHILL SERIES
The Cedarhill series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in loess influenced alluvium, slope alluvium, and colluvium derived from limestone and related sedimentary and metasedimentary rocks. These soils are on ridges, hillslopes, mountain slopes, fan remnants, escarpments, and loess influenced valley sides. Slopes are 2 to 80 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 480 mm, and mean annual air temperature is about 5 degrees C.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, frigid Typic Calcixerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Cedarhill very cobbly silt loam in rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A1--0 to 10 cm; brown (10YR 5/3) very cobbly silt loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak coarse and medium subangular blocky structure parting to weak fine granular; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine, common medium, and few coarse roots; many very fine irregular pores; 15 percent gravel, 20 percent cobbles, and 5 percent stones; finely disseminated calcium carbonate; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline (pH 7.7); clear smooth boundary.
A2--10 to 23 cm; brown (10YR 5/3) very cobbly silt loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure parting to weak fine granular; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine, common medium, and few coarse roots; many very fine irregular pores; 15 percent gravel, 20 percent cobbles, and 5 percent stones; finely disseminated calcium carbonate; strongly effervescent; slightly alkaline (pH 7.7); clear wavy boundary.
Bk1--23 to 41 cm; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) very cobbly silt loam, light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine, common medium, and few coarse roots; many very fine tubular pores; 15 percent gravel, 20 percent cobbles, and 5 percent stones; calcium carbonate masses in matrix; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); gradual wavy boundary.
Bk2--41 to 71 cm; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) very cobbly silt loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine and few medium and coarse roots; many very fine tubular pores; 20 percent gravel, 20 percent cobbles, and 5 percent stones; calcium carbonate masses in matrix; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.1); gradual wavy boundary.
C--71 to 150 cm; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) very cobbly loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; massive; hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine, fine and medium roots; many very fine tubular pores; 20 percent gravel, 20 percent cobbles, and 5 percent stones; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 7.9).
TYPE LOCATION: Bannock County, Idaho; Pocatello South, Idaho USGS quadrangle; 42.79499 degrees north latitude, 112.39860 degrees west longitude, datum WGS84.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mean annual soil temperature--3.0 to 8.3 degrees C
Thickness of mollic epipedon--18 to 33 cm
Depth to calcic horizon--18 to 33 cm
Particle-size control section (weighted averages)
Clay content--8 to 17 percent
Total rock fragments--40 to 70 percent
A or Ap horizons
Value--4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma--2 or 3
Clay content--8 to 27 percent
Rock fragments--15 to 50 percent-6 to 34 percent gravel, 0 to 28 percent cobbles, 0 to 6 percent stones
Reaction--pH 7.4 to 8.4
Thickness--18 to 33 cm
Bk horizons
Value--6 to 8 dry, 3 to 8 moist
Chroma--1 to 4 dry, 2 to 4 moist
Calcium carbonate content--15 to 35 percent
Texture (less than 2 mm fraction)--loam, silt loam
Clay content--7 to 24
Rock fragments--15 to 85 percent-4 to 55 percent gravel, 0 to 55 percent cobbles, 0 to 15 percent stones
Reaction--pH 7.8 to 8.4
Thickness--38 to 88 cm
C horizon
Value--6 to 8 dry, 4 to 6 moist
Chroma--2 to 4 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Texture (less than 2 mm fraction)--loam, silt loam
Clay content--8 to 17 percent
Rock fragments--38 to 85 percent-4 to 55 percent gravel, 5 to 37 percent cobble, 0 to 20 percent stones
Reaction--pH 7.7 to 8.4
COMPETING SERIES:
Bezzant (UT)--have 18 to 35 percent clay in the particle-size control section
Dennot (UT)--have hues of 7.5YR and redder
Eaglecone (ID)--are deep to a lithic contact
Georgecanyon (ID)--have argillic horizons
Pyrenees (ID)--are shallow to a lithic contact
Ricafied (ID)--are moderately deep to a lithic contact
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform--ridges, plateaus, hillslopes, mountain slopes, fan remnants, escarpments, and loess influenced valley sides
Elevation--1,370 to 2,470 m
Slope--2 to 80 percent
Parent material--loess influenced alluvium, slope alluvium, and colluvium derived from limestone and related sedimentary and metasedimentary rocks
Mean annual precipitation--300 to 775 mm
Mean annual air temperature--2.2 to 7.2 degrees C
Frost-free period--50 to 110 days
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: None listed.
DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Well drained, 5 to 15 um/sec
USE AND VEGETATION: Cedarhill soils are primarily used for rangeland, wildlife habitat, watershed, and cropland. The potential native vegetation is Utah juniper, mountain big sagebrush, arrowleaf balsamroot, bluebunch wheatgrass, and Indian ricegrass. The dominant crops are dryland wheat and alfalfa.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Cedarhill soils are of moderate extent in southeastern Idaho and Utah; MLRAs 13, 28A, 43B, and 47.
SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Bannock County, Idaho, 1983.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon:
Mollic epipedon--0 to 23 cm
Calcic horizon--23 to 71 cm
Particle-size control section--25 to 100 cm
Cedarhill soils have a frigid temperature regime and a xeric moisture regime.
Taxonomic version: Twelfth Edition, 2014
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.