LOCATION CHARTERS IDEstablished Series
The Charters series consists of very deep, somewhat excessively drained soils with moderately rapid permeability that formed in colluvium from granitic rocks. Slopes range from 8 to 90 percent in mountains, canyons and intermontane basins. The average annual precipitation is about 26 inches and the average annual temperature is about 42 degrees F.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Ultic Haploxerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Charters fine gravelly sandy loam, forested -- on a northeast-facing slope of 50 percent at 5,100 feet elevation. When described on September 14, 1994, the soil was dry throughout. (Colors are for air-dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
Oi--0 to 1 inch; slightly decomposed forest litter.
A1--1 to 4 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) fine gravelly sandy loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine, common medium and coarse, few very coarse roots; many very fine and fine irregular pores; 20 percent fine gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.5); clear smooth boundary.
A2--4 to 13 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) fine gravelly sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure parting to moderate fine and medium granular; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine, few medium, coarse and very coarse roots; many very fine and fine irregular pores; 20 percent fine gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.4); clear wavy boundary. (combined A horizon - 10 to 20 inches thick)
Bw1--13 to 19 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) fine gravelly coarse sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine, few medium, coarse and very coarse roots; many very fine and fine irregular, few very fine and fine tubular pores; about 25 percent of ped faces covered with skeletans; 20 percent fine gravel; neutral (pH 6.6); clear smooth boundary. (5 to 20 inches thick)
Bw2--19 to 34 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) fine gravelly coarse sandy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine, fine and medium roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; few discontinuous faint 2 to 3 mm wide lamellae; about 25 percent of ped faces covered with skeletans; 25 percent fine gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.4); gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 20 inches thick)
Bw3--34 to 52 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) fine gravelly coarse sandy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; hard, very friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; few very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; few discontinuous faint 2 to 3 mm wide lamellae; about 25 percent of ped faces covered with skeletans; 20 percent fine gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.4); gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 20 inches thick)
Bw4--52 to 60 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) fine gravelly loamy coarse sand, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine and fine roots; many very fine and fine irregular pores; few faint 2 to 3 mm wide discontinuous lamellae; about 25 percent of ped faces covered with skeletans; 25 percent fine gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.3).
TYPE LOCATION: Boise County, Idaho; about 5 miles east of Horseshoe Bend; 2,450 feet south and 1,550 feet west of the northeast corner of section 28, T.7 N., R.3 E.; USGS Harris Creek Summit Quadrangle; Latitude - 43 degrees, 54 minutes, 56 seconds N. and Longitude - 116 degrees, 06 minutes, 16 seconds W.; NAD 83.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mollic epipedon thickness - 10 to 20 inches
Depth to bedrock - greater than 60 inches
Base saturation - 50 to 75 percent
Particle-size control section - 7 to 14 percent clay; 15 to 35 percent gravel
Moisture control section - dry 45 to 75 consecutive days following the summer solstice
Average annual soil temperature - 42 to 47 degrees F.
A horizon
Hue - 10YR or 2.5Y
Value - 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma - 1 through 3 dry or moist
Rock fragments - 5 to 35 percent gravel
Reaction - slightly acid or neutral
Bw1 horizon
Hue - 10YR or 2.5Y
Value - 5 or 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma - 3 or 4 dry or moist
Texture - SL or COSL
Clay content - 8 to 15 percent
Rock fragments - 15 to 35 percent gravel
Reaction - slightly acid or neutral
Bw2, Bw3, and Bw4 horizons
Hue - 10YR or 2.5Y
Value - 5 through 7 dry, 4 through 6 moist
Chroma - 3 or 4 dry or moist
Texture - COSL, LCOS, SL or LS
Clay content - 6 to 12 percent
Rock fragments - 15 to 35 percent gravel, 0 to 10 percent cobbles and 15 to 35 percent total
Reaction - moderately acid or slightly acid
C horizons occur in some pedons below 40 inches
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Baldmountain, Roanhide, Shamel and Shirts series. Baldmountain soils are deep to a paralithic contact. Roanhide and Shirts soils are moderately deep. Shamel soils are less than 40 inches deep to the base of the solum and dry for 75 to 90 consecutive days.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Charters soils are on mountain slopes and ridges, canyon walls, and hill slopes at elevations of 2,800 to 7,050 feet. These soils formed in colluvium from granitic rocks. Slopes range from 8 to 90 percent. The average annual precipitation is 20 to 36 inches. The average annual temperature is 40 to 45 degrees F. The frost-free period is 60 to 90 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Crumley, Middlefork, Northfork and Shirts soils. Crumley soils are loamy-skeletal. Middlefork soils are fine-loamy. Northfork soils are pachic. Shirts soils are moderately deep to bedrock. These soils occur on similar geomorphic positions.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat excessively drained; medium to rapid runoff; moderately rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Charters soils are used mainly for timber production, woodland grazing and wildlife habitat. Native vegetation is Douglas-fir, ponderosa pine, Geyers (elk) sedge, mallow ninebark and white spirea.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: West-central Idaho. MLRA 43 and 44. Charters soils are moderately extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Boise County Area, Idaho, Parts of Ada and Boise Counties, 2005.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon:
Mollic epipedon - zone from 1 to 13 inches (A1 and A2 horizons)
Cambic horizon - zone from 13 to 60 inches (Bw horizons)
Particle-size control section - zone from 11 to 41 inches
Soil moisture regime xeric
All depths to diagnostic horizons and features within the range of characteristics are measured from the top of the first mineral horizon.