LOCATION CHICANE IDEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, mesic Xeric Argialbolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Chicane silt loam, cultivated. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
Ap--O to 5 inches, very dark grayish brown (lOYR 3/2) silt loam, black (lOYR 2/1) moist; moderate fine granular structure; hard, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine roots; neutral (pH 6.6); abrupt smooth boundary. (4 to 9 inches thick)
A12--5 to 14 inches; very dark grayish brown (lOYR 3/2) silty clay loam, black (lOYR 2/1) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure that separates to weak medium granular; very hard, sticky and plastic common very fine roots; many very fine and common fine tubular pores; neutral (pH 6.8); gradual wavy boundary. (9 to 13 inches thick)
B2--14 to 21 inches; dark grayish brown (lOYR 4/2) silty clay loam, very dark gray (lOYR 3/1) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; very hard, sticky and plastic; common very fine roots; many very fine and common medium and coarse tubular pores; speckling of bleached silt grains; 20 percent rodent holes filled with Al material; neutral (pH 6.8); clear wavy boundary. (7 to 11 inches thick)
IIA21--21 to 27 inches; pale brown (lOYR 6/3) silt loam, dark grayish brown (lOYR 4/2) moist; massive; hard, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; many iron and manganese concretions up to 2 mm. in diameter; 20 percent rodent holes filled with Al material; neutral (pH 6.9); abrupt wavy boundary. (5 to 7 inches thick)
IIA22--27 to 28 inches, pale brown (lOYR 6/3) silt loam, dark grayish brown (lOYR 4/2) moist; massive; hard, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine and fine tubular pores; many iron and manganese concretions up to 2 mm. in diameter; thick A2 cap over the IIB21t horizon; neutral (pH 6.9); abrupt wavy boundary. (l to 3 inches thick)
IIB21t--28 to 35 inches; yellowish brown (lOYR 5/4) clay, dark yellowish brown (lOYR 3/3) moist; dark brown (lOYR 4/3) coatings on peds, very dark grayish brown (lOYR 3/2) moist; strong medium and coarse angular blocky structure; very hard, very firm, very sticky and very plastic; many very fine and common fine tubular pores; many thick clay films on faces of peds and surfaces of pores; many iron and manganese concretions up to 2 mm. in diameter; some interfingering of A2 material, neutral (pH 6.9); clear wavy boundary. (S to 9 inches thick)
IIB22t--35 to 41 inches; dark yellowish brown (lOYR 4/4) clay, dark brown (lOYR 4/3) moist; moderate coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate medium and coarse angular blocky; extremely hard, firm, very sticky and very plastic, many very fine and common fine tubular pores; many thick clay films on faces of peds and surfaces of pores; many iron and manganese concretions up to 2 mm. in diameter; organic stains on about 80 percent of faces of peds and slickensides on 20 percent; neutral (pH 7.0); clear wavy boundary. (S to 7 inches thick)
IIB23t--41 to 51 inches; yellowish brown (lOYR 5/4) clay, dark yellowish brown (lOYR 4/4) moist; moderate coarse angular blocky structure; very hard, film, very sticky and very plastic; common very fine and fine tubular pores; many moderately thick clay films on faces of peds and surfaces of pores, many iron and manganese concretions up to 3 mm. in diameter; neutral (pH 7.1); abrupt wavy boundary. (9 to 11 inches thick)
IIB24t--51 to 67 inches; dark yellowish brown (lOYR 4/4) clay, dark yellowish brown (lOYR 4/4) moist; strong coarse angular blocky structure; very hard, very firm, very sticky and very plastic, common very fine tubular pores, many iron and manganese concretions up to 4 mm. in diameter; many slickensides oriented 45 degrees from horizontal; about 1 percent basalt and quartz pebbles; moderately alkaline (pH 8.3).
Type Location: Idaho County, Idaho; 418 feet south (of fence) and 115 feet west (of center of road) of the northeast corner of section 35, T.31N., R.2E.
Range in Characteristics: These soils are more than 60 inches deep to bedrock. The soils are usually moist,but are dry between depths of 4 and 12 inches for 45 to 65 consecutive days in late summer. The mean annual soil temperature ranges from 47 to SO degrees F., and the mean summer soil temperature ranges from 60 to 65 degrees F. The mollic epipedon is 20 to 32 inches thick, depth to the clayey B2t horizon is 25 to 40 inches, and the solum is more than 48 inches thick. Depth to the argillic horizon ranges from 26 to 35 inches. The albic and argillic horiznns contain iron-manganese concretions up to 2 mm. in diameter and larger ones are in the lower part of the B2t horizon. The albic horizon is silt loam, and has an abrupt textural boundary with the B2t horizon which contains 20 to 40 percent more clay.
The Ap horizon, or the mixed upper 7 inches, has value of 2 or less moist and 3 or less dry, and chroma of less than 2.
The A2 horizon has value of 6 or 7 dry and 3 through 6 moist and chroma of 1 or 2.
The upper part of the B2t horizon has value of 3 or 4 moist, 5 or 6 dry, and chroma of 3 or 4. It is silty clay loam, silty clay, or clay. The lower part of the B2t horizon is silty clay or clay.
Competing Series: These are the Conley, Kooskia, Nez Perce, Shebang, and Tilma series. Conley soils have Al or Ap horizons 10 inches or less thick, thin A2 horizons which abruptly overlie a clay B2t horizon, are somewhat poorly drained and may have mottles in the A2 and B2 horizons. Kooskia soils are medium to strongly acid and have a Bt horizon above the A2 horizon. Nez Perce soils have a mollic epipedon that is less than 20 inches thick, do not have a cambic horizon above the A2 horizon, and have secondary lime at depth to 20 to 28 inches. Shebang soils have manganese concretions larger than 2 mm. in the A2 horizon and a mollic epipedon that is 7 to 11 inches thick to the very hard massive A2 horizon. Tilma soils are medium or slightly acid in the Al and B2 horizons, have chroma of 2 in the Al horizon, have a mollic epipedon 16 to 20 inches thick and have mixed mineralogy.
Geographic Setting: Chicane soils are on plateaus and have gradients of 2 to 40 percent. They formed in two or more sheets of loess. Elevation is 3000 to 4200 feet. Mean annual precipitation is about 21 to 26 inches. The mean annual temperature is 45 to 48 degrees F. The frost-free season is about 110 to 135 days.
Geographically Associated Soils: These are the Fenn, Ferdinand, Cald and Uhlorn soils and the competing Nez Perce soils. Fenn soils have clayey Ap horizons, and wide cracks that extend to depths of more than 20 inches when dry. Ferdinand soils have bedrock at a depth of 20 to 40 inches. Cald soils are fine-silty, and lack argillic horizons. Uhlorn soils lack A2 horizons.
Drainage and Permeability: Moderately well drained; medium or rapid runoff; slow permeability.
Use and Vegetation: The soils are cultivated. Winter wheat and winter peas are the principal crops. The soils are used also for hay and pasture. Vegetation is Idaho fescue, bluebunch wheatgrass, geranium lupine and camas.
Distribution and Extent: Northern Idaho. Series is of small extent.
Series Established: Idaho County, Idaho, 1976.
OSED scanned by NSSQA. Last revised by state on 11/76.