LOCATION CHOKECHERRY ID
Established Series
RGK-CBR
10/2026
CHOKECHERRY SERIES
The Chokecherry series consists of shallow, well drained soils that formed in colluvium or slope alluvium over residuum derived from sandstone, siltstone, slate, quartzite, argillite, or rhyolite. These soils are on mountain slopes, structural benches, swales, ridges, and spur ridges on mountain slopes. Slopes range from 3 to 75 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 750 mm, and the mean annual air temperature is about 3.3 degrees C.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive Lithic Haplocryolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Chokecherry very gravelly sandy loam in rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A1--0 to 10 cm; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) very cobbly sandy loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; moderate fine granular structure; soft, very friable, non-sticky and non-plastic; many very fine and fine and common medium and coarse roots; many very fine and fine irregular pores; 25 percent gravel, 10 percent cobbles and 5 percent stones; neutral (pH 7.0); clear smooth boundary.
A2--10 to 23 cm; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) very cobbly sandy loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure parting to moderate fine granular; soft, very friable, non-sticky and non-plastic; common very fine and fine and few medium and coarse roots; many fine irregular pores; 15 percent gravel and 35 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 6.8); gradual wavy boundary.
Bw--23 to 46 cm; brown (10YR 4/3) extremely cobbly sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak very fine and fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, non-sticky and non-plastic; few very fine, fine, medium and coarse roots; many fine irregular pores; 25 percent gravel and 35 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 6.8); abrupt wavy boundary.
R--46 cm; sandstone bedrock.
TYPE LOCATION: Bear Lake County, Idaho; USGS Pegram topographic quadrangle; latitude 42.1576389 degrees north, longitude 111.2309167 degrees west, datum WGS84.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mean annual soil temperature--3.9 to 7.2 degrees C.
Thickness of mollic epipedon--18 to 51 cm (may extend into the Bw horizon)
Depth to bedrock--25 to 50 cm
Particle-size control section (weighted averages):
Clay content--10 to 18 percent
Total rock fragments--35 to 60 percent
A1 horizon
Hue--10YR to 5YR
Value--3 to 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma--2 or 3 dry or moist
Texture (less than 2 mm fraction)--sandy loam, loam
Clay content--10 to 20 percent
Rock fragments--35 to 50 percent - 15 to 45 percent gravel, 0 to 10 percent cobbles, and 0 to 5 percent stones
Reaction--6.0 to 7.3
Thickness--5 to 15 cm
A2 horizon (when present)
Hue--10YR to 5YR
Value--3 to 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma -2 or 3 dry or moist
Texture (less than 2 mm fraction)--sandy loam, loam
Clay content--10 to 18 percent
Rock fragments--45 to 70 percent - 15 to 50 percent gravel, 0 to 35 percent cobbles, 0 to 20 percent stones and/or flagstones
Reaction--6.0 to 7.3
Thickness--0 to 20 cm
Bw horizon (when present)
Hue--10YR to 5YR
Value--4 to 6 dry, 2 to 4 moist
Chroma--2 to 4 dry or moist
Texture (less than 2 mm fraction)--sandy loam, loam
Clay content--12 to 23 percent
Rock fragment content--45 to 80 percent - 15 to 50 percent gravel, 0 to 40 percent cobbles, 0 to 15 percent stones and/or flagstones
Reaction--6.0 to 7.3
Thickness--0 to 23 cm
Some pedons may have a Cr horizon over an R horizon.
COMPETING SERIES:
Arrowpeak (MT)--soils have a udic moisture regime
Betemer (CO)--soils have an ustic moisture regime
Catlinsprings (T) (MT)--soils have an ustic moisture regime
Cheadle (MT)--soils have an ustic moisture regime
Clamp (OR)--soils have more than 18 percent clay in the particle-size control section
Dalys (MT)--soils are very shallow to lithic contact
Dollarhide (ID)--soils are dry in all parts for 60 to 90 consecutive days in the four months following the summer solstice
Eyre (CO+WY)--soils have an ustic moisture regime
Irigul (WY)--soils have an ustic moisture regime
Irson (WY)--soils have more than 18 percent clay in the particle-size control section
Jonlake (NV)--soils have more than 18 percent clay in the particle-size control section
Labshaft (NV)--soils have an ustic moisture regime
McCadden (UT)--soils have secondary calcium carbonate accumulations
Poin (MT+WY)--soils have an ustic moisture regime
Rogert (CO+UT)--soils have a udic moisture regime
Scalplock (T)--soils have a udic moisture regime
Schwacheim (CO)--soils have a udic moisture regime
Starley (WY+ID)--soils have more than 18 percent clay in the particle-size control section
Topeki (NV)--soils have more than 18 percent clay in the particle-size control section
Trump (CO)--soils have secondary calcium carbonate accumulations
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform--mountain slopes, hillslopes and ridges
Elevation--1,650 to 2,960 m
Slope--3 to 75 percent
Parent material--colluvium or slope alluvium over residuum derived from sandstone, siltstone, slate, quartzite, argillite, or rhyolite
Climate--long, cold winters; moist springs; warm, dry, summers; dry in all parts 45 to 60 consecutive days in the four months after the summer solstice
Mean annual precipitation--350 to 1,150 mm
Mean annual air temperature--2.0[RC-NIFI1.1] to 5.0 degrees C
Frost-free period--30 to 80 days
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: None listed.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained, 5.0 to 50.0 um/sec.
USE AND VEGETATION: Chokecherry soils are primarily used for livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. The potential native vegetation is low sage and bluebunch wheatgrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Chokecherry soils are of small extent in southeastern and south-central Idaho; MLRA 43B and 13.
SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Bear Lake County, Idaho, 2008.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon:
Mollic epipedon--0 to 46 cm (A1, A2, and Bw horizons)
Lithic contact--46 cm (R horizon)
Particle-size control section--0 to 46 cm (A1, A2, and Bw horizons)
Chokecherry soils have cryic temperature regime and a xeric moisture regime.
Taxonomic version: Twelfth Edition, 2014
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.