LOCATION CRYSTALBUTTE            ID

Established Series
Rev. LAR/HBM/CLM
12/2022

CRYSTALBUTTE SERIES

The Crystalbutte series consists of very deep, well-drained soils that formed in valley side alluvium derived from loess, and basalt cinders and cobbles. Crystalbutte soils are on basalt plains. Permeability is moderately slow. Slopes range from 1 to 30 percent. The average annual precipitation is about 22 inches, and the average annual temperature is 37 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive Pachic Argicryolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Crystalbutte loam - on a southwest-facing slope of 2 percent under sagebrush and grass at 6,580 feet elevation. When described on October 1, 1980, the soil was wet below 19 inches. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)

A1--0 to 5 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) loam, black (10YR 2/1) moist; weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; 5 percent pebble-size cinders; slightly acid (pH 6.2); clear smooth boundary. (2 to 8 inches thick)

A2--5 to 11 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) loam, black (10YR 2/1) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine roots; many very fine tubular pores; 5 percent pebble-size cinders; slightly acid (pH 6.4); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 6 inches thick)

AB--11 to 16 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; 10 percent pebble-size cinders; neutral (pH 6.8); clear wavy boundary. (4 to 14 inches)

Bt1--16 to 23 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium and coarse subangular blocky; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine, and few medium and coarse roots; common very fine tubular pores; few faint clay films on faces of peds and lining tubular pores; 10 percent pebble-size cinders; neutral (pH 7.0); clear wavy boundary. (7 to 14 inches thick)

2Bt2--23 to 40 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) very cobbly clay loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium and fine subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common fine, and few medium roots; many very fine tubular pores; common distinct clay films on faces of peds and lining tubular pores; 10 percent pebble-size cinders, 35 percent subangular vesicular basalt cobbles; neutral (pH 7.2); gradual wavy boundary. (8 to 17 inches thick)

2BC--40 to 60 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) very cobbly loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; 15 percent pebble-size cinders; 40 percent vesicular basalt cobbles; neutral (pH 7.2).

TYPE LOCATION: Fremont County, Idaho; about 1 mile west and 2 miles south of the Fogg Butte Well; 2,030 feet west and 300 feet north of the southeast corner of sec. 13, T. 11 N., R. 40 E.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:

Average annual soil temperature - 37 to 41 degrees F
Average summer soil temperature - 55 to 58 degrees F
Thickness of mollic epipedon - 16 to 30 inches
Particle-size control section - 26 to 35 percent clay
Weighted average of rock fragments in the control section - 25 to 35 percent
Depth to argillic horizon - 12 to 24 inches

A horizon
Color, hue - 5YR through 10YR
value, dry - 3 or 4
value, moist - 2 or 3
chroma - 1 or 2, dry or moist
Reaction - slightly acid or neutral

Bt horizon
Color, hue - 5YR through 10YR
value, dry - 3 through 5
value, moist - 2 or 3
chroma - 2 through 6, dry or moist
Texture - L, CB-L, CBV-L, CB-CL, SCL, CBV-CL

BC horizon
Color, hue - 5YR through 10YR
value, dry - 3 through 5
value, moist - 2 through 4
chroma - 2 through 6, dry or moist
Coarse fragments - 40 to 75 percent
Texture - CBV-L, CBX-L

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Bachus, Benteen, Cambern, Clayburn, Davtone(T), Decross, Dehana(T), Demast, Dranyon, Echemoor, Gordo, Hagenbarth(T), Harmehl, Millerlake, Senchert, Southmount(T), Poodle(T), Stubbs, Thulepah, Vadnais(T), and Winu series. Bachus, Benteen, Cambern, Echemoore, Gordo, Harmehl, Senchert, Poodle, Stubbs, Vadnais, and Winu soils have a lithic or paralithic contact at a depth shallower than 40 inches. Clayburn soils have less than 20 percent coarse fragments in the Bt horizon. Davtone and Gordo soils have hue of 5YR or redder in the Bt and C horizons and lack skeletal materials in the C horizon. Decross and Millerlake soils have a layer of CaCO3 accumulation. Dehana and Demast soils have a mollic epipedon that is greater than 30 inches thick. Demast soils also are medium to slightly acid. Dranyon soils have an O horizon and are 4 to 10 inches to the top of the araillic horizon. Hagenbarth and Southmount soils have less than 25 percent coarse fragments in the control section. Thulepah soils have an argillic horizon at a depth of 3 to 12 inches and the argillic horizon extends to a depth of 60 or more inches and they have average annual soil temperature warmer than 41 degrees F.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Crystalbutte soils are on basalt plains at elevations of 6,240 to 7,000 feet. Slopes are 1 to 30 percent. The soils formed in valley side alluvium derived from loess and basalt cinders and cobbles. Average annual precipitation is 20 to 24 inches. Most of this precipitation comes in the winter and spring months. The average annual temperature is 35 to 39 degrees F. The frost-free period is 40 to 80 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Katseanes, Ramrod(T), Pinebutte(T), and the completing Hagenbarth and Vadnais(T) soils. Katseanes soils are shallow and are adjacent to pressure ridges and rock outcrops. Hagenbarth soils are deep and are in concavities on nearly level to rolling basalt plains. Pinebutte soils are deep and have a layer of calcium carbonate in the substratum and are on nearly level to rolling basalt flows. Vadnais soils are on nearly level to rolling basalt plains.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow to rapid runoff; moderately slow permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: The soil is used principally for rangeland. Vegetation is mainly mountain big sagebrush, bluebunch wheatgrass, and Idaho fescue.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: These soils are inextensive in southeast Idaho.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Fremont County, Idaho, 1989.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this soil are:

Mollic epipedon - the zone from 0 to 23 inches (A1, A2, AB, and Bt1 horizons). Dark layers below 23 inches are related to parent material.

Argillic horizon - the zone from 16 to 40 inches (Bt1 and 2Bt2 horizons).

Particle-size control section - upper 20 inches of the argillic horizon.

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.