LOCATION CRYSTALBUTTE            ID

Established Series
Rev. LAR/ HBM/KP
10/2026

CRYSTALBUTTE SERIES

The Crystalbutte series consists of very deep, well-drained soils that formed in loess influenced alluvium, colluvium, and slope alluvium from sedimentary and igneous rock. These soils are on lava plains, lava flows, alluvial fans, hillslopes, swales, and mountain slopes. Slopes are 1 to 30 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 500 mm, and mean annual air temperature is about 3 degrees C.

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

TYPICAL PEDON: Crystalbutte loam. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)

A1--0 to 13 cm; 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 gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.2); clear smooth boundary.

A2--13 to 28 cm; 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 gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.4); clear smooth boundary.

AB--28 to 41 cm; 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 gravel; neutral (pH 6.8); clear wavy boundary.

Bt1--41 to 58 cm; 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 gravel; neutral (pH 7.0); clear wavy boundary.

2Bt2--58 to 102 cm; 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 gravel, 35 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 7.2); gradual wavy boundary.

2BC--102 to 152 cm; 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 gravel; 40 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 7.2).

TYPE LOCATION: Fremont County, Idaho; USGS Crystal Butte topographic quadrangle; latitude 44.2755760 degrees north, longitude -111.6897234 degrees west, WGS84.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mean annual soil temperature--1.7 to 6.0 degrees C
Thickness of mollic epipedon--41 to 75 cm
Depth to argillic--30 to 61 cm

Particle-size control section (weighted averages)
Clay content--26 to 35 percent
Total rock fragments--25 to 35 percent

A horizons
Hue--5YR to 10 YR
Value--3 or 4 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma--1 or 2 dry or moist
Texture (less than 2 mm fraction)--loam, silt loam
Clay content--12 to 22 percent
Rock fragments--0 to 14 percent gravel
Reaction--pH 5.8 to 7.3
Thickness--5 to 36 cm

AB horizon (when present)
Hue--5YR to 10 YR
Value--3 or 4 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma--1 or 2 dry or moist
Texture (less than 2 mm fraction)--loam, silt loam
Clay content--16 to 27 percent
Rock fragments--0 to 20 percent-0 to 20 percent gravel, 0 to 6 percent cobbles
Reaction--pH 5.8 to 7.3
Thickness--0 to 35 cm

Bt horizon
Hue--5YR to 10 YR
Value--3 to 5 dry, 2or 3 moist
Chroma--2 to 6 dry or moist
Texture (less than 2 mm fraction)--loam, silt loam, silty clay loam
Clay content--20 to 30 percent
Rock fragments--0 to 10 percent gravel
Reaction--5.8 to 7.3
Thickness--15 to 36 cm

2Bt horizon (when present)
Hue--5YR to 10 YR
Value--3 to 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma--2 to 6 dry or moist
Texture (less than 2 mm fraction)--loam, clay loam
Clay content--21 to 35 percent
Rock fragments--25 to 55 percent-1 to 15 percent gravel, 9 to 45 percent cobbles
Reaction--6.6 to 7.3
Thickness--0 to 43 cm

2BC horizon (when present)
Hue--5YR through 10YR
Value--3 through 5 dry, 2 through 4 moist
Chroma--2 through 6 dry or moist
Clay content--20 to 27 percent
Rock fragments--40 to 75 percent-9 to 20 percent gravel, 17 to 55 percent cobbles
Reaction--6.6 to 7.3

COMPETING SERIES:
Bachus (WY)--soils are moderately deep to bedrock
Bavdark (MT)--soils have an ustic moisture regime
Benteen (MT)--soils are moderately deep to lithic contact
Brushtop (ID)--soils are deep to paralithic contact
Clayburn (UT)--soils have an udic moisture regime
Clayman (CO)--soils have an udic moisture regime
Davtone (CO)--soils have an udic moisture regime bordering on ustic
Dehana (ID)--soils have a mollic epipedon greater than 76 cm
Demast (ID)--soils have a mollic epipedon greater than 76 cm
Dranburn (ID)--soils have an udic moisture regime
Dranyon (ID)--soils have an udic moisture regime
Dusatch(T)--soils have an udic moisture regime
Echemoor (WY)--soils are moderately deep to paralithic contact
Hagenbarth (ID)--soils have less than 25 percent rock fragments in the particle-size control section
Hoopgobel (ID)--soils are moderately deep to paralithic contact
Longway (ID)--soils have less than 25 percent rock fragments in the particle-size control section
Lostminer (UT)--soils are moderately deep to lithic contact
Millerlake (WY)--soils have an ustic moisture regime
Odark (MT)--soils have an ustic moisture regime
Senchert (UT)--soils are moderately deep to lithic contact
Silverjack (CO)--soils have an udic moisture regime bordering on ustic
Southmount (ID)--soils have less than 20 percent rock fragments in the particle-size control section
Squawval (NV)--soils are moderately deep to paralithic contact
Stubbs (WY)--soils are moderately deep to paralithic
Thulepah (NV)--soils have a mean annual soil temperature greater than 6 degrees C
Vadnais (ID)--soils are moderately deep to lithic contact
Winu (NV)--soils are moderately deep to paralithic contact

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform--lava plains, lava flows, alluvial fans, hillslopes, swales, and mountain slopes
Elevation--1,740 to 2,170 meters
Slope--1 to 30 percent
Parent material--loess influenced alluvium, colluvium, and slope alluvium from sedimentary and igneous rock
Mean annual precipitation--400 to 625 mm
Mean annual air temperature--0.6 to 5.0 degrees C
Frost-free period--30 to 80 days

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: None listed.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Well drained, 1.5 to 25.0 um/sec

USE AND VEGETATION: Crystalbutte soils are primarily used for livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. The potential native vegetation is mountain big sagebrush, bluebunch wheatgrass, and Idaho fescue.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Crystalbutte soils are of small extent in southeastern Idaho; MLRAs 13 and 43B.

SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Fremont County, Idaho, 1989.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon:
Mollic epipedon--0 to 58 cm (A1, A2, AB, and Bt1 horizons)
Argillic horizon--41 to 102 cm (Bt1 and 2Bt2 horizons)

Particle-size control section--41 to 91 cm

Crystalbutte soils have a cryic temperature regime and a xeric moisture regime.

Taxonomic version: Twelfth Edition, 2014

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.