LOCATION ERICSON IDEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive Typic Haplocryalfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Ericson loam - on a 30 percent slope, west aspect at 4,130 feet elevation, in grassland. Described August 8, 1973. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A--0 to 2 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist; moderate fine and very fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many fine roots; many fine irregular pores; 5 percent gravel; strongly acid (pH 5.4); clear wavy boundary. (2 to 4 inches thick)
E--2 to 12 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) loam, brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine roots; many fine tubular pores; 5 percent gravel; strongly acid (pH 5.4); clear wavy boundary. (5 to 15 inches thick)
Bt1--12 to 17 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) loam, brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; very hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine roots; many fine tubular pores; few faint clay films on faces of peds; 10 percent gravel; strongly acid (pH 5.4); clear wavy boundary. (4 to 8 inches thick)
Bt2--17 to 31 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) fine gravelly loam, brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; very hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine roots; many fine tubular pores; few prominent clay films on all faces of peds; 25 percent gravel; strongly acid (pH 5.4); clear wavy boundary. (10 to 20 inches thick)
Bt3--31 to 60 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) fine gravelly loam, brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many fine tubular pores; few faint clay films on all faces of peds; 35 percent gravel; strongly acid (pH 5.4).
TYPE LOCATION: Idaho County, Idaho; about 1 3/4 miles north of Elk City; about 1,680 feet south of the northwest corner sec. 14, T. 29N., R. 8E.; Latitude - 45 degrees, 51 minutes, 12 seconds North; Longitude - 116 degrees, 26 minutes, 33 seconds West; USGS Elk City Quadrangle.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
The surface layers, when mixed to a depth of 7 inches or more have a value of 4 or more moist.
Average summer soil temperature - 55 to 59 degrees F
Average annual soil temperature - 42 to 45 degrees F
A horizon
Value - 4 or 5 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma - 2 through 4, dry or moist
Gravel content - 0 to 15 percent
Reaction - strongly acid or moderately acid
E horizon
Hue - 10YR or 7.5YR
Value - 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma - 3 or 4, dry or moist
Gravel content - 0 to 15 percent
Reaction - strongly acid or moderately acid
Bt horizon
Hue - 10YR or 7.5YR
Value - 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma - 3 or 4, dry or moist
Gravel content - 10 to 35 percent
Clay content - 18 to 27 percent
Reaction - strongly acid or moderately acid
Some pedons contain a small amount of volcanic ash in the A horizon.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Ansel, Castelleia, Edloe, Graysill (T), Grimstone, Haviland (T), Hierro, Hopburn (T), Indart, Lick, Limber, Owlcreek, Peeler, Perceton, Sapphire, Schofield, Schule, Swifton, Tongue River, Trapper, Uinta, Whitefish and Woodrock series. Ansel and Edlow soils are slightly acid to mildly alkaline in the B2t horizon. Caratelleia soils have average annual temperatures less than 42 degrees F. and are extremely stony or very stony in the C horizons. Lick soils lack an AB horizon and have formed from material with randomly distributed granitic rock fragments (glacial till). Limber, Sapphire, Schofield, Schule and Woodrock soils have a lithic contact at depths of less than 40 inches. Grimstone, Indart, Perceton and Tongue River soils have a paralithic contact at depths of less than 40 inches. Swifton soils have a B2t horizon below depths of 24 to 60 inches. Hierro and Uinta soils have hue of 5YR or redder in the control section. Owlcreek soils are slightly acid (pH 6.1) to neutral (pH 7.3). Peeler soils have a gravelly coarse sandy clay loam, gravelly sandy clay or cobbly sandy clay loam B2t horizon. Trapper and Whitefish soils are calcareous in the lower part of the solum and have continuous horizons of lime accumulation.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Ericson soils are on uplands and have slopes of 4 to 90 percent. Elevations are 3,800 to 4,800 feet. The soils formed in residuum and colluvium from granitic material. The average annual precipitation is 26 to 32 inches. The average annual temperature is 40 to 43 degrees F. The frost-free period is 50 to 70 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These include the Jughandle and Roseberry series. Jughandle soils have a volcanic ash mantle, do not have argillic horizons, and are on north-facing slopes. Roseberry soils are somewhat poorly drained and are in drainageways.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; medium to very rapid runoff; moderately slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used primarily for forest products and some hay and pasture. Native vegetation is lodgepole pine, grand fir, Engelmann spruce, subalpine fir, Douglas-fir, common beargrass, grouse blueberry, and queencup beadlily.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: North central Idaho. The series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Idaho County, Idaho, Western Part, 1976.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - The zone from the surface to 12 inches (A and E horizons).
Argillic horizon - The zone from 12 to 60 inches (Bt1, Bt2, Bt3 horizons).
Particle-size control section - The zone from 12 to 32 inches (Bt1, Bt2, and part of Bt3 horizon).
A udic soil moisture regime. The udic moisture regime is inferred from the presence of queencup beadlily in the plant community. TWH 2/94