LOCATION ESCARLO IDEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, carbonatic Vitrandic Calcicryolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Escarlo gravelly ashy loam - on an 8 percent west by southwest- facing slope at 7,150 feet elevation in rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted. When described on June 1, 1981, the soil was moist throughout.)
A1--0 to 3 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) gravelly ashy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak very fine and fine granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine roots; many very fine interstitial pores; 15 percent pebbles; slightly effervescent; mildly alkaline (pH 7.6); abrupt smooth boundary. (2 to 6 inches thick)
A2--3 to 7 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) ashy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure parting to moderate very fine and fine granular; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine, fine, and few medium roots; many very fine interstitial pores; 5 percent pebbles; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear smooth boundary. (2 to 6 inches thick)
AB--7 to 11 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) ashy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak very fine and fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, moderately sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and few fine and medium roots; many very fine and fine interstitial pores; 10 percent pebbles; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.1); clear smooth boundary. (2 to 6 inches thick)
2Bk1--11 to 16 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) gravelly clay loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; weak very fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, moderately sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine roots; many very fine interstitial pores; 25 percent fine pebbles; violently effervescent; (30 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); moderately alkaline (pH 8.1); clear smooth boundary. (3 to 7 inches thick)
2Bk2--16 to 32 inches; white (10YR 8/2) gravelly clay, very pale brown (10YR 7/3) moist; weak very fine and fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine and fine roots; common very fine interstitial pores; 15 percent fine pebbles; violently effervescent; (50 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); strongly alkaline (pH 8.5); clear smooth boundary. (10 to 20 inches thick)
2Bk3--32 to 48 inches; light gray (10YR 7/2) gravelly clay loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; strong very fine and fine subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine roots; common very fine and few fine interstitial pores; 25 percent fine pebbles, 5 percent cobbles; violently effervescent; (50 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); moderately alkaline (pH 8.1); clear smooth boundary. (10 to 20 inches thick)
2Bk4--48 to 60 inches; white (10YR 8/2) gravelly clay, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; strong very thin lamella; hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine interstitial pores; 10 percent pebbles, 5 percent cobbles; violently effervescent; (63 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); about 2 percent shell fragments; moderately alkaline (pH 7.9).
TYPE LOCATION: Lemhi County, Idaho; about 22 miles southeast of Leadore, Idaho; about 2,400 feet north and 700 feet west from the southeast corner of sec. 33, T. 13 N., R. 28 E. Latitude - 44 degrees, 24 minutes, 55 seconds North; Longitude - 113 degrees, 07 minutes, 04 seconds West.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture regime - xeric
Average annual soil temperature - 37 to 40 degrees F.
Average summer soil temperature - 55 to 58 degrees F.
Mollic thickness - 8 to 13 inches
Depth to calcic horizon - 8 to 13 inches
Reaction of profile - slightly alkaline through strongly alkaline
Control section - 18 to 28 percent carbonate free clay and 25 to 50 percent total clay
Rounded coarse fragments - 15 to 35 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent - 40 to 85 percent
A horizons
Glass content - 30 to 40 percent
Value - 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma - 2 or 3, dry or moist
Bk horizon
Value - 6 through 8 dry, and 5 through 7 moist
Chroma - 2 or 3, dry and moist
Texture - GR-C, GR-CL, GR-SCL, CL, GRV-SCL
Rounded coarse fragments - 5 to 45 percent
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Escarlo soils are on hills and have slopes of 4 to 30 percent. Elevations range from 6,500 to 7,500 feet. The soils formed in uplifted lacustrine and alluvial deposits with a component of ash in the upper part. The climate is cold and moist in winter and spring, and cool and dry in summer. Average annual precipitation is 11 to 16 inches, and average annual temperature is 35 to 38 degrees F. The frost-free period is 30 to 60 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Brabas, Chamberlain, Oxhead, and Heathcoat soils. Brabas and Oxhead soils are on hills and have ochric epipedons. Chamberlain soils are on outwash fans and fan terraces and have loamy-skeletal control sections. Heathcoat soils are on hills and are fine textured with smectitic mineralogy.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow to rapid runoff; moderately slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Rangeland. Vegetation is mainly low sagebrush and bluebunch wheatgrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: East-central Idaho. These soils are not extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Lemhi County, Idaho, 1999.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - the zone from 0 to 11 inches
Calcic horizon - the zone from 11 to 60 inches
This soil would classify as Vitrandic if such a subgroup existed.
Particle-size control section - the zone from 10 to 40 inches
A decrease in carbonates occurs at depths greater than 60 inches