LOCATION FOUNDEM IDTentative Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-silty, mixed, superactive, frigid Pachic Haploxerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Foundem silt loam on a gentle, southwest, concave, 2 percent slope, in a cultivated field of dryland grain at an elevation of 1875 meters. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
Ap1--0 to 20 cm; brown (10YR 5/3) silt loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium and coarse subangular structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and few fine roots; common very fine and few fine tubular pores; slightly acid (pH 6.5); clear smooth boundary. (10 to 25 cm thick)
Ap2--20 to 43 cm; brown (10YR 5/3) silt loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine roots; common fine and many very fine tubular pores; neutral (pH 7.2); abrupt smooth boundary. (10 to 25 cm thick)
AB--43 to 71 cm; brown (10YR 5/3) silt loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; strong medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine and common very fine roots; many very fine tubular pores; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); gradual smooth boundary. (25 to 50 cm thick)
Bw1--71 to 97 cm; pale brown (10YR 6/3) silt loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; common faint light gray (10YR 7/2) silt coatings on vertical faces of peds; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear smooth boundary. (20 to 40 cm thick)
Bw2--97 to 114 cm; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) silt loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few medium and common very roots; common fine tubular pores; common faint light gray (10YR 7/2) silt coatings on vertical faces of peds; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); clear wavy boundary. (10 to 35 cm thick)
Bk--114 to 152 cm; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) silt loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots; common fine tubular pores; finely disseminated and few fine (less than 2 mm) irregular soft masses of secondary calcium carbonate; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2).
TYPE LOCATION: Caribou County, Idaho; about 14.2 kilometers north of Soda Springs, 4380 meters southwest of Chinahat and 60 meters west of Government Dam Road; 122 meters north and 60 meters west of the southeast corner of section 27, T. 7S., R. 41E.; The Dip, USGS topographic quadrangle; latitude, 42 degrees 46 minutes 48.8 seconds north and longitude, 111 degrees 38 minutes 35.3 seconds west, NAD 83.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mean annual soil temperature: 4.4 to 8.0 degrees C.
Mean summer soil temperature: 15.0 to 18.3 degrees C.
Thickness of mollic epipedon: 50 to 75 cm.
Depth to secondary calcium carbonates: 110 to 152 cm.
Particle-size control section:
Clay content: averages 10 to 18 percent.
A and AB horizons
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist.
Chroma: 1 to 3 dry or moist.
Reaction: slightly acid or neutral.
Bw or Bt horizons
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist.
Chroma: 3 or 4 dry, 2 or 3 moist.
Clay films (when present): few or common; faint to distinct; on faces of peds and in pores.
Clay content: 10 to 18 percent.
Silt coatings: common or many light gray (10YR 7/2 or 7/1) silt coatings on vertical faces of peds.
Reaction: neutral to slightly alkaline.
Bk horizons
Value: 6 or 7 dry, 4 to 6 moist.
Chroma: 2 to 4 dry or moist.
Reaction: Slightly or moderately alkaline.
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 5 to 15 percent (estimated)
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Lostine and Sarilda series. Lostine and Sarilda soils lack secondary calcium carbonates. In addition, Sarilda soils are moderately deep to bedrock.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landscape: Lava plains
Landform: Lava plains and lava flows
Elevation: 1700 to 2100 meters
Slope: 0 to 30 percent, dominantly 2 to 10 percent
Parent material: Loess from mixed sources
Mean annual air temperature: 5.0 to 7.2 degrees C
Mean annual precipitation: 380 to 460 millimeters
Frost free period: 70 to 90 days
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the competing Lostine and the Rexburg, and Ririe soils. Rexburg soils have a calcic horizon at a depth of 45 to 90 cm. Ririe soils have calcic horizons at a depth of 18 to 40 cm. Lostine, Rexburg and Ririe soils occupy the same landscape position as Foundem.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY:
Drainage class: Well
Runoff: Low and medium
Permeability: Moderate
USE AND VEGETATION:
Major uses: Nonirrigated cropland and rangeland
Range/ecological site: R013XY001ID
Vegetation: Most areas are cultivated. Barley, winter wheat, and alfalfa are the major crops. Principal plants in uncultivated areas are mainly Idaho fescue, big bluegrass, prairie junegrass, bluebunch wheatgrass, balsamroot, geranium, lupine, yarrow, and mountain big sagebrush or three-tip sagebrush.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southeastern Idaho; MLRA 13. The soils are moderately extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES PROPOSED: Caribou County, Idaho; 2007
REMARKS: Diagnostic properties recognized in the typical pedon are:
Mollic epipedon: 0 to 71 cm
Cambic horizon: 71 to 114 cm
Particle-size control section: 25 to 100 cm
Soil temperature regime: Frigid
Soil moisture regime: Xeric
Areas currently mapped as Foundem were previously considered to have a cryic soil temperature regime and were mapped as the Lantonia Series.