LOCATION FOURME                  ID

Established Series
Rev. LAR/WGH
06/2011

FOURME SERIES

The Fourme series consists of very deep, well drained soils formed in alluvium derived from quartzite, limestone, rhyolite and sandstone. Fourme soils are on fan remnants, stream terraces and outwash plains and have slopes of 0 to 4 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 560 mm and the mean annual air temperature is about 2.2 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive Xeric Argicryolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Fourme loam, - on a 1 percent, southwest-facing slope in rangeland at 1,993 meters elevation. (Colors are for air-dry soil unless otherwise stated. When described on October 10, 1979 the soil was moist below 38 cm.)

A--0 to 13 cm; brown (10YR 5/3) loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate medium granular structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine roots; common very fine irregular pores; 10 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.4); clear smooth boundary. (13 to 25 cm thick)

Bt1--13 to 38 cm; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) gravelly loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine roots; few very fine irregular pores; few faint clay films bridging sand grains; 15 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.6) gradual wavy boundary.

Bt2--38 to 58 cm; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) very gravelly sandy clay loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine and fine roots; few very fine irregular and tubular pores; few faint clay films bridging sand grains; 30 percent gravel, 5 percent cobbles; slightly alkaline (pH 7.5); gradual wavy boundary.

Bt3--58 to 81 cm; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) extremely gravelly sandy clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine roots; few very fine irregular and tubular pores; few faint clay films bridging sand grains; 45 percent gravel, 20 percent cobbles; slightly alkaline (pH 7.7); gradual wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bt horizons is 50 to 142 cm.)

2C--81 to 152 cm; multicolored extremely gravelly sand; single grain; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine roots; common fine irregular pores; 45 percent gravel, 20 percent cobbles; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0).

TYPE LOCATION: Fremont County, Idaho; about 29 kilometers east and 71 kilometers north of St. Anthony, ID; about 724 meters south and 362 meters west of the northeast corner of sec. 25, T.15N., R.43E; Big Springs USGS topographic quadrangle; latitude 44 degrees, 35 minutes, and 50.0 seconds N. and longitude 111 degrees, 19 minutes, 14.4 seconds W., NAD83.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:

Thickness of mollic epipedon: 25 to 38 cm
Depth to base of argillic horizon (solum thickness): 75 to 152 cm or more
Moisture control section: dry for 45 to 60 consecutive days (xeric)
Control section weighted average clay: 19 to 35 percent
Control section weighted average rock fragments: greater than 35 percent
Mean annual soil temperature: 1.6 to 5.6 degrees C.
Mean summer soil temperature: 10.0 to 13.3 degrees C.

A horizon
Hue - 10YR or 7.5YR
Value - 3 to 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma - 2 or 3, dry or moist
Reaction - slightly acid or neutral

Bt horizons
Hue - 10YR or 7.5YR
Value - 3 to 6 dry or moist
Chroma - 3 to 6, dry or moist
Texture - L, CL or SCL with 0 to 5 percent stones, 0 to 15 percent cobbles, and 20 to 50 percent gravel
Total rock fragments - 35 to 70 percent
Reaction - slightly acid to slightly alkaline

2BC horizon (when present)
Hue - 10YR or 7.5YR
Value - 3 to 6 dry or moist
Chroma - 3 to 6, dry or moist
Texture - L, CL or SL with 0 to 5 percent stones, 5 to 15 percent cobbles and 60 to 65 percent gravel
Total rock fragments - 65 to 85 percent
Reaction - slightly acid to slightly alkaline

2C horizon
Hue - multicolored 10YR or 7.5YR
Value - 3 to 6, dry or moist
Chroma - 4 to 6, dry or moist
Texture - S, COS, LS, SL with 0 to 10 percent stones, 15 to 35 percent cobbles and 35 to 40 percent gravel
Total rock fragments - 50 to 85 percent
Reaction - neutral to slightly alkaline

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Boneyard, Chamberlain, Cowlow, Crandall, Forsey, Itwo, Jackflat, Packer, Scuffe, Stopatoe, Successloop (T), Tagum, Toquima, Winada and Zeebar series. The Boneyard, Cowlow, Itwo, Scuffe, Stopatoe, Tagum, Toquima and Winada soils are 50 to 100 cm deep over a lithic or paralilthic contact. Chamberlain soils have lime and silica cementation in the lower B horizon. Crandall soils have calcium carbonate accumulations and are deep to bedrock. Forsey soils have mean summer soil temperatures greater than 13.3 degrees C. Jackflat soils are deep to bedrock. Packer soils have a solum that is 23 to 53 cm thick. Successloop soils have a mean summer soil temperature of 8 to 10 degrees C. Zeebar soils are dry in the moisture control section for 60 to 90 consecutive days

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landscape: mountains
Landform: fan remnants, stream terraces and outwash plains
Elevation: 1,860 to 2,164 meters
Slope: 0 to 4 percent
Parent material: alluvium derived from quartzite, limestone, sandstone and rhyolite
Mean annual air temperature: 1.1 to 5.0 degrees C.
Mean annual precipitation: 457 to 762 mm.
Frost free period: 30 to 60 days

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Raynoldson, Sawtelpeak, Shotgun, Spliten, and Targhee soils. Raynoldson soils lack Bt horizons and are on fan remnants and mountain slopes. Sawtelpeak soils are poorly drained and are on lacustrine deposits. Shotgun and Spliten soils are less than 100 cm deep to bedrock and are on loess covered basalt plains. Targhee soils are moderately deep to bedrock and are on rhyolite flows.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY:
Drainage: Well
Runoff: Slow
Saturated hydraulic conductivity: moderately high in the upper part and very high in the lower part

USE AND VEGETATION:
Major uses: livestock grazing, hay production, wildlife habitat and gravel source.
Vegetation: Idaho fescue, bluebunch wheatgrass, Columbia needlegrass, prairie junegrass, arrowleaf balsamroot, and mountain big sagebrush.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southeastern Idaho, MLRA 13

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Fremont County, Idaho, Western Part,1989.

REMARKS:
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon: from a depth of 0 to 38 cm
Argillic horizon: from a depth 38 to 81 cm
Particle-size control section: from a depth of 38 to 81 cm
Soil temperature regime: cryic
Soil moisture regime: xeric

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.