LOCATION GEORGECANYON       ID
Established Series
Rev. RK-FRK-RJS
07/2008

GEORGECANYON SERIES


The Georgecanyon series consists of very deep, well drained soils formed in mixed alluvium with some loess and silty alluvium influence. They are on fan terraces. Slopes range from 1 to 4 percent. Permeability is moderately slow. Average annual precipitation is about 15 inches and the average annual air temperature is about 40 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, frigid Typic Calcixerolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Georgecanyon gravelly silt loam, irrigated cropland; about 1 1/2 miles southeast of Georgetown, Idaho on a 1 percent slope at 6,150 feet elevation. When described on November 10, 1988, the soil was dry throughout. (Color is for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)

Ap1--0 to 3 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) gravelly silt loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak coarse and medium subangular blocky structure parting to moderate very fine and fine granular; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine roots; many very fine and common fine irregular pores; 15 percent gravel; slightly effervescent; lime disseminated and segregated into few fine irregular soft masses; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); abrupt smooth boundary. (3 to 12 inches thick)

Ap2--3 to 9 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) gravelly silt loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak coarse and medium subangular blocky structure parting to moderate very fine and fine granular; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine roots; many very fine and common fine irregular pores; 25 percent gravel; slightly effervescent; lime disseminated and segregated into few fine irregular soft masses; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 6 inches thick)

Btk1--9 to 16 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) gravelly silty clay loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; few clay bridges present; 30 percent gravel; slightly effervescent; lime disseminated and segregated into few fine irregular soft masses; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); abrupt irregular boundary. (5 to 9 inches thick)

Btk2--16 to 26 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) very gravelly silty clay loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to moderate very fine and fine subangular blocky; slightly hard, very friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine roots; common very fine and few fine tubular pores; common faint clay films on faces of ped and in pores; 35 percent gravel and 5 percent cobbles; strongly effervescent; common faint lime coats on faces of peds and in pores; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); clear wavy boundary. (8 to 13 inches thick)

2Bkq1--26 to 39 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) extremely cobbly sandy clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; common very fine roots (roots on the surface of coarse fragments, often growing horizontally); many very fine, common fine and few medium irregular pores; 40 percent gravel and 30 percent cobbles; violently effervescent; lime and silica coatings on undersides of coarse fragments; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); gradual wavy boundary. (10 to 15 inches thick)

2Bkq2--39 to 60 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) extremely cobbly sandy clay loam, light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; few very fine roots; many very fine, common fine and few medium irregular pores; 40 percent gravel, 30 percent cobbles and 10 percent stones; violently effervescent; lime and silica coatings on undersides of coarse fragments; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2).

TYPE LOCATION: Bear Lake County, Idaho; about 1/2 mile east of Georgetown; about 2,000 feet west and 1,200 feet south of the northeast corner of sec. 20, T. 11S., R. 44E.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:

Average annual soil temperature - 41 to 43 degrees F
Thickness of mollic epipedon - 14 to 19 inches
Depth to secondary lime - 8 to 18 inches
Calcium carbonate equivalent in calcic horizon - 15 to 40 percent
Present in some pedons - relic mottles at depths of 25 to 50 inches

Particle size control section
Clay content - 25 to 35 percent
Rock fragments: average 35 to 50 percent

Ap horizons
Gravel content - 15 to 30 percent
Cobble content - 0 to 5 percent
Clay content - 20 to 26 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent - 5 to 15 percent
Reaction - slightly or moderately alkaline

Btk1 horizon
Gravel content - 25 to 45 percent
Cobble content - 0 to 5 percent
Clay content - 27 to 35 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent - 5 to 15 percent
Reaction - slightly or moderately alkaline

Btk2 horizon
Gravel content - 35 to 50 percent
Cobble content - 5 to 10 percent
Clay content - 27 to 35 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent - 15 to 35 percent

2Bkq horizons
Chroma - 3 or 4 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Gravel content - 35 to 55 percent
Cobble content - 20 to 30 percent
Stone content - 0 to 15 percent
Clay content - 21 to 32 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent - 15 to 40 percent

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Bezzant, Cedarhill, Dennot, and Pyrenees (T) series. Bezzant soils are moderately permeable and are formed in coarser alluvial material and lack the loess and silty alluvium influence in the upper part of the pedon. Cedarhill soils have less than 18 percent clay in the particle-size control section. Dennot soils are moderately permeable, have hues redder than 7.5YR, have less than 18 percent clay in the lower part of the control section and lack influence from loess and silty alluvium. Pyrenees soils have lithic contact at depths less than 40 inches.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Georgecanyon soils are on dissected fan terraces. Slopes range from 1 to 4 percent. Elevations range from 5,800 to 6,500 feet. The soil formed in mixed alluvium with some loess and silty alluvium influence. The average annual precipitation ranges from 13 to 20 inches, the average annual air temperature is 39 to 43 degrees F and the frost free season is 70 to 90 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Arbone, Bezzant, Hondoho, Iphil (T), Rexburg and Watkins Ridge soils. Arbone soils have a coarse-loamy particle-size control section. Arbone, Hondoho and Rexburg soils lack lime in the surface layer. Iphil(T) and Rexburg soils have a coarse-silty particle-size control section. Rexburg and Iphil(T) soils are on loess covered fan terraces above Georgecanyon soils. Arbone and Watkins Ridge soils are on smooth to slightly concave slopes near the middle of fan terraces. Bezzant and Hondoho soils occur on terrace breaks and in and near old stream channels.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow to medium runoff; moderately slow permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: Georgecanyon soils are used for irrigated and nonirrigated cropland. Typical crops consist of small grains and alfalfa. The potential natural vegetation is mountain big sagebrush, bluebunch wheatgrass and sod-forming grasses.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southeastern Idaho. This series is inextensive.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Bear Lake County, Idaho, 2008. The name is coined.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:

Mollic epipedon - the zone from the surface to 16 inches (Ap1, Ap2 and Btk1 horizons)

Argillic horizon - the zone from 9 to 26 inches (Btk1 and Btk2 horizons)

Calcic horizon - the zone from 16 to 60 inches (Btk2, 2Bkq1 and 2Bkq2 horizons)

Particle-size control section - the zone from 9 to 26 inches (Btk1 andBtk2 horizons)


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.