LOCATION HAL ID

Established Series
Rev. DJ/RW
01/2011

HAL SERIES

The Hal series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in wind deposited cinders and ash. Slopes are 30 to 60 percent. Permeability is moderate over rapid. Average annual precipitation is about 18 inches and the average annual air temperature is about 40 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Medial, amorphic Humic Xeric Vitricryands

TYPICAL PEDON: Hal gravelly medial loam; rangeland; on a 35 percent north facing slopes at 6,300 feet elevation with mountain big sagebrush Idaho fescue and bluebunch wheatgrass. When described on Aug 16, 1995, the soil was dry through out. (Color is for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)

A1 -- 0 to 6 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) gravelly medial loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; moderate fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine and fine roots; common tubular pores; 15 percent cinders; neutral (pH 6.6); clear smooth boundary. (3 to 8 inches thick)

A2 -- 6 to 12 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/4) gravelly medial loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/3) moist; moderate fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine, fine and few medium roots; many very fine and fine tubular pores; 25 percent cinders; neutral (pH 6.8); gradual wavy boundary. (6 to 14 inches thick)

Bw1 -- 12 to 24 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/4) gravelly medial loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) moist; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine, fine and few medium roots; common very fine tubular pores; 25 percent cinders, neutral (pH 6.8); gradual wavy boundary. (10 to 20 inches thick)

Bw2 -- 24 to 40 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/4) gravelly medial loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine, fine and medium roots; few very fine tubular pores; 30 percent cinders; neutral (pH 6.9); abrupt wavy boundary. (15 to 18 inches thick)

2C -- 40 to 60 inches; very dark brown (10YR 2/2) extremely gravelly ashy loamy coarse sand, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; single grained; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; 80 percent cinders; neutral (pH 7.0).

TYPE LOCATION: Butte County, Idaho; about 1 1/2 miles north and 1/2 miles west of the Craters of the Moon Visitor's Center; about 17 miles west of Arco, Id; 800 feet east and 1,100 feet north of the southwest corner of section. 23, T. 2 N., R. 24 E. (Latitude - 43 degrees, 29 minutes, 03 seconds north Longitude - 113 degrees, 34 minutes, 17 seconds west)

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:

The soil moisture control section is dry for 60 to 90 consecutive days.
Average annual soil temperature - 38 to 44 degrees F
The solum and thickness of andic soil properties is 40 to over 60 inches. bulk density (moist) - 0.7 to 1.0 g/cm 3.
Phosphate retention - 50 to 80 percent.
15 bar water, dry - 12 to 15 percent.
15 bar water, moist - 20 to 30 percent acid-oxalate aluminum plus one-half the iron - 1.0 - 2.0
Glass content is 5 to 30 percent
Field estimated clay content - 7 to 15 percent
Rock fragments - 15 to 30 percent (cinders < 5 mm in size)
Thickness of mollic epipedon - 10 to 20 inches.

A horizons:
Hue - 10YR or 7.5YR
Value - 3 or 4 dry and 2 or 3 moist
Chroma - 4 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Reaction - slightly acid or neutral

Bw horizons:
Hue - 10YR or 7.5YR
Value - 4 or 5 dry and 3 or 4 moist
Chroma - 4 through 6

2C horizon: (when present)
Rock fragments - 60 to 90 percent (cinders)
Dark color due to parent material, not organic matter

COMPETING SERIES: This is the Grassycone series. Grassycone soils have an O horizon and fine sandy loam fine-earth textures throughout the solum.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Hal soils are on foothills and mountainsides at elevations of 6,000 to 8,500 feet. Slopes range from 30 to 60 percent. The soils formed in wind deposited ash and cinders. The mean annual precipitation ranges from 16 to 20 inches. The mean annual air temperature is about 37 to 43 degrees F. The frost free season is 30 to 70 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the competing Grassycone, Huddle and Moonville soils. The Huddle and Moonville soils are on flat and southern aspects and have a frigid soil temperature regime.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; medium to very high runoff and moderate over rapid permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: Used primarily for range and wildlife habitat. Vegetation is mainly mountain big sagebrush Idaho fescue and bluebunch wheatgrass.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southeast Idaho. These soils are of small extent.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Butte County Area, Idaho, 1997.

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

Mollic epipedon - 0 to 12 inches

Cambic horizon - the zone from 12 to 40 inches (the Bw1, Bw2 horizons)

Andic soil properties from 0 to 40 inches are based on laboratory data from the associated Huddle series.

Particle size control section - the zone from 0 to 40 inches

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.