LOCATION HIGHCREEK ID
Established Series
Rev. RWW/SM/CLM
02/2019
HIGHCREEK SERIES
The Highcreek series consists of very deep, well drained soils formed in lacustrine sediments, silty alluvium from lake sediments, and mixed alluvium. They are on lake terraces and fan terraces. Permeability is moderate. Highcreek soils have slopes of 4 to 25 percent. Average annual precipitation is about 13 inches and average annual air temperature is about 48 degrees F.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Calcic Haploxerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Highcreek silt loam in nonirrigated cropland on a 9 percent slope at 4,680 feet elevation. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
Ap--0 to 7 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) silt loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure parting to weak fine granular; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine, common fine, and few medium and coarse roots; many fine and very fine irregular pores; 10 percent gravel and 1 percent cobbles; slightly alkaline (pH 7.5); clear wavy boundary.
A--7 to 16 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) silt loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine, and few medium and coarse roots; many very fine tubular pores; 10 percent gravel and 2 percent cobbles; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the A horizons is 10 to 18 inches)
Bk1--16 to 26 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) silt loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine, and few medium and coarse roots; many very fine tubular pores; 10 percent gravel and 2 percent cobbles; few moderately thick lime coatings on undersides of rock fragments; common medium irregular lime concretions in filaments; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.1); abrupt smooth boundary. (8 to 12 inches thick)
Bk2--26 to 38 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) gravelly loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and few fine roots; common fine tubular pores; 15 percent gravel and 2 percent cobbles; many moderately thick lime coatings on rock fragments; many fine and medium irregular lime concretions in filaments; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.1); clear wavy boundary. (10 to 14 inches thick)
Bk3--38 to 49 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) gravelly loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and few fine roots; common fine tubular pores; 15 percent gravel and 3 percent cobbles; moderately thick lime coatings on all sides of rock fragments; few fine lime concretions in filaments; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.1); abrupt wavy boundary. (9 to 13 inches thick)
Bk4--49 to 66 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) gravelly loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; 15 percent gravel and 5 percent cobbles; moderately thick lime coatings on rock fragments; many fine and medium lime concretions in filaments; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2).
TYPE LOCATION: Oneida County, Idaho; about 1 1/2 miles southwest of Woodruff, Idaho; 300 feet north and 50 feet east of the southwest corner of sec. 28, T.16S., R.36E. Latitude - 42 degrees, 7 seconds North; Longitude - 112 degrees, 15 minutes, 59 seconds West.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mollic epipedon - 10 to 18 inches thick
Depth to lime - 7 to 26 inches
Reaction of profile - slightly or moderately alkaline
Particle-size control section:
Clay content average - 18 to 27 percent (total clay)
A horizon:
Value - 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma - 2 or 3 dry or moist
Bk horizon:
Value - 6 or 7 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma - 2 through 4 dry or moist
Texture - SIL or GR-L
Rock fragments - 5 to 25 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent - 5 to 30 percent
COMPETING SERIES: These are the
Almota,
Bickleton,
Lebec and
Nims series. The Almota and Nims soils are underlain with basalt bedrock at depths of 20 to 40 inches. The Bickleton soils typically moderately deep to very or extremely gravelly material and have bedrock at 40 to 60 inches. Lebec soils are calcareous throughout and are 20 to 40 inches deep over limestone bedrock.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Highcreek soils are on lake terraces and fan terraces and have slopes of 4 to 25 percent. Elevation ranges from 4,500 to 5,500 feet. The soil formed in lacustrine sediments, silty alluvium from lake sediments, and mixed alluvium. Average annual precipitation is 12 to 14 inches and average annual air temperature is 47 to 49 degrees F. The frost free period is 100 to 120 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the
Sterling,
Kearns, and
Parleys series. The Sterling soils are loamy-skeletal and are on edges of terraces and in draws. The Kearns soils are fine-silty and are on level terraces. The Parleys soils are fine-silty and have an argillic horizon and are on linear terraces.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow to very rapid runoff; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Nonirrigated cropland. Used mostly for small grains and alfalfa.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southeastern Idaho. These soils are not extensive.
SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: PORTLAND, OREGON
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Oneida County, Idaho, 1994.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are
Mollic epipedon - the zone from the surface to 16 inches (the Ap and A horizons)
Calcic horizon - the zone from 26 to 38 inches (the Bk2 horizon)
Particle-size control section - the zone from 10 to 40 inches (part of the A the Bk1, Bk2, and part of the Bk3 horizons)
The superactive cation exchange activity class was added in 03/2003 to the taxonomic classification by the National Soil Survey Center on request of the Reno MLRA office, without review of the soil series property data. The remainder of this document has not been updated.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.