LOCATION HONDOHO IDEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, frigid Calcic Haploxerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Hondoho cobbly loam - on a 20 percent northerly slope at 4,500 feet elevation. (Color is for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A--0 to 8 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) cobbly loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; weak thin and medium platy structure parting to moderate very fine and fine granular; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine roots and few medium and coarse roots; many very fine irregular pores; about 15 percent cobbles and 10 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.2); clear smooth boundary. (5 to 10 inches thick)
AB--8 to 12 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) cobbly loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak medium platy structure parting to moderate very fine and fine granular; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine, fine, medium and coarse roots; many very fine, fine and medium irregular pores; about 15 percent cobbles and 10 percent gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 7 inches thick)
Bw--12 to 16 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) cobbly loam, light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) crushed, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak medium prismatic structure parting to moderate fine subangular blocky; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine roots; many very fine and few fine and medium tubular pores; few 1/2 inch cicada krotovinas; about 20 percent cobbles and 10 percent gravel coated on the lower half with 1 to 2 mm of lime; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear wavy boundary. (4 to 10 inches thick)
Bk1--16 to 24 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) very cobbly loam, very pale brown (10YR 7/3) crushed, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; moderate fine and very fine subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine and few medium roots; many very fine and few fine tubular pores; about 20 percent cobbles and 15 percent gravel; common large lime splotches, spots, veins, and coatings on undersides of rock fragments, violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.3); gradual wavy boundary. (6 to 12 inches thick)
Bk2--24 to 36 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) very cobbly sandy clay loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; weak very fine and fine subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine and fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; about 20 percent cobbles and 20 percent gravel; common large lime splotches, spots, veins, and coatings on undersides of rock fragments, violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.3); gradual wavy boundary. (10 to 20 inches thick)
Bk3--36 to 60 inches; pale yellow (5Y 7/3) extremely cobbly sandy clay loam, pale olive (5Y 6/3) moist; weak very fine and fine subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine tubular pores; about 10 percent stones, about 35 percent cobbles and 25 percent gravel; many large lime splotches, spots and veins, violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.3).
TYPE LOCATION: Power County, Idaho; southeast 1/4 of the northwest 1/4 of section 24, T.7S., R.33E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Thickness of the mollic epipedon and depth to secondary carbonates - 10 to 16 inches
Depth to the calcic horizon - 14 to 20 inches
Average annual soil temperature - 42 to 47 degrees F.
Control section averages - 18 to 30 percent total clay
Control section averages - 35 to 55 percent coarse fragments
A and AB horizons
Value - 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma - 2 or 3 dry, 1 to 3 moist
Reaction - neutral or slightly alkaline
Bw horizon
Value - 4 to 7 dry, 3 to 6 moist
Chroma - 2 to 6 dry or moist
Reaction - slightly alkaline to moderately alkaline
Texture - GR-SIL, GRV-SIL, CBV-L, CBV-SCL, GRV-L, GR-L
Bk horizon
Value - 5 through 8 dry, 3 through 7 moist
Chroma - 3 through 6 dry or moist
Textures - GRV-L, GRV-SIL, CBV-L, CBV-SCL, GRV-COSL
Rock fragments - 35 to 60 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent - 15 to 40 percent
Reaction - slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Buist, Conneridge, Dagan, Ireland, Jebo, Niarada, Pedleford, and Tuckerdowns series. The Buist soils have less than 18 percent clay in the particle size control section. The Conneridge and Ireland soils have bedrock at a depth of 20 to 40 inches. The Dagan soils have hues redder than 10YR. The Jebo soils have hues redder than 10YR in the B horizons.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Hondoho soils are on foothills, mountain slopes, and fan terraces at elevations of 4,500 to 6,800 feet. They formed in mixed alluvium. Slopes are 1 to 70 percent. The average annual precipitation ranges from 12 to 18 inches. The average annual air temperature is 40 to 45 degrees F. The frost free period is 70 to 110 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Arbone, Pandoah, and Rudeen soils. Arbone soils have less than 35 percent rock fragments in the control section. Pandoah and Rudeen soils are moderately deep.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; Slow to very rapid runoff; Moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Hondoho soils are used mainly for rangeland. Minor areas are used for irrigated and nonirrigated farming. The potential native vegetation is mainly bluebunch wheatgrass and mountain big sagebrush.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southeastern Idaho. These soils are moderately extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Power County, Idaho, 1973.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - the zone from the soil surface to 12 inches (the A and AB horizons)
Cambic horizon - The zone from 12 to 16 inches (the Bw horizon).
Calcic horizon - The zone from 16 to 60 inches (the Bk1, Bk2, and Bk3 horizons)
Particle-size control section - The zone from 10 to 40 inches (part of the AB, the Bw, Bk1, Bk2, and part of the Bk3 horizons)
Niarada soils have a cambic horizon that lacks carbonates. Tuckerdowns soils lack a cambic horizon.