LOCATION HOVELTON IDEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, mesic Vitrandic Argixerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Hovelton cobbly ashy loam -- on a west-facing slope of 40 percent at 3,900 feet elevation in rangeland. The surface has about 2 percent stone cover. When described on August 25, 1994, the soil was dry throughout. (Colors are for air-dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A--0 to 2 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/4) cobbly ashy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak medium and thick platy structure parting to moderate fine granular; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine, few medium and coarse roots; many very fine and fine irregular, few very fine and fine tubular pores; 10 percent gravel, 10 percent cobbles, 5 percent stones; neutral (pH 7.2); clear smooth boundary. (2 to 10 inches thick)
AB--2 to 6 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) cobbly ashy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure parting to strong fine and medium granular; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine, few medium and coarse roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; 10 percent gravel, 10 percent cobbles, 5 percent stones; neutral (pH 7.2); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 10 inches thick)
Bt1--6 to 13 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/4) very cobbly ashy loam, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/3) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine, few medium and coarse roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; few distinct clay films on faces of peds; 20 percent gravel, 30 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 7.0); gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 8 inches thick)
Bt2--13 to 24 inches; reddish brown (5YR 5/4) extremely stony clay loam, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/4) moist; strong fine subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine and fine roots; few very fine and fine tubular pores; common prominent clay films on faces of peds and in pores; 20 percent gravel, 25 percent cobbles, 30 percent stones; neutral (pH 7.0); clear irregular boundary. (8 to 22 inches thick)
R--24 inches; fractured basalt.
TYPE LOCATION: Boise County, Idaho; about 7 miles west of Banks; 2,000 feet north and 1,400 feet east of the southwest corner of section 30, T.9 N., R.2 E.; USGS Webb Creek Quadrangle; Latitude - 44 degrees, 05 minutes, 08 seconds N. and Longitude - 116 degrees, 16 minutes, 05 seconds W.; NAD 83.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mollic epipedon thickness - 10 to 20 inches
Depth to bedrock - 20 to 40 inches
Reaction - slightly acid or neutral
Particle-size control section - 18 to 27 percent clay; 45 to 75 percent rock fragments
Moisture control section - dry 60 to 90 consecutive days following the summer solstice
Average annual soil temperature - 47 to 53 degrees F.
A and AB horizons
Hue - 10YR through 5YR
Value - 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma - 2 through 4 dry or moist
Rock fragments - 0 to 10 percent stones, 5 to 20 percent cobbles, 10 to 30 percent gravel and 15 to 35 percent total
Volcanic glass content- 5 to 20 percent
Acid oxalate extract Al + 1/2 Fe - 0.5 to 1.0 percent
Bt1 horizon (when present)
Hue - 10YR through 5YR
Value - 4 through 6 dry, 2 through 4 moist
Chroma - 2 through 4 dry or moist
Clay content - 18 to 27 percent
Rock fragments - 0 to 10 percent stones, 5 to 40 percent cobbles, 20 to 40 percent gravel and 35 to 60 percent total
Volcanic glass content - 5 to 10 percent
Acid oxalate extract Al + 1/2 Fe - 0.5 to 0.9 percent
Bt2 horizon
Hue - 10YR through 5YR
Value - 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma - 3 through 6 dry or moist
Texture - L or CL
Clay content - 18 to 30 percent
Rock fragments - 0 to 30 percent stones, 10 to 40 percent cobbles, 20 to 45 percent gravel and 60 to 80 percent total
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Ackna (T), Blint, Brysill (T), Bunselmeier, Cubhill, Hehe, Lainand, Leidl, McDaniel, Millhouse (T), Nint (T), Norod and Skooker series. Ackna, Brysill, Bunselmeier, Cubhill, McDaniel and Millhouse soils are very deep. Blint soils are dry for 90 to 100 consecutive days and have a mollic epipedon 20 to 25 inches thick. Hehe soils are moderately deep to a paralithic contact. Lainand soils are deep to a lithic contact. Leidl soils have base saturation less than 75 percent in some part of the solum and average 27 to 35 percent clay in the particle-size control section. Nint soils have a mollic epipedon 20 to 35 inches thick. Norod soils are dry for 100 to 120 consecutive days and have secondary carbonates at 25 to 38 inches. Skooker soils are deep to a paralithic contact.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Hovelton soils are on hill backslopes and volcanic cone slopes at elevations of 2,600 to 5,750 feet. These soils formed in colluvium and residuum from basalt and welded tuff mixed with volcanic ash. Slopes range from 25 to 65 percent. The average annual precipitation is 13 to 22 inches. The average annual temperature is 45 to 51 degrees F. The frost-free period is 90 to 150 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the competing McDaniel soils and the Duco, Hann, Hillcreek and McDesh soils. Duco soils are on hill shoulders and backslopes and are shallow to bedrock. Hann soils are on hill backslopes and footslopes and are very deep and clayey. Hillcreek soils are on hill backslopes and are very deep and loamy. McDesh soils are on hill backslopes and are clayey. McDaniel soils are on similar geomorphic positions.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; very rapid runoff; moderately slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Hovelton soils are used mainly for rangeland. Native vegetation is xeric big sagebrush, bluebunch wheatgrass and Idaho fescue.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: West-central Idaho. MLRA 10. Hovelton soils are not extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Boise County Area, Idaho, Parts of Ada and Boise Counties, 2005.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon:
Mollic epipedon - zone from the soil surface to 13 inches (A, BA and Bt1 horizons)
Vitrandic feature - zone from the soil surface to 13 inches (A, BA and Bt1 horizons)
Argillic horizon and particle-size control section - zone from 13 to 24 inches (Bt1 and Bt2 horizons)
Lithic contact - at 24 inches (R)
Soil moisture regime - xeric
ADDITIONAL DATA: Reference sample no. S94ID-015-001 (NSSL pedon 95Z161)