LOCATION KEARNSAR IDEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-silty, mixed, superactive, mesic Pachic Calcixerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Kearnsar silt loam on a 1 percent slope at 4,560 feet elevation. When described on May 3, 1989, the soil was moist throughout. (Colors are for air dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
Ap--0 to 9 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) silt loam; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate fine and medium granular structure; soft, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear wavy boundary. (8 to 12 inches thick)
A--9 to 23 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) silty clay loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; soft, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear wavy boundary. (12 to 15 inches thick)
Bk1--23 to 27 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) silty clay loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, sticky and plastic; few very fine roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; strongly effervescent; disseminated carbonate and few fine irregularly shaped carbonate masses; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear wavy boundary.
Bk2--27 to 45 inches; very pale brown (10YR 8/3) silt loam, very pale brown (10YR 7/3) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; violently effervescent; disseminated carbonate and few fine irregularly shaped carbonate masses; strongly alkaline (pH 8.6); clear wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bk1 and Bk2 horizons is 20 to 25 inches)
Bk3--45 to 60 inches; light gray (2.5Y 7/2) silt loam, light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) moist; weak very fine subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) irregularly shaped masses of iron accumulation; violently effervescent; disseminated carbonate; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4).
TYPE LOCATION: Franklin County, Idaho; about 1.5 miles north-northeast of Franklin; approximately 10 feet east and 1,200 feet south of the northwest corner of section 16, T. 16 S., R. 40 E.; USGS Franklin 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle; 42 degrees 02 minutes 23 seconds north latitude and 111 degrees 47 minutes 54 seconds west, NAD83.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mean annual soil temperature - 47 to 50 degrees F.
Mollic epipedon thickness - 20 to 27 inches.
Depth to calcic horizon - 14 to 25 inches.
Depth to redoximorphic features - 40 to 60 inches.
Particle-size control section - Clay content: Averages 24 to 35 percent
A horizons
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist.
Chroma: 2 or 3 dry, 1 through 3 moist.
Organic matter content: 1 to 4 percent.
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 1 to 15 percent.
Other features: Some pedons have identifiable secondary carbonates.
Bk1 and Bk2 horizons
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y.
Value: 5 through 8 dry, 4 through 7 moist.
Chroma: 2 or 3, dry or moist.
Texture: Silty clay loam or silt loam.
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 15 to 35 percent.
Reaction: Moderately alkaline or strongly alkaline.
Bk3 horizon
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y.
Value: 5 through 8 dry, 4 through 7 moist.
Chroma: 2 or 3, dry or moist.
Texture: Silty clay loam or silt loam.
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 10 to 30 percent.
Reaction: Moderately alkaline or strongly alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: This is the Bonolden series. Bonolden soils do not have endosaturation and redoximorphic features from 40 to 60 inches.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Kearnsar soils are on lake terraces. They formed in lacustrine deposits derived from mixed sources. Slopes are 0 to 4 percent. Elevations range from 4,400 to 4,800 feet. The mean annual precipitation is 14 to 17 inches, the mean annual air temperature is 45 to 48 degrees F., and the frost-free period is 120 to 130 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Battle Creek, Lando, and Ricrest soils. Battle Creek soils are fine textured, free of carbonates to a depth of 12 inches or more, and are on about the same or slightly higher landscape positions. Lando soils are fine-silty, have endosaturation at depths of 2 to 4 feet, and are on a lower landscape position. Ricrest soils are fine-loamy, well drained, and are on higher lake terraces.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Moderately well drained; low surface runoff; moderately slow permeability (moderately high saturated hydraulic conductivity). Endosaturation is present with an apparent seasonal high water table between 3.5 and 6 feet (deep free water occurrence class) between March and June. Cumulative annual duration class is Common.
USE AND VEGETATION: Kearnsar soils are used for irrigated and nonirrigated cropland. Crops are alfalfa, small grains, and corn for silage.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southeastern Idaho. These soils are not extensive with about 530 acres of the series mapped to date. MLRA 28A.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Phoenix, Arizona.
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Franklin County, Idaho, 1997. The name is coined.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - The zone from the soil surface to 23 inches (Ap and A horizons).
Calcic horizon - The zone from 23 to 60 inches (Bk1, Bk2, and Bk3 horizons).
Particle-size control section - The zone from 10 to 40 inches (Bk1 horizon and parts of the A and Bk2 horizons).
The superactive cation exchange activity class is based on an estimate from NASIS data elements.