LOCATION KRIEST ID+CAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Vitrandic Dystroxerepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Kriest gravelly ashy sandy loam, woodland; on a southwest-facing slope of 60 percent at 3,100 feet elevation. When described on August 21, 1972, the soil was dry. Pedon was redescribed on June 30, 1999. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
Oi--0 to 1.5 inches; needles, leaves, and twigs. (1 to 1.5 inches thick)
Oe--1.5 to 2 inches; partly decomposed organic matter mixed with Mt. St. Helens volcanic ash. (0.5 to 1 inch thick)
A--2 to 4 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) gravelly ashy sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate very fine granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine, fine and medium roots; many very fine pores; 25 percent gravel; moderately acid (pH 5.9); abrupt wavy boundary. (1 to 2 inches thick)
Bw1--4 to 8 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) gravelly ashy sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure parting to moderate very fine and fine granular; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine, fine and medium roots; many very fine pores; 25 percent gravel; moderately acid (pH 5.9); clear wavy boundary. (4 to 6 inches thick)
Bw2--8 to 18 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) gravelly ashy sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine, fine, medium and many coarse roots; many very fine pores; 25 percent gravel; moderately acid (pH 5.9); clear wavy boundary. (9 to 12 inches thick)
Bt1--18 to 27 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) gravelly sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine and medium roots; many very fine and fine pores; common faint clay films lining pores and on some surfaces of peds; few 1/16 to 1/4 inch dark yellowish brown lamellae; 30 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.2); clear wavy boundary. (7 to 12 inches thick)
Bt2--27 to 34 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) gravelly sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine and medium roots; many fine pores; few faint clay films on faces of peds and lining pores; many 1/16 to 1/4 inch dark brown lamellae; 15 percent gravel; moderately acid (pH 5.9); clear wavy boundary. (7 to 12 inches thick)
BC--34 to 43 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) gravelly loamy sand, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, nonsticky and nonplastic; many fine pores; many 1/16 to 1/4 dark brown bands; 30 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.1); gradual wavy boundary. (8 to 14 inches thick)
2Cr--43 inches; weathered granitic bedrock.
TYPE LOCATION: Boundary County, Idaho; about 7 miles west of Bonners Ferry on north side of Myrtle Creek; about 500 feet north and 200 feet east of the southwest corner of sec. 15, T. 62 N., R. 1 W.; Latitude - 48 degrees, 43 minutes, 05 seconds North; Longitude - 116 degrees, 27 minutes, 34 seconds West; USGS Moravia Quadrangle.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Average annual soil temperature - 43 to 46 degrees F.
Average summer soil temperature - 53 to 55 degrees F. with an O horizon
Thin light gray volcanic ash layer - 1/2 to 1 inch thick present in some pedons in undisturbed areas between the organic and mineral soil surface
Depth to bedrock - 40 to 60 inches
Clay content - 2 to 5 percent in the Particle-size control section
Volcanic ash influence - 10 to 16 inches thick
Volcanic glass content - 5 to 20 percent
Acid oxalate Al + 1/2 Fe - 0.4 to 1.0 percent
Moist bulk density - 1.0 to 1.2 g/cc
Phosphate retention - 25 to 55 percent
A horizon
Hue - 10YR or 7.5YR
Value - 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma - 2 through 4 dry or moist
Texture - GR-ASHY-SL, GR-ASHY-L
Clay content - 4 to 8 percent
Gravel - 15 to 30 percent
Reaction - moderately acid to neutral
Bw horizons
Hue - 10YR or 7.5YR
Value - 5 through 7 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma - 3 or 4 dry or moist
Texture - GR-ASHY-SL, GR-ASHY-L
Clay content - 2 to 8 percent
Rock fragments - 15 to 30 percent
Reaction - moderately acid to neutral
Bt horizons
Hue - 10YR or 2.5Y
Value - 5 through 7 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma - 3 or 4 dry or moist
Clay content - 2 to 5 percent
Rock fragments - 15 to 35 percent
Reaction - moderately acid or slightly acid
BC horizon
Hue - 10YR or 2.5Y
Texture - GR-LS, GR-SL
Clay content - 2 to 5 percent
Rock fragments - 20 to 30 percent
Reaction - moderately acid or slightly acid
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Kriest soils are on mountains and foothills. Slopes range from 5 to 65 percent. They formed in glacial till and residuum derived from granite, gneiss, and schist with minor amounts of volcanic ash and loess in the surface. Elevations range from 1,800 to 3,800 feet. The climate is subhumid with cold, wet winters and warm, dry summers. The average annual air temperature ranges from 43 to 46 degrees F. and average annual precipitation ranges from 25 to 35 inches. The average frost-free period is 90 to 120 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Dufort, Idamont, Pend Oreille and Treble soils. Dufort soils are on mountains and foothills and are ashy over loamy-skeletal. Idamont and Pend Oreille soils are on mountain slopes and are ashy over loamy. Treble soils are on mountain slopes and are loamy-skeletal.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; medium to very rapid runoff; moderately rapid permeability above the paralithic contact.
USE AND VEGETATION: Woodland, wildlife habitat, and recreation. Natural vegetation is mainly grand fir, western white pine, Douglas-fir, ponderosa pine, western larch, and lodgepole pine, with an understory of myrtle pachystima, baldhip rose, Oregon fairybells, western meadowrue, creambush oceanspray; mallow ninebark, pine reedgrass, Saskatoon serviceberry, common snowberry, white spirea, and low Oregon grape.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northern Idaho, California, and possibly northwestern Montana, and northeastern Washington. The series is not extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Boundary County, Idaho, 1974.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - the zone from the mineral soil surface to 7 inches (A and Bw1 horizons)
Cambic horizon - the zone from 4 to 34 inches (Bw1, Bw2, Bt1, and Bt2 horizons)
Paralithic contact - 43 inches (2Cr horizon)
Particle-size control section - the zone from 10 to 40 inches (part of the Bw2, Bt1, Bt2, and part of the BC horizon)