LOCATION KUKVEY IDTentative Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy, mixed, mesic Aridic Calcixerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Kukvey loamy sand, in a weedy pivot corner with a slope of 1.5 percent at 4,435 feet elevation. (When described on November 8, 1993, the soil was slightly moist throughout. Colors are for air-dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 9 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) loamy sand, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; strong very fine and fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine roots; many very fine irregular and common very fine tubular pores; 2 percent gravel 2 to 15 mm in diameter; neutral (pH 7.1); abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 14 inches thick)
A--9 to 17 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) loamy sand, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; strong very thick platy structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine roots; many very fine irregular and common very fine tubular pores; 2 percent gravel 2 to 15 mm in diameter; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); gradual smooth boundary. (0 to 12 inches thick)
Bw1--17 to 25 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) loamy sand, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine roots; many very fine irregular and few very fine tubular pores; 25 percent basalt sand grains; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); clear smooth boundary.
Bw2--25 to 45 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) sand, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; single grain; loose; few very fine roots; many very fine irregular pores; 35 percent basalt sand grains; slightly alkaline (pH 7.5); gradual smooth boundary. (combined thickness of the Bw horizons is 20 to 36 inches)
Bk--45 to 60 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) sand, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine irregular and few very fine tubular pores; violently effervescent, lime segregated as thin coats on sand grains; 8 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; 25 percent basalt sand grains; strongly alkaline (pH 8.6);
TYPE LOCATION: Bingham County, Idaho; about 2 miles northwest of Fort Hall; 560 feet north and 320 feet west of the southeast corner of sec. 22, T. 4S., R. 34E.; Fort Hall Quadrangle; Latitude - 43 degrees, 3 minutes, 6 seconds North; Longitude - 112 degrees, 27 minutes, 24 seconds West.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Thickness of mollic epipedon - 10 to 19 inches
Depth to calcic horizon - 36 to 52 inches
Average annual soil temperature - 49 to 51 degrees F.
Particle-size control section
Clay content - 1 to 10 percent
Rock fragments - 0 to 15 percent
Ap and A horizons
Chroma - 2 or 3 dry or moist
Rock fragments - 0 to 10 percent rounded pebbles
Reaction - neutral or slightly alkaline
Bw horizons
Hue - 10YR or 2.5Y
Chroma - 2 through 4 dry or moist
Texture - COS, S, LCOS, LS
Rock fragments - 0 to 15 percent rounded pebbles
Reaction - slightly or moderately alkaline
Bk horizon
Hue - 10YR or 2.5Y
Value - 6 through 8 dry, 4 through 6 moist
Chroma - 2 or 3 dry or moist
Texture - COS, S
CaCO3 equivalent - 5 to 15 percent
Rock fragments - 0 to 15 percent rounded pebbles
Reaction - moderately or strongly alkaline
COMPETING SERIES: There are no other series in this family. A closely related soil is the Tindahay series which has an ochric epipedon, strata finer than LFS within the control section, and no recognition of a calcic horizon.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Kukvey soils are on stream and fan terraces with slopes from 0 to 15 percent. Elevation ranges from 4,400 to 4,500 feet. The soil formed in mixed sandy alluvium that has been modified by wind to give it a hummocky micro-relief. The climate is semi-arid with warm dry summers and cold moist winters. The average annual precipitation is 9 to 11 inches. The average annual air temperature is 46 to 48 degrees F. The frost-free season is 110 to 120 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the competing Tindahay soils and the Quincy, Shoban (T), and Tickason soils. Quincy soils are on dunes and terraces, have an ochric epipedon and do not have a calcic horizon. Shoban soils are on stream terraces and have a water table at a depth of 24 to 40 inches during May through November. Tickason soils are on stream terraces and have a coarse-loamy particle-size control section.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat excessively drained; very slow runoff; very rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Kukvey soils are used primarily for irrigated cropland. They are also used for homesites and rangeland. The major crops grown are potatoes, wheat, barley, and alfalfa.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southeastern Idaho. The series is not extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES PROPOSED: Bingham County, Idaho, 1994. The name is coined.
REMARKS: Most areas of the Kukvey series were mapped as the Tindahay series in the Fort Hall Area Soil Survey, 1977. The approximate site of the type location of the Tindahay series was excavated and redescribed in October, 1993. This observation showed that the soil had a mollic epipedon, a weak calcic horizon, and the 6 to 13-inch layer was loamy sand instead of sandy loam. As a result the Tindahay type location was mapped as the Kukvey series.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - the zone from the surface to 17 inches (Ap and A horizons)
Calcic horizon - the zone from 45 to 60 inches (Bk horizon)
Aridic subgroup - Kukvey soils occur within an area with an aridic soils moisture regime that is bordering on xeric.
Particle-size control section - the zone from 10 to 40 inches (part of the A horizon, the Bw1 horizon and part of the Bw2 horizon)