LOCATION LAWYER ID+OR WAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, mesic Pachic Ultic Argixerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Lawyer silt loam--range. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
A1--0 to 6 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) silt loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; strong very fine and fine granular structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine and common medium roots; many fine interstitial pores; about 5 percent gravel and cobbles; neutral (pH 6.6); clear wavy boundary. (4 to 8 inches thick)
A2--6 to 13 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; strong very fine, fine, and medium granular structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine, common medium and few coarse roots; many fine interstitial pores; 5 percent gravel and 5 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 6.6); clear wavy boundary. (5 to 10 inches thick)
A3--13 to 23 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) gravelly loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; weak very fine, fine, and medium prismatic structure parting to moderate very fine and fine subangular blocky; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine and few medium and coarse roots; common very fine tubular pores; 20 percent gravel and 5 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 6.6); diffuse wavy boundary. (6 to 14 inches thick)
Bt1--23 to 40 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) very gravelly clay loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; strong very fine and fine subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine, fine and medium and few coarse roots; common very fine tubular pores; many faint clay films on peds and in pores; 40 percent gravel and 5 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 6.6); gradual wavy boundary. (4 to 20 inches thick)
Bt2--40 to 55 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) very gravelly clay loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; moist color slightly darker than dry color; strong very fine and fine subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, very sticky and very plastic; few very fine, fine, medium and coarse roots; common very fine tubular pores; continuous faint clay films on peds and few distinct clay films in pores; 50 percent gravel and 10 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 6.8); clear wavy boundary. (4 to 20 inches thick)
Bt3--55 to 72 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) very gravelly clay loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; strong very fine and fine subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine, fine, medium, and coarse roots; common very fine tubular pores; common distinct clay bridging of mineral grains; 50 percent gravel and 10 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 6.8).
TYPE LOCATION: Idaho County, Idaho; 950 feet west and 1,570 feet south of the northeast corner of sec. 30, T. 39 N., R. 2 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mollic epipedon thickness - 20 to 40 inches
Depth to bedrock - 40 to more than 60 inches
Average annual soil temperature - 47 to 52 degrees F.
Average summer soil temperature - 59 to 65 degrees F.
Base saturation above 30 inches - 50 to 75 percent
Moisture control section - usually dry 60 to 75 days during the summer
A horizon
Value - 3 or 4 dry, and chroma or 1 or 2
Textures - SIL, CB-L, ST-SIL or GRV-L
Rock fragments - 5 to 35 percent
Bt horizon
Hue - 10YR or 7.5YR
Value - 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma - 2 or 3
Textures - GRV-CL or GRV-CL, CBV-CL, CBX-C, GRX-CL
The upper 20 inches of the argillic has 30 to 35 percent clay and the lower part has 35 to 50 percent clay
The argillic contains 35 to 65 percent rock fragments
Reaction - slightly acid or neutral
Some pedons have secondary lime and are moderately alkaline below a depth of 43 inches
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Badgermont, Oreoke, and Taming series.
Badgermont soils - 20 to 40 inches to bedrock; dry 90 to 105 consecutive days
Oreoke soils - dry 75 to 90 consecutive days
Taming soils - have 0 horizons
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Lawyer soils are on steep and very steep north-facing canyon slopes. Slopes range from 25 to 90 percent. The soils formed in loess, colluvium, and material weathered from Columbia River basalt or Seven Devils volcanics at elevations of 1,200 to 4,000 feet. The climate is subhumid, with an average annual temperature of 45 to 52 degrees F, and with an average annual precipitation of 17 to 24 inches including 5 to 10 feet of snow. Summers are moderately dry. The average frost-free period is 110 to 140 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Bluesprin, Gwinly, Mallory, and Tannahill soils. Bluesprin soils have mollic epipedons that are 10 to 18 inches thick and are on south-facing slopes. Gwinly soils are less than 20 inches to bedrock and are dominantly on south and west-facing slopes. Mallory soils are less than 40 inches to bedrock and are on plateaus and steep south and west-facing slopes. Tannahill soils have mollic epipedons 10 to 15 inches thick, have lime above a depth of 43 inches, and are on south-facing slopes.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; rapid and very rapid runoff; moderately slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Range and recreation. The potential natural vegetation is mainly Idaho fescue, bluebunch wheatgrass, prairie junegrass, snowberry and wildrose.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: West-central Idaho, southeastern Washington, and northeastern Oregon; MLRA 9. The series is moderately extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Idaho County, Idaho, 1976.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons an features included in this pedon:
Mollic epipedon - from 0 to 23 inches (A1, A2, and A3 horizons)
Argillic horizon - from 23 to 72 inches (Bt1, Bt2, and Bt2 horizons)