LOCATION LIONHEAD IDEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive Pachic Haplocryolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Lionhead gravelly loam - on a 28 percent simple southwest-facing slope at an elevation of 7290 feet in rangeland. When described on September 19, 1979, the soil was moist below 20 inches. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A1--0 to 4 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) gravelly loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate fine granular structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine vesicular pores; 15 percent pebbles; neutral (pH 6.6); clear smooth boundary. (4 to 6 inches thick)
A2--4 to 9 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) gravelly loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine and few medium roots; common very fine and fine vesicular pores; 20 percent pebbles; neutral (pH 6.8); clear smooth boundary (5 to 6 inches thick)
Bw1--9 to 26 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) very gravelly loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine, and few medium roots; common very fine and fine vesicular pores; 35 percent pebbles, 15 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 7.2); gradual wavy boundary. (5 to 17 inches thick)
Bw2--26 to 34 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) very gravelly loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine, and few medium roots; common very fine vesicular pores; 35 percent pebbles, 20 percent cobbles; mildly alkaline (pH 7.6); gradual wavy boundary. (4 to 8 inches thick)
Bk1--34 to 46 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) extremely gravelly sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable; few very fine, fine and medium roots; slight effervescence; few very fine soft lime accumulations; 35 percent pebbles, 30 percent cobbles; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); gradual wavy boundary. (8 to 19 inches thick)
Bk2--46 to 60 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) extremely cobbly sandy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; single grain; loose; few very fine roots; slight effervescence; few very fine soft lime accumulations; 20 percent pebbles, 60 percent cobbles; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2).
TYPE LOCATION: Fremont County, Idaho, about 2 miles north and 2 miles east of Staley Springs, approximately 900 feet south and 1200 feet west of the northeast corner of sec. 29, T.16N., R. 43E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Average annual soil temperature - 38 to 42 degrees F.
Average summer soil temperature - 56 to 58 degrees F.
Control section - average percent clay: 11 to 21 percent
Depth to calcium carbonate accumulation - 18 to 37 inches
A horizon
Value- 3 or 4 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma- 1 through 3 moist
Reaction - slightly acid or neutral
Bw horizons
Value- 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist.
Chroma- 2 or 3 moist.
Texture - CBV-L, CBX-L, GRV-L.
Reaction - neutral or mildly alkaline.
Bk horizons
Value- 5 or 6 dry.
Chroma- 3 or 4 dry or moist.
Reaction - mildly or moderately alkaline.
Texture - CBX-SL, CBX-L, GRX-SL.
Coarse fragments - Pebbles - 20 to 35 percent.
Cobbles and Stones- 30 to 60 percent
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Behanin, Belsac, Blanca, Busterback (T), Caballo, Campone, Croesus, Darland, Dateman, Gateview, Hapgood, Harcany, Hobacker, Lolon, Lorta (T), Marcetta, Nagitsy, Namela, Nazaton, Nevtah, Poleline, Povey, Prong, Snag, Snopoc and Spearhead soils. Behanin, Busterback, and Lorta soils lack Bk horizons. Belsac soils are moderately deep to a paralithic contact. Blanca, Campone, Gateview, Hapgood, Harcany, Lolon, Nevtah, Snag and Spearhead soils lack "Bw" horizons. Campone soils also are somewhat poorly drained and have mottles within a depth of 40 inches. Caballo soils have a 0 horizon. Croesus, Dateman, Nagitsy, Namela, Nevtah, and Prong soils are moderately deep to bedrock. Darland soils have an average annual soil temperature of more than 43 degrees F. and have a slightly acid B horizon. Hobacker soils lack a "Bw" horizon and have a lithological discontinuity. Marcetta soils have an "E" horizon and lack Bk horizons. Nazaton soils have 0 horizons, lack layers of carbonates and have an average annual soil temperature of greater than 42 degrees F. Poleline soils lack layers of carbonates. Povey soils have no carbonates above 40 inches.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Lionhead soils are on mountain slopes. Elevation is 6,900 to 8,540 feet. The Lionhead soil formed in gravelly residuum derived dominantly from mica schists and amphibolites. The slopes are 20 to 55 percent. Average annual precipitation is 20 to 26 inches. Average annual temperature is 37 to 40 degrees F. The frost-free season is 40 to 60 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: This soil is associated with the Kitchell and Raynoldson series. Kitchell soils have a carbonatic mineralogy and are forested on north and east-facing mountain slopes. Raynoldson soils have a calcic horizon and are on nearly level to moderately steep fan terraces at the toe of mountain slopes.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. Runoff is rapid. Permeability is moderate in the upper part of the profile and rapid below.
USE AND VEGETATION: Lionhead soils are used mainly for rangeland. Vegetation is mainly Idaho fescue, bluebunch wheatgrass, mountain brome and mountain big sagebrush.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Lionhead soils are of small extent in southeastern Idaho.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES PROPOSED: Fremont County, Idaho, 1985.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - The zone from the soil surface to 26 inches (A1, A2, Bw1).
Cambic horizon - The zone from 26 to 34 inches (Bw2 horizon).
Particle-size control section - The zone from 10 to 40 inches (Bw1, Bw2 and part of the Bk1).