LOCATION LITTLESALMON IDEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy-skeletal, mixed Andic Haplocryepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Littlesalmon ashy loam - forested - on a 55 percent slope at 5,000 feet elevation. Aspect is north northeast. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted. When described on July 6, 1988, the soil was moist throughout.)
Oe--0 to 2 inches; slightly decomposed cones, twigs, needles, and leaves.
Oa--2 to 3 inches; highly decomposed Oe horizon material. (Combined thickness of the O horizons is 0 to 4 inches)
A1--3 to 7 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) ashy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak very fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; many very fine roots; many very fine irregular pores; slightly acid (pH 6.4); clear smooth boundary. (2 to 6 inches thick)
A2--7 to 16 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) ashy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; many very fine roots; many very fine irregular pores; 1 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.2); clear wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the A horizons is 8 to 14 inches)
2Bw--16 to 23 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) cobbly sandy loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and few coarse roots; many fine tubular pores; 15 percent cobbles, 15 percent gravel; moderately acid (pH 6.0); clear smooth boundary. (4 to 8 inches thick)
2BC--23 to 31 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) very cobbly loamy coarse sand, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine roots; many medium irregular pores; 30 percent cobbles, 20 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.6); abrupt wavy boundary. (6 to 10 inches thick)
2Cl--31 to 43 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) and light gray (10YR 7/2) extremely cobbly loamy coarse sand, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) and light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and few coarse roots; many medium irregular pores; 90 percent cobbles; slightly acid (pH 6.2); clear wavy boundary.
2C2--43 to 63 inches; similar to 2Cl except colors of grayish brown (10YR 5/2) and very pale brown (10YR 8/3) dry and dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) and brown (10YR 5/3) moist. (Combined thickness of the 2C horizons is 22 to 41 inches)
2Cr--63 inches; highly weathered granite.
TYPE LOCATION: Adams County, Idaho; about 15 miles north of New Meadows about 200 feet north and 1,800 feet west of the southeast corner, sec. 15, T. 21 N., R. 1 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Average annual soil temperature - 40 to 46 degrees F.
Average summer soil temperature - 52 to 58 degrees F. without an O horizon and 44 to 47 degrees F. with an O horizon
Depth to paralithic contact - 40 to 60 inches
Control section coarse fragments (average) - 35 to 80 percent (mostly gravel and cobbles)
Volcanic ash and loess mantle - 8 to 14 inches thick (bulk density of 0.85 to 0.95 grams per cubic centimeter)
A horizon
Value - 4 or 5 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma - 2 through 4 dry or moist
2Bw horizon
Value - 6 or 7 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma - 2 or 3 dry or moist
Coarse fragments - 15 to 35 percent
2C horizon
Value - 5 through 8 dry, 4 through 6 moist
Chroma - 2 or 3 dry or moist
Coarse fragments - 40 to 90 percent
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Bluebuck (T), Bromas (T), Roman (T), and Sitdown. Bluebuck soils are 40 to 60 inches to densic materials and are udic. Bromas soils are moderately deep to a paralithic contact. Roman soils are very deep and are udic. Sitdown soils have a thinner A horizon and are xeric.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Littlesalmon soils are on steep and very steep mountainsides at elevations of 3,800 to 5,400 feet. Slopes are 30 to 75 percent. The soils formed in material weathered from schist, gneiss and granite with an admixture of loess and volcanic ash in the upper part. The average annual precipitation is 30 to 40 inches and the average annual temperature is about 38 to 44 degrees F. The frost-free season is about 60 to 80 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Jughandle, Molly and Ligget series. All these soils have less than 35 percent coarse fragments in the control section. They are on similar landscape positions.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat excessively drained; very rapid runoff; rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used for timber production, recreation, wildlife habitat, and watershed. Vegetation is mainly grand fir, Douglas-fir, ponderosa pine and Engleman spruce with an understory of rocky mountain maple, willow, alder, queencup beadlily, brackenfern, western thimbleberry, and goldthread.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: West central Idaho. This soil is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Adams County, Idaho, 1992.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - 3 to 16 inches (A1 and A2 horizons)
Cambic horizon - the zone from 16 to 23 inches (2Bw horizon)
Particle-size control section - the zone from 13 to 43 inches (part of the A2, the 2Bw, 2BC, and 2C1 horizons)
Andic feature - the volcanic ash and loess layer from 3 to 16 inches (A1 and A2 horizons)
Moisture regime - Udic
Depths to diagnostic horizons and features are measured from the top of the first mineral horizon.