LOCATION MAPLECREEK IDEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Oxyaquic Calcixerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Maplecreek fine sandy loam--on a 1 percent smooth slope, with south aspect at 4,580 feet elevation--cropland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted. This profile was described on June 19, 1989.)
Ap--0 to 5 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) fine sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak fine granular structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine, fine and few medium roots; common fine irregular pores; slightly effervescent; disseminated lime; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); clear smooth boundary.
A--5 to 14 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) fine sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine, fine and few medium roots; common fine tubular pores; slightly effervescent; disseminated lime; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); clear smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the A horizons is 12 to 16 inches)
Bk1--14 to 23 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) fine sandy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine roots; common fine tubular pores; strongly effervescent; few fine lime masses; strongly alkaline (pH 8.6); gradual wavy boundary.
Bk2--23 to 27 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) fine sandy loam, light brown (7.5YR 6/4) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine and fine roots; few fine tubular and irregular pores; violently effervescent; many medium and large lime masses; strongly alkaline (pH 8.6); gradual smooth boundary.
Bk3--27 to 35 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) fine sandy loam, pinkish gray (7.5YR 6/2) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; violently effervescent; many medium and large lime masses; strongly alkaline (pH 8.6); gradual smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bk horizons is 18 to 35 inches)
C--35 to 60 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) loamy fine sand, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common medium prominent brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist masses of iron accumulation; violently effervescent; disseminated lime; strongly alkaline (pH 8.6).
TYPE LOCATION: Franklin County, Idaho; about 1.5 miles south of Preston; approximately 200 feet west and 300 feet north of the southeast corner of section 35, T. 15 S., R. 39 E; 42 degrees 04 minutes 04 seconds north latitude and 111 degrees 51 minutes 24 seconds west longitude, NAD27.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture - The soils are usually moist in some part of the moisture control section for more than one-half of the time the soil temperature is above 41 degrees F.; They are dry in all parts of the moisture control section for 60 to 90 consecutive days during the summer months; Xeric moisture regime that borders on aridic.
Mean annual soil temperature - 47 to 49 degrees F.
Mollic epipedon thickness - 12 to 16 inches.
Depth to calcic horizon - 12 to 16 inches.
Depth to redoximorphic features - 30 to 40 inches.
Particle-size control section - Clay content: Averages 10 to 18 percent.
A horizons - Value: 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist.
Chroma: 2 or 3, dry or moist.
Reaction: Slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline.
Organic matter content: 2 to 4 percent.
Bk horizons - Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR.
Value: 5 through 7 dry, 3 through 6 moist.
Chroma: 3 or 4 dry, 2 through 4 moist.
Reaction: Moderately alkaline or strongly alkaline.
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 15 to 25 percent.
C horizon - Chroma: 2 through 4, dry or moist.
Texture: Fine sandy loam or loamy fine sand.
Clay content: 5 to 10 percent.
Reaction: Moderately alkaline or strongly alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Beckstrand, Honeylake, Ironton, and Syracuse series.
Beckstrand and Honeylake soils have aridic moisture regime. Ironton soils are dominated by texture of loam or silt loam in the particle-size control section. Syracuse soils have mean annual soil temperature of 49 to 54 degrees F.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Maplecreek soils are on lake terraces and stream terraces. These soil formed in alluvium derived from mixed sources. Slopes are 0 to 2 percent. Elevations range from 4,400 to 4,900 feet. The mean annual precipitation is 14 to 16 inches. The mean annual temperature is 45 to 47 degrees F. The frost-free period is 110 to 130 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Battle Creek, Layton, and Preston soils. Battle Creek soils are on low stream terraces. Layton soils are on smooth lake terraces. Preston soils are on terrace breaks. Battle Creek soils are fine textured. Layton and Preston soils are sandy.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat poorly drained; very low surface runoff; moderately rapid permeability (high saturated hydraulic conductivity); Endosaturation is present with an apparent seasonal high water table between 2 and 3.5 feet (moderately deep free water occurrence class) between January and July. Cumulative annual duration class is Common. These soils are susceptible to rare flooding for brief periods between February and May.
USE AND VEGETATION: Maplecreek soils are used for cropland.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southern Idaho. These soils are not extensive with about 1,500 acres of the series mapped to date. MLRA 28A.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Phoenix, Arizona.
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Franklin County, Idaho, 1997.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - The zone from the soil surface to 14 inches (Ap and A horizons).
Calcic horizon - The zone from 14 to 35 inches (Bk1, Bk2, and Bk3 horizons).
Endosaturation feature - The condition of ground water with an upper boundary between 24 and 40 inches at certain times during normal years (parts of the Bk2, Bk3, and C horizons).
Particle-size control section - The zone from 10 to 40 inches (Bk1, Bk2, and Bk3 horizons and parts of the A and C horizons).