LOCATION MARSHDALE ID+WYEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Cumulic Endoaquolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Marshdale loam on a 1 percent slope at an elevation of 5,000 feet in cultivated cropland. When described in July 1967, the profile was moist throughout. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
Ap--0 to 7 inches; dark gray (10YR 4/1) loam, black (10YR 2/1) moist; moderate very fine and fine granular structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many fine roots; many very fine and fine interstitial pores; neutral (pH 6.6); clear wavy boundary. (6 to 9 inches thick)
A--7 to 20 inches; dark gray (10YR 4/1) loam, black (10YR 2/1) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many fine roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; neutral (pH 7.0); gradual smooth boundary. (5 to 16 inches thick)
Bg1--20 to 33 inches; dark gray (2.5Y 4/1) loam, very dark gray (2.5Y 3/1) moist; few fine distinct light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) redox concentrations, which are dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; weak medium angular blocky structure; hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); clear smooth boundary. (10 to 15 inches thick)
Bg2--33 to 47 inches; gray (2.5Y 5/1) sandy clay loam, very dark gray (2.5Y 3/1) moist; few fine distinct light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) redox concentrations, which are dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; weak medium angular blocky structure; hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine and fine tubular pores; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 16 inches thick)
2Cg1--47 to 60 inches; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) loamy coarse sand, dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) moist; few redox concentrations; single grain; soft, very friable; 10 percent gravel; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 15 inches thick)
2Cg2--60 to 65 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) gravelly coarse sand, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; single grain; loose; 25 percent gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6).
TYPE LOCATION: Camas County, Idaho, about 2 miles west and 1.5 miles south of Fairfield; 2,000 feet south and 1,750 feet east of the northwest corner of sec. 20, T. 1 S., R. 14 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Thickness of mollic epipedon - 24 to 50 inches
Mean annual soil temperature - 42 to 47 degrees F
Solum thickness - 24 to 50 inches
Depth to contrasting layer (sandy or sandy-skeletal material)- 40 to 60 inches
O horizon - may be present in some pedons
Depth to high water table - 6 to 18 inches
A horizons
Color hue - 2.5Y, 10YR or neutral
Value, moist - 1 through 3
Value, dry - 3 through 5
Chroma, dry or moist - 0 through 3
Texture - L, SIL
Reaction - slightly acid to moderately alkaline
Bg horizons
Color hue - 2.5Y, 5Y, or 10YR
Value, moist - 3 through 5
Value, dry - 4 through 7
Chroma, dry or moist - 1 or 2
Clay content - 18 to 34 percent
Rock fragments - 0 to 10 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent - 0 to 10 percent
Texture - L, SIL, SICL, SCL, CL
Reaction - slightly acid to moderately alkaline
2Cg horizons
Color hue - 2.5Y or 10YR
Value- 3 through 6 dry, 4 or 6 moist
Chroma- 1 through 4 dry, 1 or 2 moist
Texture - GR-COS, GR-S, CB-S, GRV-COS, LCOS, GRV-LCOS, GRX-LCOS
Clay content - 0 to 5 percent
Rock fragments - 10 to 75 percent (10 to 75 percent gravel, 0 to 20 percent cobbles)
Reaction - slightly acid to moderately alkaline
COMPETING SERIES: These are the:
Chamita (NM) - does not have a lithologic discontinuity.
Cometcrik (MT) - does not have Bg horizons.
Eagleton (MT) - does not have a lithologic discontinuity.
Kerkhoven (MN) - does not have a lithologic discontinuity.
Kovich (UT) - has a skeletal lithologic discontinuity at 24 to 38 inches.
Lakepark (MN) - does not have a lithologic discontinuity.
Lobe (CO) - has a 2Cg horizon with less than 15 percent coarse fragments.
Mannixlee (MT) - does not have Bg horizons
Marshbrook (SD) - does not have a lithologic discontinuity.
Nythar (MT) - does not have a lithologic discontinuity.
Sibannac (OR) - does not have Bg horizons
Welch (NV) - does not have a lithologic discontinuity.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Marshdale soils occur on nearly level bottomlands or gently sloping alluvial fans at elevations of 4,800 to 6,700 feet. Slopes range from 0 to 4 percent. The soils formed in alluvium from mixed sources. The mean annual precipitation is 12 to 20 inches, most of which falls as snow and early spring rains. The mean annual air temperature is 39 to 45 degrees F. The frost-free season is 60 to 100 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Brinegar, Hapur, Hutton, Picabo, and Strom soils. Brinegar soils have an argillic horizon and are somewhat poorly drained. Hapur soils are calcareous to the surface. Hutton soils contain more than 35 percent clay in the control section. Picabo soils are somewhat poorly drained. Strom soils have argillic horizons. Brinegar and Picabo soils occur on stream terraces. Hapur, Hutton, and Strom soils occur in bottomlands and on flood plains.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Poorly drained; slow or very slow runoff; and moderate permeability. The water table fluctuates between 0.5 to 1.5 feet.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used mainly for pasture. Some is used for small grains without irrigation. The natural vegetation is chiefly sedges, rushes, grasses, silver sagebrush, and willows.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: South-central and southeastern Idaho. The series is of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Meade County, South Dakota, 1974.
REMARKS: This series type location was originally in Colorado. It was established in South Dakota in the South Meade County Survey. It was never mapped in Colorado, and South Dakota has only very limited acreage of this soil. The type location was transferred to Idaho in 1980. Idaho has about 20,000 acres of this soil.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this series are:
Mollic epipedon - zone from the soil surface to approximately 47 inches (Ap, A, Bg1, and Bg2 horizons)
Soils have aquic moisture regime
Soils have an irregular decrease in organic carbon with depth
Particle - size control section - 10 to 40 inches (parts of A2, Bg1, and Bg2 horizon)