LOCATION MCCALEB IDEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, carbonatic, frigid Xeric Haplocalcids
TYPICAL PEDON: McCaleb loam, rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
A--0 to 3 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) loam, dark brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak thick platy structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common medium, fine and very fine roots; 10 percent gravel; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.3); clear smooth boundary. (2 to 6 inches thick)
Bw--3 to 13 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) gravelly loam, dark brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine and very fine roots; 15 percent gravel; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.3); clear smooth boundary. (7 to 12 inches thick)
Bk1--13 to 20 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) loam, pale brown (10YR 6/3) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few medium and fine roots; 5 percent gravel; strongly effervescent with thin lime coatings on rock fragments; very strongly alkaline (pH 9.6); clear wavy boundary. (6 to 14 inches thick)
Bk2--20 to 30 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) loam, pale brown (10YR 6/3) moist; weak medium platy and weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine roots; 10 percent gravel; strongly effervescent with moderately thick lime coatings on rock fragments; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); clear wavy boundary. (6 to 21 inches thick)
Bk3--30 to 45 inches; very pale brown (10YR 8/3) loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; massive; hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few fine roots; 10 percent gravel; strongly effervescent with moderately thick lime coatings on rock fragments; moderately alkaline (pH 8.3); clear wavy boundary. (5 to 17 inches thick)
Bk4--45 to 60 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) gravelly loam, pale brown (10YR 6/3) moist; massive; very hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common fine and very fine tubular pores; 30 percent gravel; strongly effervescent with thin lime coatings on rock fragments; moderately alkaline. (pH 8.3).
TYPE LOCATION: Butte County, Idaho; about 0.5 mile south of North Creek; approximately 1,320 feet west and 750 feet south of the northeast corner of section 15, T. 7 N., R. 28 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mean annual soil temperature: 45 to 47 degrees F.
Textural control section: 14 to 18 percent carbonate free clay
Reaction of profile: slightly to very strongly alkaline Calcium carbonate equivalent in the control section: 40 to 60 percent
A horizon
Color value, dry: 5 or 6
Value, moist; 4 or 5
Chroma: 3 or 4
Bw horizon
Color value, dry: 6 or 7
Value, moist: 5 or 6
Chroma: 3 or 4
Rock fragments: 15 to 25 percent
Bk horizons
Color value, dry: 5 through 8 Value, moist: 5 through 7 Chroma: 3 or 4
Texture: loam or gravelly loam
Rock fragments: 5 to 30 percent
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series. The Lariat series is similar, it has mixed mineralogy.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: McCaleb soils are on alluvial fans and terraces. Elevations range from 4,700 to 6,000 feet. Slopes of 0 to 45 percent. The soils formed in alluvium from sedimentary rocks. The climate is cold and moist in winter and spring and dry in summer. The mean annual precipitation ranges from 8 to 10 inches. Mean summer temperature is 59 to 64 degrees F., and mean annual temperature is 43 to 45 degrees F. Frost-free period is about 80 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Simeroi, Slide, Sparmo and Sanfelipe soils. Simeroi and Slide soils are loamy-skeletal. Sanfelipe soils are loamy-skeletal and have a mollic epipedon. Sparmo soils are mixed mineralogy.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow or rapid runoff; moderately slow permeability.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: The soils are used dominantly for range. Vegetation is mainly Nuttails saltbrush and Indian ricegrass.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Butte County Area, Idaho, 1997.
REMARKS: Diagnostic and other features:
- Ochric epipedon
- Calcic horizon - from 13 to 45 inches, identifiable secondary carbonates decrease by over 5 percent in the 45 to 60 inch horizon.
- Particle-size control section from 10 to 40 inches has about 16 percent carbonate free clay.