LOCATION MELTON             ID
Established Series
Rev. LMR/JAL
11/2002

MELTON SERIES


The Melton series consists of very deep, poorly drained soils that formed in alluvium from glacial outwash. Melton soils are on stream bottoms of outwash terraces and alluvial fans and have slopes of 0 to 3 percent. The average annual precipitation is about 23 inches and the average annual air temperature is about 38 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy over sandy or sandy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, acid Humic Cryaquepts

TYPICAL PEDON: Melton loam, meadow. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)

A--0 to 10 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) loam, black (10YR 2/1) moist; moderate fine granular structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many fine and very fine roots; strongly acid (pH 5.3); abrupt wavy boundary. (9 to 15 inches thick)

Cg1--10 to 25 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; few to many coarse distinct grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) redox depletions; weak medium subangular blocky structure parting to moderate fine granular; hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common fine and very fine roots; few thin clay films on faces of peds; very strongly acid (pH 5.0); clear smooth boundary. (8 to 30 inches thick)

Cg2--25 to 28 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) gravelly sandy loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; many fine distinct grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) redox depletions; weak fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky; very strongly acid (pH 5.0); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 4 inches thick)

C--28 to 60 inches; cobbly till consisting of mixed acid and basic igneous cobblestones with light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) and pale brown (10YR 6/3) loamy sand, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) and brown (10YR 4/3) moist; single grain between the cobblestones.

TYPE LOCATION: Valley County, Idaho; about 3 miles south of McCall, 700 feet north and 40 feet west of the Southeast corner of section 29, T. 18 N., R. 3 E.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:

Average annual soil temperature - 40 to 42 degrees F.
Average summer soil temperature - 53 to 55 degrees F.
Depth to sand, pebbles and cobbles - 30 to 35 inches
Water table depth - 12 to 24 inches in early spring to mid-summer

A or Ap horizon
Value - 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma - 1 or 2 dry and moist
Base saturation - 25 to 50 percent
Reaction - moderately or strongly acid

C horizons
Hue - 7.5YR to 2.5Y
Value - 4 through 6 dry and moist
Chroma - 2 through 6 dry and moist
Reaction slightly to very strongly acid

COMPETING SERIES: These are the similar Roseberry and Wasilla series. Roseberry soils have loamy fine sand or coarser control sections. Wasilla soils lack contrasting textures in the control section.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Melton soils are on stream bottoms. Slopes are 0 to 3 percent. The soils formed in alluvium from glacial outwash. Elevations are 3,800 to 5,100 feet. Average annual precipitation is 22 to 24 inches. Average January temperature is 20 degrees F.; average July temperature is 64 degrees F. Average annual temperature is 38 degrees to 40 degrees F. Frost-free season is about 60 to 75 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Archabal, Blackwell, Cabarton and Gestrin soils and the competing Roseberry soils. Archabal soils are well drained. Blackwell soils are moderately fine textured to a depth of at least 20 inches. Cabarton soils have an A2 horizon and a well developed textural B horizon. Gestrin soils are moderately well drained.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Poorly drained; slow runoff; moderate permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: Used mainly for pasture and hay. Vegetation is mainly sedges, rushes, redtop, willows, clovers, fescues, and timothy.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: In the cold high mountain valleys, mainly in Valley County, Idaho. The soil is inextensive.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Valley Area, Idaho, 1977.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:

Umbric epipedon - the zone from 0 to 28 inches (A, Cg1, Cg2 horizons)

Redox features - occur at 10 inch depth

Contrasting textures - occur at 28 inches

Temperature regime - cryic

Moisten regime - aquic


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.