LOCATION MIKE                    ID

Established Series
Rev. RAS/TWP
11/2010

MIKE SERIES

Typically, Mike soils have grayish brown silt loam A horizons, thin Bw horizons, strongly calcareous loam Bk horizons, and basalt bedrock at a depth of about 18 inches.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Aridic Lithic Calcixerolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Mike extremely stony silt loam - big sagebrush and grass. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)

A--0 to 5 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) extremely stony silt loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak thin platy structure that parts to weak very fine and fine granular structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; common very fine and fine roots; many very fine and fine tubular pores; about 10 percent angular basalt stones and cobbles; noncalcareous; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); clear smooth boundary. (4 to 7 inches thick)

Bw--5 to 10 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) light brownish gray 10YR 6/2, crushed, silt loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; weak medium and fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; common very fine and fine roots; many very fine and fine and few medium tubular pores; few angular gravel and 10 percent angular basalt stones and cobbles; moderately calcareous; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 8 inches thick)

Bk--10 to 18 inches; very pale brown (10YR 8/2) loam, pale brown (10YR 6/3) moist; weak medium and fine subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; common very fine and fine roots; few very fine and fine tubular pores; few angular gravel and 10 percent angular basalt stones and cobbles; common firm 0.5 to 1 inch nodules or cicada krotovinas; strongly calcareous, many fine spots and coatings of calcium carbonate; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); abrupt wavy boundary. (6 to 9 inches thick)

R--18 inches; very dark gray (10YR 3/1) basalt bedrock; vesicular; thick lime coating on surface and in cracks and pores.

TYPE LOCATION: Bingham County, Idaho; about 1 mile west and 2 miles north of Alridge in a level basaltic plain; 1,900 feet north and 980 feet west of the SE corner of sec. 20, T.2S., R.38E.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature is 41 to 47 degrees F., and the mean summer temperature is 59 to 66 degrees F. The soils are usually continuously dry in all parts between depths of 4 and 12 inches for 60 to 75 consecutive days during the summer. Depth to bedrock is 10 to 20 inches. The particle-size control section is dominantly silt loam or loam and contains less than 35 percent rock fragments.

The A horizon of most pedons is noncalcareous but is slightly calcareous in some pedons
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The Bk horizon has value of 6 through 8 dry and 4 through 6 moist, and chroma of 2 or 3. It is loam or silt loam, and has few or common angular stones and cobbles. It has has 15 to 35 percent calcium carbonate and has an upper boundary at depths of 6 to 14 inches.

The R horizon has a thin to thick coating of calcium carbonate on the surface and in cracks and pores.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Bakeoven, Lickskillet, Kuhl, Little Pole, Spaa, and Swanner series. These soils lack calcic horizons. The first three have a mean annual soil temperature warmer than 47 degrees F. Little Pole and Swanner soils contain more than 35 percent rock fragments. Spaa soils contain fragments of travertine and overlie travertine.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: These soils are in level to steep basaltic uplands with a thin mantle of loess or eolian material. Slopes range from 0 to 60 percent. The elevations range from 4,500 to 6,000 feet. The climate is semiarid with dry summers. Mean annual precipitation is 10.5 to 13 inches, including 2 to 3 feet of snowfall. Average freeze-free period is 95 to 110 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Araveton and Newdale soils, which lack bedrock above a depth of 40 inches.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well-drained; medium or rapid runoff; moderate permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: Used for range. The natural vegetation consists mainly of big sagebrush, rabbitbrush, Sandberg bluegrass, and needlegrass.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: The series is moderately extensive in the basalt plains in southeastern Idaho.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Bingham County, Idaho, 1972.

REMARKS: The soils were classified formerly as Lithosols.

OSED scanned by SSQA. Last revised by state on 9/72.

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.