LOCATION MOLLY IDEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, isotic Andic Dystrocryepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Molly loam, forested. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.
Oi--0 to 1 inch; undecomposed needles, leaves, cones, and twigs; medium acid. (0 to 1.5 inches thick)
Oe--1 to 2 inches to 0; dark brown (10YR 3/3) and very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2), moderately decomposed needles, leaves, cones, and wood; very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; medium acid; abrupt wavy boundary. (0 to 1.5 inches thick)
Bs1--2 to 5 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) and brown (10YR 5/3) loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) and dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; very weak think platy structure parting to moderate very fine granular; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and medium roots; many very fine irregular pores; few very dark gray concretions less than 1 mm. in diameter; slightly acid (pH 6.2); clear wavy boundary. (2 to 3 inches thick)
Bs2--5 to 15 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) silt loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist; moderate very fine granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many fine to coarse roots; many very fine irregular pores; few fine pebbles; few yellowish brown and very dark brown semihard pellets about 1 mm. in diameter; slightly acid (pH 6.4); abrupt irregular boundary. (5 to 11 inches thick)
2BC1--15 to 19 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) coarse sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly brittle, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine and medium roots; many very fine tubular pores; few fine pebbles; moderate amounts of mica and quartz sand; slightly acid (pH 6.1); clear irregular boundary. (2 to 10 inches thick)
2BC2--19 to 29 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) coarse sandy loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, very slightly brittle, slightly sticky and slightly plastic, few fine and medium roots; many very fine tubular pores; few fine pebbles; few 1-inch or larger brown areas of loam texture; much mica; moderately acid (pH 6.0); clear wavy boundary. (8 to 20 inches thick)
2C1--29 to 42 inches; pale yellow (2.5Y 7/3) and pale yellow (2.5Y 8/3) and light gray (2.5Y 7/2) sandy loam, weathered disintegrated quartz monzonite or mica schist, light olive brown (2.5Y 5/3) light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) and yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; few fine and medium roots; many very fine tubular pores; very micaceous; strongly acid (pH 5.1); gradual irregular boundary. (5 to 15 inches thick)
2C2--42 to 62 inches; mostly very pale brown (10YR 8/2) coarse sandy loam, disintegrated quartz monzonite or mica schist, light gray (10YR 7/2) and very pale brown (10YR 7/4) moist; brown (7.5YR 5/4) streaks, brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; massive; friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; few fine and medium roots; very strongly acid (pH 4.7); diffuse irregular boundary. (2 to 25 inches thick)
2Cr--62 inches; partially disintegrated quartz monzonite or mica schist; fine gravelly coarse sand; rock structure; very strongly acid (pH 4.7).
TYPE LOCATION: Idaho County, Idaho; Kooskia area; eastward up the Nevada Creek road 1.4 miles from the unction with the Lolo Creek road, then southward 0.3 mile on April Creek road and 100 feet east of the road; northeast 1/4, northeast 1/4, section 5, T. 35 N., R. 6 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Average annual soil temperature - 38 to 46 degrees F.
Average summer soil temperature - cultivated, 53 to 59 degrees F.; with 0 horizons, 44 to 47 degrees F.
Depth to paralithic contact - 40 to 60 inches or more
Some pedons - a thin discontinuous light gray volcanic ash layer between O and Bs horizon. Have an A horizon when no O horizon is present.
Volcanic ash mantle - 7 to 14 inches thick
Acid oxalate extractable Al plus 1/2 Fe - 1.0 to 2.0 percent
Moist bulk density - 0.80 to 1.00 g/cc
Bs horizons
Hue - 10YR or 7.5YR
Value - 4 through 6 dry, 3 through 5 moist
Chroma - 3 or 4 dry or moist
Texture - L, SIL
Base saturation - about 30 to 50 percent (by NH4Oac)
2BC horizons
Texture - SL or COSL, contains 0 to 15 percent gravel
Below 27 inches - 5 to 35 percent gravel with some cobbles
Reaction - slightly acid to very strongly acid
2C horizons
Texture above 42 inches - SL or COSL, contains up to 15 percent gravel
Below 42 inches - 0 to 50 percent gravel and cobbles
Reaction - slightly acid to very strongly acid
COMPETING SERIES: These are the similar Blackburn and Craddock series. Blackburn soils have Bt horizons and buried B&A horizons above depth of 40 inches. Craddock soils have buried A horizons and very shaly textures in the particle-size control section.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Molly soils are on rolling to very steep mountains at elevations of 3,200 to 6,000 feet. Slopes are dominantly 5 to 65 percent. The soils formed in residuum from granite, gneiss, and schist with an admixture of loess and volcanic ash in the upper part. The average annual precipitation ranges from 30 to 45 inches and the average annual temperature is about 36 degrees to 44 degrees F. The frost free season is about 60 to 100 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Jughandle, Little Salmon (T), and Suttler series. Jughandle soils have sandy series control sections and have a paralithic contact above depth of 40 inches. Little Salmon (T) soils have more than 35 percent rock fragments in the control section. Suttler soils have umbric epipedons and lack Bir horizons.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; medium, rapid, or very rapid runoff; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used for timber production, recreation, wildlife habitat, and watershed. Vegetation is mainly grand fir and western red cedar with some western white pine, Douglas-fir, and western larch, and a moderate or sparse understory of pachistima, huckleberry, prince's pine, Thalictrum, dogwood, Adenocaulon, lambstongue, and Smilacina stellata.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northern Idaho and perhaps surrounding regions. The series is moderately extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Idaho County, Idaho, 1974.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - the zone from the soil surface to 5 inches (Bs1 horizon)
Cambic horizon - the zone from 5 to 29 inches (Bs2, BC1, and BC2 horizons)
Base saturation - 30 to 50 percent throughout (by NH4OAc)