LOCATION MORPHEY IDEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, frigid Xerertic Argialbolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Morphey silt loam -- on a 3 percent, south-facing slope at 4,950 feet elevation in pasture. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted. When described on August 25, 1988, the soil was dry from 0 to 19 inches and moist below this depth.)
A1--0 to 1 inch; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) silt loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak thin platy structure; slightly hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine roots; many very fine and fine irregular pores; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); abrupt smooth boundary.
A2--1 to 4 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) silt loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine and few medium roots; many very fine and fine irregular pores; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); abrupt smooth boundary.
A3--4 to 11 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) silt loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine and few medium roots; many very fine and fine tubular pores; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); clear smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the A horizons is 10 to 15 inches)
E--11 to 19 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) silty clay loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; moderate fine and medium angular blocky structure; hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine and fine roots, many very fine and fine tubular pores; few faint redox concentrations; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); clear wavy boundary. (4 to 10 inches thick)
Bt--19 to 27 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) clay, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; strong medium prismatic structure; very hard, very firm, very sticky and very plastic; common very fine and fine and few medium roots, many very fine and fine tubular pores; many prominent clay films on faces of peds; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); clear wavy boundary. (6 to 12 inches thick)
Btkz--27 to 38 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) clay, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; strong fine and medium angular blocky structure; hard, firm, very sticky and very plastic; common very fine and fine roots; many very fine and fine tubular pores; common prominent clay films on faces of peds; common filaments of lime and other soluble salts; strongly effervescent; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); gradual wavy boundary. (6 to 15 inches thick)
Bkz--38 to 55 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) clay, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; strong fine and medium prismatic structure parting to strong fine and medium angular blocky; hard, very firm, very sticky and very plastic; many very fine and fine tubular pores; filaments and splotches of lime and other soluble salts; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); gradual wavy boundary. (10 to 20 inches thick)
Bz--55 to 60 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) clay, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; strong fine and medium prismatic structure; very hard, very firm, very sticky and very plastic; many very fine and fine tubular pores; filaments and splotches of soluble salts; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8).
TYPE LOCATION: Lemhi County, Idaho; about 1.5 miles northeast of Tendoy, Idaho; about 2,100 feet north and 2,100 feet west of the southeast corner of section 16, T. 19 N., R. 24 E. Latitude - 44 degrees, 58 minutes, 30 seconds North; Longitude - 113 degrees, 36 minutes, 58 seconds West.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Average annual soil temperature - 39 to 43 degrees F.
Mollic epipedon thickness - 10 to 15 inches
Control section: percent clay - 35 to 50
Reaction of profile - slightly or moderately alkaline
Depth to calcic horizon - 20 to 36 inches
Linear extensibility - 6.0 to 8.0 cm from 0 to 100 cm.
A horizon
Chroma - 2 or 3 dry or moist
E horizon
Value - 5 or 6 dry and 4 or 5 moist
Coarse fragments - 0 to 5 percent
Bt horizon
Chroma - 3 or 4 dry or moist
Texture - SICL, SIC, C
Coarse fragments - 0 to 5 percent
Btkz and Bkz horizons
Hue - 2.5Y or 10YR
Chroma - 3 or 4 dry or moist
Texture - SIC, C
Bz horizon
Hue - 2.5Y or 10YR
Chroma - 4 or 5 dry or moist
Texture - SIC, C
Coarse fragments - 0 to 10 percent
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Cowsly and Wilkins series. Cowsly and Wilkins soils lack secondary carbonates above 40 inches and lack a calcic horizon.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Morphey soils are on dissected stream terraces. These soils formed in alluvium from lacustrine sediments. Slopes are 1 to 8 percent. Elevations are 4,000 to 5,500 feet. The climate is cold and moist in winter and dry in summer. The average annual precipitation is 11 to 13 inches; average annual temperature is 38 to 42 degrees F. and the frost-free period is 75 to 100 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Dawtonia, Pattee, Perreau, and Yearian soils. Dawtonia soils are on foothills and have ochric epipedons and loamy-skeletal particle-size control sections. Pattee soils are on dissected stream terraces and have ochric epipedons and cambic horizons. Perreau soils are on foothills and have fine-loamy particle-size control sections. Yearian soils are on valley flats and have aquic soil moisture regimes.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Moderately well drained. Slow and medium runoff. Very slow permeability. A perched water table is at 1 to 2 feet from April to June.
USE AND VEGETATION: Irrigated hayland and pasture. Natural vegetation is mainly Wyoming big sagebrush and bluebunch wheatgrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: East-centrol Idaho. These soils are not extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Lemhi County, Idaho, 1999.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - the zone from 0 to 11 inches (A1, A2 and A3 horizons)
Albic horizon - the zone from 11 to 19 inches (E horizon)
Argillic horizon - the zone from 19 to 38 inches (Bt and Btkz horizons)
Calcic horizon - the zone from 27 to 38 inches (Btkz horizon)
Xeric moisture regime
Particle-size control section - the argillic horizon or the zone from 19 to 38 inches (Bt and Btkz horizons)