LOCATION NICODEMUS ID+UTEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, mesic Cumulic Ultic Haploxerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Nicodemus loam, pasture. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A1--0 to 2 inches; dark gray (10YR 4/1), dark gray (2.5Y 4/1) (rubbed) loam, black (10YR 2/1) moist; moderate fine and medium granular structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine, fine, and medium roots; many very fine continuous pores; common very fine mica flakes; strongly acid (pH 5.4); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 4 inches thick)
A2--2 to 6 inches; dark gray (10YR 4/1) loam, black (10YR 2/1) moist; weak medium and coarse granular structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine, fine, and medium roots; many very fine pores; common very fine mica flakes; strongly acid (pH 5.4); abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 6 inches thick)
A3--6 to 15 inches; dark gray (2.5Y 4/1) fine sandy loam, black (2.5Y 2.5/1) moist; weak fine granular structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky; common very fine and fine roots; many very fine pores; many very fine mica flakes; strongly acid (pH 5.4); gradual wavy boundary. (7 to 15 inches thick)
BC--15 to 22 inches, dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) fine sandy loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky; few very fine and fine roots; many very fine pores; common very fine mica flakes; moderately acid (pH 5.6); abrupt wavy boundary. (5 to 15 inches thick)
2C--22 to 30 inches; dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) very cobbly sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; massive; soft, very friable, slightly sticky; many very fine continuous pores; common very fine mica flakes; about 55 percent pebbles and cobbles; moderately acid (pH 5.8); abrupt wavy boundary. (0 to 12 inches thick)
3C--30 to 60 inches; stratified cobblestones, gravel, and sand with less than 30 percent fines; neutral (pH 7.0).
TYPE LOCATION: Idaho County, Idaho; about 2.1 miles south of Stites; 400 feet northwest of Highway 13 in the NW1/4 SE1/4 of sec. 32, T.32N., R.4E.; on a nearly level flood plain of the Clearwater River at 1,280 feet elevation.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature ranges from 47 degrees to 53 degrees F., and the mean summer soil temperature at a depth of 20 inches ranges from 62 degrees to 70 degrees F. The mollic epipedon ranges from 20 to 40 inches deep with irregular decrease in organic matter with increasing depth. The base saturation above depth of 40 inches is estimated to be less than 75 percent in at least some part.
The A, BC, and 2C horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist, and chroma of 3 or less. It is loam, fine sandy loam, or gravelly loam. It has weak or moderate granular structure in the upper part and is massive in the lower part. This horizon is slightly to strongly acid.
The 3C horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The soils are in stream bottoms and low terraces. slopes are nearly level or gently sloping. Elevations range from 1,100 to 5,320 feet. The soils formed in alluvium from granite, gneiss, schist, argillite, phyllite, quartzite and loess. The mean annual precipitation is about 18 to 27 inches. The frost-free period ranges from 100 to 170 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Jacknife, Crooked Creek and Utaba soils. Jacknife and Crooked Creek soils have clayey control sections. Utaba soils have mollic epipedons less than 20 inches thick.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Moderately well and well-drained; slow runoff; moderately rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used mainly for small grains, hay, pasture and building sites. Native vegetation is mainly deciduous trees, shrubs, grasses, forbs; in places, ponderosa pine and Douglas-fir.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: North-central Idaho and northern Utah. The soils are inextensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Kooskia Area, Idaho, 1965.