LOCATION NIPINTUCK               ID

Established Series
Rev. DRN/ALH/CLM
12/2022

NIPINTUCK SERIES

The Nipintuck series consists of very shallow, somewhat excessively drained soils that formed in residuum from welded rhyolitic tuff. Nipintuck soils are on foothills and mountains. Slopes range from 2 to 30 percent. Average annual precipitation is 300 mm, and average annual temperature is 6 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, nonacid, frigid Lithic Xeric Torriorthents

TYPICAL PEDON: Nipintuck very gravelly coarse sandy loam -- on a west-facing convex slope of 6 percent, in native rangeland at 2,010 meter elevation. About 90 percent of the surface is covered with 2 to 5 cm of fine gravel with occasional stone and cobble. (When described on July 18, l978, the soil was dry throughout. Colors are for air dry soil unless otherwise stated.)

A--0 to 5 cm; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) very gravelly coarse sandy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and fine roots; many very fine and fine vesicular pores; 30 percent gravel, 5 percent cobbles, 2 percent stones; slightly acid (pH 6.5); clear wavy boundary. (5 to 15 cm thick)

C--5 to 15 cm; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) very cobbly loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine and fine roots; few very fine and fine interstitial pores; 30 percent gravel, 20 percent cobbles; slightly acid (pH 6.4); abrupt irregular boundary. (5 to 10 cm thick)

R--15 cm; fractured densely welded rhyolitic tuff.

TYPE LOCATION: Owyhee County, Idaho; about 23 1/2 miles south and 5 miles west of Silver City; about 200 feet north and 600 feet west of the southeast corner of section 32, T. 8 S., R. 4 W.; USGS Indian Meadows 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle; latitude 42 degrees 40 minutes 46 seconds N and longitude 116 degrees 49 minutes 36 seconds W; WGS84 Decimal Degrees 42.6794444 latitude, -116.8266667 longitude.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: Moist in late fall through early summer, dry July through October; aridic moisture regime that borders on xeric.
Mean annual soil temperature: 5 to 8 degrees C.
Mean summer soil temperature: 16 to 19 degrees C.
Depth to bedrock: 10 to 25 cm.
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist.
Chroma: 3 or 4 dry or moist.
Reaction (pH): Slightly acid or neutral.

Particle-size control section: Clay content: Average 14 to 24 percent.
Rock fragments: Average 35 to 60 percent.

C horizon
Texture: Gravelly loam, very gravelly loam or very cobbly loam.
Rock fragments: 20 to 60 percent.

COMPETING SERIES: There are no other soils listed in the same family.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Nipintuck soils are on sideslopes and summits of foothills and mountains at elevations of 1,463 to 2,073 meters. Slopes range from 2 to 30 percent. These soils formed in residuum from welded rhyolitic tuff. The climate is cool and moist in the winter and hot and dry in the summer. Average annual precipitation is 250 to 360 mm and the average annual temperature is 4 to 7 degrees C. The frost-free period is 60 to 90 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Fryingpan, Hat and Hawksy series. These soils are deeper, more moist and are not as closely associated with rock outcrops.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Somewhat excessively drained; medium to very rapid runoff; moderate saturated hydraulic conductivity.

USE AND VEGETATION: Nipintuck soils are used mainly for rangeland and wildlife habitat. The dominant natural vegetation is Sandburg bluegrass, Letterman needlegrass, and low sagebrush.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southwestern Idaho. Nipintuck soils are of moderate extent. MLRA 25.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Owyhee County Area, Idaho, 1992.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon:
Ochric epipedon - The zone from the surface to 15 cm (A and C horizons).
Lithic contact - The boundary at 15 cm (R horizon).

Particle-size control section -The zone from 0 to 15 cm (A and C horizons).

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.