LOCATION NISULA IDEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, active Umbric Haplocryalfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Nisula loam, forested. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A1--0 to 3 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) moist; strong fine crumb structure; soft, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many fine and very fine roots; moderately acid (pH 5.6); clear smooth boundary. (1 to 4 inches thick)
AB--3 to 12 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) heavy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) moist coatings; strong medium platy structure parting to moderate fine subangular blocky; slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine roots; many very fine vesicular and few very fine tubular pores; few faint clay films on faces of peds; moderately acid (pH 5.8); clear smooth boundary. (6 to 12 inches thick)
B1--12 to 25 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) heavy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) moist coatings; strong medium and fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine roots; many very fine vesicular and common very fine tubular pores; few very thin clay films on faces of peds; moderately acid (pH 5.8); gradual wavy boundary. (10 to 16 inches thick)
Bt1--25 to 35 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) clay loam; dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist coatings; strong medium and fine subangular blocky structure hard, very firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few fine roots; many very fine vesicular and common very fine tubular pores; many distinct clay films in pores and on faces of peds; moderately acid (pH 6.0); gradual wavy boundary. (8 to 16 inches)
Bt2--35 to 51 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) clay loam; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) moist coatings; strong medium and fine subangular blocky structure; hard, very firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; many very fine vesicular and common very fine tubular pores; many prominent clay films lining pores and on faces of peds; moderately acid (pH 5.8); diffuse wavy boundary. (12 to 23 inches thick)
Bt3--51 to 60 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/4) sandy clay loam; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist coatings; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; hard, very firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine vesicular and few very fine tubular pores; many distinct clay films on faces of peds; moderately acid (pH 5.8).
TYPE LOCATION: Valley County, Idaho; 1,080 feet south and 680 feet west of the northeast corner of sec. 10, T.13N., R.3E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The base saturation of the upper 12 inches of the solum is less than 50 percent. About 5 percent stone fragments may be found or throughout the profile in some pedons. The mean annual soil temperature is 41 degrees to 45 degrees F., and the summer temperature is 51 degrees to 58 degrees F. without an O horizon.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist, and chroma of 2 or 3 dry or moist.
The Bt horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 4 through 6 dry, 3 through 5 moist, and chroma of 3 or 4 dry and moist. It is silty clay loam, sandy clay loam, or clay loam.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Nisula soils are on alluvial fans and footslopes. Slopes are 2 to 60 percent. The soils formed in mixed alluvial material from basaltic and granitic sources. Elevations are 4,800 to 5,300 feet. The climate is humid continental, cool summer (Trewartha's modified Koppen System) with cold, wet winters. Mean annual precipitation is 24 to 27 inches and includes 8 to 11 feet of snowfall. Mean annual temperature is 39 degrees to 43 degrees F. Frost-free season is about 60 to 75 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Donnel, Gestrin, Swede, and Shellrock soils. Gestrin soils are moderately well drained and have mottles below depth of 36 inches. Shellrock and Donnel soils are coarse or moderately coarse textured. Swede soils have greater than 50 percent base saturation in the epipedon.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; medium runoff; moderately slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used mainly for forest with some range. Vegetation is mainly pine grass, Douglas-fir, grand fir, bluegrass and bromegrass with some ponderosa pine.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: In the colder areas of the Idaho Batholith bordering the valley floors. The soil is inextensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Valley Area, Idaho, 1977.