LOCATION NOIL                    ID

Established Series
Rev. BDG-ER-EMM
06/2013

NOIL SERIES

The Noil series consists of deep, well drained soils on mountain slopes and ridges. They formed in material weathered from metamorphic or granitic rocks with an admixture of volcanic ash and loess. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately high. Slope ranges from 35 to 85 percent. The average annual air temperature is about 43 degrees F. and the average annual precipitation is about 32 inches.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, isotic, frigid Vitrandic Haploxerepts

TYPICAL PEDON: Noil ashy loam, forested, on an 80 percent slope with a southeasterly aspect (150 degrees) at 3,000 feet elevation. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)

Oi--0 to 1 inch; partially decomposed needles, leaves and twigs. (0 to 1.5 inches thick)

A1--1 to 3 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) ashy loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; weak very fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine and fine roots throughout; many very fine irregular pores; 2 percent fine mica flakes; 10 percent subangular schist gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.5); clear smooth boundary.

A2--3 to 9 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) gravelly ashy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak fine and medium granular structure; soft, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine and fine and common medium roots throughout; many very fine and fine irregular pores; 2 percent fine mica flakes; 20 percent subangular schist gravel and 5 percent subangular schist cobbles; neutral (pH 7.0); clear wavy boundary. (combined thickness of A horizons is 3 to 8 inches thick)

Bw1--9 to 19 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) very gravelly sandy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist; weak fine and medium granular structure; soft, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many fine and medium and few coarse roots throughout; common very fine and fine irregular pores; 3 percent fine mica flakes; 25 percent subangular schist gravel and 15 percent subangular schist cobbles; slightly acid (pH 6.5); clear wavy boundary.

Bw2--19 to 29 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) extremely cobbly sandy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; weak very fine and fine subangular blocky structure; soft, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and fine roots throughout; common very fine irregular pores; 5 percent fine mica flakes; 40 percent subangular schist gravel and 25 percent subangular schist cobbles; slightly acid (pH 6.2); clear irregular boundary (combined thickness of Bw horizons is 5 to 22 inches thick)

C1--29 to 37 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) extremely cobbly sandy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; single grain; loose, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and few fine roots throughout; common very fine irregular pores; 2 percent fine mica flakes; 50 percent subangular schist gravel, 25 percent subangular schist cobbles and 5 percent subangular schist flagstones; slightly acid (pH 6.2); clear wavy boundary.

C2--37 to 43 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) extremely gravelly sandy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; weak very fine and fine subangular blocky structure parting to single grain; soft, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine roots throughout and few medium roots in cracks; few very fine irregular pores; 4 percent fine mica flakes; 35 percent subangular schist gravel, 15 percent subangular schist cobbles and 10 percent subangular schist flagstones; moderately acid (pH 6.0); clear wavy boundary. (combined thickness of C horizons is 0 to 19 inches thick)

Cr--43+ inches; weathered schist bedrock

TYPE LOCATION: Clearwater County, Idaho; about 18 miles north and 2 miles west of Headquarters, Idaho; about 1,500 south and 1,500 feet east of the NW corner of Sec. 17, T41N, R5E; Latitude - 46 degrees, 54 minutes, 05 seconds North; Longitude - 115 degrees, 51 minutes, 45 seconds West; USGS Little Goat Mountains Quadrangle.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:

Soil moisture - Usually dry for 45 to 70 consecutive days, moist November through mid-July, dry mid-July to mid-September. (Xeric moisture regime)
Average annual soil temperature - 41 to 46 degrees F. (Frigid temperature regime)
Depth to paralithic contact - 40 to 60 inches
Thickness of Vitrandic feature - 7 to 12 inches

A horizons
Hue - 5YR to 10YR dry or moist
Value - 3 to 6 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma - 2 to 4, dry or moist
Texture - ashy loam or ashy silt loam
Clay content - 8 to 20 percent
Rock fragments - 5 to 22 percent gravel, 0 to 10 percent cobbles; 5 to 30 percent total fragments
Reaction - 5.3 to 6.9
Volcanic glass - 5 to 15 percent
Acid-oxalate Al+1/2Fe - 0.5 to 1.0 percent

AB and BA horizons (where present)
Hue - 7.5YR or 10YR dry or moist
Value - 4 to 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma - 3 or 4 dry or moist
Textures - ashy loam, ashy silt loam or ashy sandy loam
Clay content - 8 to 17 percent
Rock fragments - 10 to 35 percent gravel, 0 to 10 percent cobbles; 10 to 45 percent total fragments
Reaction - 5.3 to 6.4
Volcanic glass- 5 to 15 percent
Acid-oxalate Al + 1/2Fe - 0.4 to 1.0 percent

Bw horizons (upper part)
Hue - 5YR to 10YR dry or moist
Value - 5 to 7 dry, 3 to 5 moist
Chroma - 3 to 6 dry or moist
Texture - loam, fine sandy loam, sandy loam, coarse sandy loam, loamy sand
Clay content - 5 to 20 percent
Rock fragments - 20 to 45 percent gravel, 0 to 20 percent cobbles; 20 to 45 percent total fragments
Reaction - 5.0 to 6.5
Comments - the non-skeletal upper portion of the cambic horizon is absent in some pedons

Bw horizons (lower part)
Hue - 5YR to 10YR dry or moist
Value - 5 to 7 dry, 3 to 5 moist
Chroma - 4 to 6 dry, 3 to 6 moist
Textures - loam, fine sandy loam, sandy loam, coarse sandy loam or loamy sand
Clay content - 5 to 25 percent
Rock fragments - 25 to 50 percent gravel, 0 to 30 percent cobbles, 0 to 10 percent stones; 35 to 65 percent total fragments
Reaction - 4.9 to 6.2

BC horizon (where present)
Hue - 5YR to 10YR dry, 2.5YR to 10YR moist
Value - 6 or 7 dry, 4 to 6 moist
Chroma - 3 to 6 dry, 3 to 8 moist
Textures - loam, fine sandy loam, sandy loam, coarse sandy loam, loamy sand or loamy coarse sand
Clay content - 3 to 17 percent
Rock fragments - 35 to 55 percent gravel, 0 to 20 percent cobbles; 40 to 75 percent total fragments
Reaction - 4.9 to 6.0

C horizons
Hue - 2.5YR to 10YR dry and moist
Value - 5 to 7 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma - 3 to 6 dry, 3 to 8 moist
Textures - loam, fine sandy loam, sandy loam, loamy sand or loamy coarse sand
Clay content - 3 to 14 percent
Rock fragments - 20 to 60 percent gravel, 5 to 40 percent cobbles, 0 to 15 percent stones; 40 to 90 percent total fragments
Reaction - 5.0 to 6.2

COMPETING SERIES:

Analulu soils: are moderately deep to a lithic contact

Ardenvoir soil: has fragments weathered from siltite or other metasedimentary rocks in the particle-size control section

Ardtoo soils: has thin clay bands in a Bt horizon above the Cr

Blackprince soils: are moderately deep to a paralithic contact

Blinn soils: moderately deep to a lihic contact; formed in residuum from basalt; has loam textures in the C horizon

Brevco soils: are moderately deep to a lihic contact

Coxit soils: are very deep

Daxty soils: are moderately deep to a lithic contact

Easte soils: have an umbric epipedon 40 to 60 inches thick; dry more than 75 consecutive days

Highhorn soils: are deep to a lithic contact

Huntrock soils: are moderately deep to a lithic contact

Jimbluff soils: are very deep

Jumpe soils: are very deep

Kamela soils: are moderately deep to a lithic contact

Lekrem soils: have a thickness of volcanic ash influence is 12 to 25 inches

Lemoncreek soils: are moderately deep to a lihic contact

Longort soils: are moderately deep to a densic contact

Minaloosa soils: are very deep

Ontrail soils: are very deep

Radercreek soils: are deep to a lithic contact

Redpeak soils: are moderately deep to a lithic contact

Santop soils: are moderately deep to a lithic contact

Seeburg soils: are very deep

Thout soils: are moderately deep to a lithic contact

Threecabin soils: are deep to a lithic contact

Warfield soils: are deep and very deep to a lihtic contact

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Noil soils are on mountain slopes and ridges. Slopes range from 35 to 85 percent. These soils formed in material weathered from gneiss, schist, granite or quartzite with an admixture of loess and volcanic ash. These soils occur at elevations of 1,600 to 4,300 feet (488 to 1311 meters). The average annual temperature ranges from 40 to 46 degrees F., with an average annual precipitation of 25 to 55 inches (635 to 1397 mm). The average frost-free period is from 80 to 130 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Kruse, Hugus, Bouldercreek and Brodeer series. Kruse soils occur on mountain slopes and hills. They have less than 35 percent coarse fragments in the control section and have an argillic horizon. Hugus and Bouldercreek soils occur on mountain slopes and hills. They have a udic moisture regime and a thick volcanic ash mantle. Brodeer soils occur on mountain slopes and ridges. These soils have less than 35 percent coarse fragments in the control section, have a udic moisture regime and have a thick volcanic ash mantle.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Well drained. Runoff is rapid to very rapid and saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately high.

USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for timber production, livestock grazing, wildlife habitat, recreation, and watershed. Some cleared areas are used for pasture. Potential natural vegetation is mainly grand fir, Douglas-fir, ponderosa pine and western larch with an understory of Rocky mountain maple, mallow ninebark, common snowberry, myrtle pachystima, Hooker fairybells, sweet scented bedstraw, starry false Solomons seal, goldthread, elk sedge and Columbia brome.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: North Central Idaho. This soil is not extensive. MLRA 43A.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Clearwater County, Idaho, 2003.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and other features recognized in this pedon:

Ochric epipedon - The zone from 0 to 9 inches (Oi, A1 and A2 horizons).

Cambic horizon - The zone from 9 to 29 inches (Bw horizons).

Vitrandic feature - The zone from 1 to 9 inches (A1 and A2 horizons).

Particle-size control section - 10 to 40 inches (part of the Bw1, the Bw2, C1 and part of the C2 horizons).

The ranges in values listed under the A and AB horizons for volcanic glass content and Acid-oxalate Al+1/2Fe are estimates only.

---

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.