LOCATION NORTHCRATER IDEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Ashy-skeletal, glassy, nonacid, frigid Vitrandic Xerorthents
TYPICAL PEDON: Northcrater gravelly loamy sand - on a 2 percent slope at an elevation of 5,600 feet in rangeland. When described on June 17, 1997, the soil was dry. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A1--0 to 4 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) very gravelly ashy loamy sand, black (10YR 2/1) moist; weak fine granular structure; loose; common very fine and fine roots; many very fine interstitial pores; about 40 percent gravel size cinders; neutral (pH 7.3); clear smooth boundary. (1 to 6 inches thick)
A2--4 to 8 inches; very dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/2) very gravelly ashy loamy sand, black (10YR 2/1) moist; single grained; loose; common very fine and fine roots; common very fine to medium interstitial pores; about 50 percent gravel size cinders; neutral (pH 7.3); clear smooth. (3 to 6 inches thick)
C1--8 to 12 inches; very dark brown (10YR 2/2) extremely ashy gravelly loamy sand, black (10YR 2/1) moist; single grained; loose; common very fine and fine roots; common very fine to medium interstitial pores; about 65 percent gravel size cinders; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); clear wavy boundary. (3 to 8 inches thick)
C2--12 to 20 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) very gravelly ashy loamy sand, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; single grained; loose; few very fine roots; common very fine to medium interstitial pores; about 45 percent gravel size cinders; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); clear wavy boundary. (6 to 12 inches thick)
C3--20 to 30 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) very gravelly ashy loamy sand, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; single grained; loose; few very fine roots; common very fine to medium interstitial pores; about 50 percent gravel size cinders; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); clear wavy boundary. (8 to 15 inches thick)
C4--30 to 60 inches; very dark brown (10YR 2/2) very gravelly ashy loamy sand, black (10YR 2/1) moist; single grained; loose; common very fine to medium interstitial pores; about 55 percent gravel size cinders; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4).
TYPE LOCATION: Butte County, Idaho about 1 miles southeast of Craters of the Moon visitor center; 1,100 feet west and 1,700 feet north of the southeast corner of sec. 1, T. 1 N., R. 24 E. Latitude 43 degrees, 25 minutes, 53 seconds north; Longitude 113 degrees, 32 minutes, 35 seconds west.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
The soil moisture control section is dry for 100 to 120 consecutive days.
All colors are litho-chromatic.
Organic matter is less than one percent throughout the profile.
Andic soil properties
Glass content is 50 to 90 percent
Phosphate retention is 10 to 15 percent
Acid oxalate aluminum plus one-half the acid oxalate iron is 0.1 to 0.4.
15 bar water is less than 10 percent on dry and moist samples.
Mean annual soil temperature - 42 to 47 degrees F.
Reaction - neutral to slightly alkaline throughout
A horizon
Value - 2 or 3 dry
Chroma - 1 or 2 moist or dry
Rock fragments - 40 to 60 percent cinders
C horizon
Value - 2 through 4 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma - 1 through 4 moist or dry
Texture - GRV-LS, GRX-LS, GRV-S, GRX-S
Some horizons contain no fine earth material
Rock fragments - 45 to 90 percent cinders
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Northcrater soils are on recent cinder cones and associated with nonvegative cinder land. Slopes range from 2 to 25 percent. Elevation ranges from 5,400 to 6,500 feet. The soil formed in wind deposited volcanic tephra. The mean annual precipitation is 14 to 18 inches, most of which falls as snow and early spring rain. The mean annual air temperature is about 40 to 45 degrees F. The frost-free season is 60 to 90 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Echocrater and Silentcone soils and cinderland. Echocrater and Silentcone soils are sandy loam or loam textures and have andic soil properties.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Excessively drained. Very slow runoff. Very rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Mainly used for wildlife and limited rangeland. Vegetation is dwarf buckwheat and monkey flower with widely spaced individual plants.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: South-central Idaho. This series is moderately extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Craters of the Moon Area, Idaho, 1999.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
The material is to young for andic soil properties to develop.
The soil contains over 35 percent cinders throughout the profile (Vitrandic)