LOCATION NYSSATON ID+WAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-silty, mixed, superactive, mesic Xeric Haplocalcids
TYPICAL PEDON: Nyssaton silt loam -- on a nearly level terrace, in cropland at 2,300 feet elevation. (Colors are for air-dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 11 inches; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) silt loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; weak very fine and fine granular structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine roots; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); abrupt smooth boundary. (6 to 16 inches thick)
Bk1--11 to 20 inches; white (2.5Y 8/2) silt loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) moist; massive; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; moderately effervescent, few fine veins and spots of calcium carbonates; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 10 inches thick)
Bk2--20 to 27 inches; white (2.5Y 8/2) silt loam, grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) moist; massive; soft, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; 10 percent hard, firm, brittle nodules of slightly darker soil material that are 1 to 2 cm in diameter; 20 percent cicada krotovinas that will slake in water; common fine, few medium roots with some matted on the surface of nodules; common very fine tubular pores; strongly effervescent, many veins of calcium carbonates; nodules are less calcareous in the interior than the matrix and have soft splotches of calcium carbonates on the surface; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); abrupt wavy boundary. (6 to 15 inches thick)
Bk3--27 to 41 inches; light gray (2.5Y 7/2) silt loam, grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) moist; moderate thin and medium platy laminated lacustrine sediments; slightly hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine roots; many very fine tubular pores; strongly effervescent, few fine veins of calcium carbonates; strongly alkaline (pH 8.7); clear smooth boundary. (7 to 20 inches thick)
C--41 to 60 inches; light gray (2.5Y 7/2) silt loam, grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) moist; strong thin and medium platy laminated lacustrine sediments; slightly hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; slightly effervescent, few fine veins of calcium carbonates; few very fine brown (10YR 4/3) iron concentrations on surfaces of laminated plates; strongly alkaline (pH 8.7); clear smooth boundary.
TYPE LOCATION: Owyhee County, Idaho; about 5 miles west and 1/4 mile north of Marsing; 80 feet east and 2,100 feet north of the southwest corner of section 35, T.3 N., R.5 W.; Latitude - 43 degrees, 33 minutes, 04 seconds North; Longitude - 116 degrees, 54 minutes, 32 seconds West.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Depth to calcic horizon - 6 to 16 inches
Depth to laminated sediments - 20 to 40 inches
Average annual soil temperature - 52 to 54 degrees F.
Other feature - few fine black concretions (Mn02) on laminated plates in some pedons
A horizon
Hue - 10YR or 2.5Y
Value - 6 through 7 dry, 4 through 5 moist
Chroma - 2 or 3 dry or moist
Effervescence (after mixing upper 7 inches) - slight to strong Calcium carbonate equivalent - 5 to 15 percent
Reaction (pH) - slightly to moderately alkaline
Bk horizon
Hue - 10YR or 2.5Y
Value - 6 through 7 dry, 4 through 5 moist
Chroma - 2 or 3 dry or moist
Structure - massive, platy, or weak subangular blocky
Calcium carbonate equivalent - 15 to 25 percent
Nodules - 5 to 15 percent, 1 to 2 cm in diameter
Cicada krotovinas - 20 to 30 percent; 1 to 2 cm in diameter; these will slake in water
C horizon
Calcium carbonate equivalent - 5 to 15 percent
Cementation (calcium carbonate and/or silica) - weak, thin (less than 1 mm) discontinuous in some pedons
COMPETING SERIES: This is the Portino series. The following series are assumed to be in this family when re-classified. These are the Bahem, Bram, Idahome, and Pogal series. Bahem and Idahome soils lack laminated lake sediments within 40 inches. Bram soils have a fluctuating water table at depths of 3 to 6 feet for several months. Pogal soils have more than 40 percent exchangeable sodium within 30 inches of the surface. Portino soils have a lithic contact at depths of 20 to 40 inches.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Nyssaton soils are level to moderately steep on low and medium terraces and steep and very steep terrace escarpments in Washington at elevations of 1,000 to 2,700 feet. Slopes range from 0 to 30 percent in Idaho and up to 65 percent in Washington, but are dominantly less than 7 percent. These soils formed in silty calcareous laminated lacustrine material influenced in the upper part by local alluvium and loess. The climate is cool and moist in the winter and hot and dry summer. Average annual precipitation ranges from 7 to 12 inches. Average annual temperature ranges from 48 to 52 degrees F. Frost-free period is 130 to 180 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Garbutt, Greenleaf, Owyhee and Scism series. Garbutt soils lack a calcic horizon. Greenleaf soils have an argillic horizon. Owyhee soils lack the calcium carbonates above laminae and have a cambic horizon. Scism soils have a continuous duripan that is 20 to 40 inches deep.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; very slow to rapid runoff; moderate permeability in the upper part and slow permeability in the laminated lacustrine material.
USE AND VEGETATION: Nyssaton soils are used mainly for orchards, irrigated cropland, hayland and pastureland. Crops grown include corn, small grains, sugar beets, potatoes, onions and alfalfa seed. The dominant natural vegetation is Wyoming big sagebrush, Thurber needlegrass, and Sandberg bluegrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southwestern Idaho and central Washington. Nyssaton soils are of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Payette County, Idaho, 1971.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - zone 0 to 11 inches (Ap horizon)
Calcic horizon - zone 11 to 41 inches (Bk1, Bk2 and Bk3 horizons)
Particle-size control section - zone 11 to 40 inches (Bk1, Bk2, and part of the Bk3 horizons)