LOCATION OLIAGA ID

Established Series
Rev. AEK/GHL
12/2022

OLIAGA SERIES

The Oliaga series consists of moderately deep over sand and gravel, somewhat poorly drained soils that formed in mixed alluvium derived mainly from acid igneous rocks. Oliaga soils are on alluvial fans and bottom lands and have slopes of 0 to 3 percent. The average annual precipitation is about 11 inches and the average annual air temperature is about 51 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy over sandy or sandy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, mesic Aquic Haplocalcids

TYPICAL PEDON: Oliaga loam, irrigated pasture. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)

Apca--0 to 8 inches; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) loam, dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) moist; weak very fine and fine granular structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; many very fine and fine roots; many very fine interstitial and very fine tubular pores, very few worn channels and casts; moderately calcareous; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 9 inches thick)

Clca--8 to 18 inches; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) loam, dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) moist; few fine faint grayish brown (10YR 5/2) mottles; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; common fine and medium roots; many very fine and few fine tubular pores; moderately calcareous; moderately alkaline (pH 8.3); clear wavy boundary. (5 to 10 inches thick)

C2ca--18 to 30 inches; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) loam, dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) moist; common medium faint grayish brown (10YR 5/2) mottles, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist, and few fine distinct brown (10YR 5/3) mottles, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; massive; hard, friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; common fine and medium roots; many very fine and few fine tubular pores; moderately calcareous and few faint lime veins and spots; moderately alkaline (pH 8.3); clear smooth boundary. (3 to 25 inches thick)

IIC3--30 to 35 inches; light gray (2.5Y 7/2) fine sandy loam, dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/1) moist; few fine and medium faint grayish brown (10YR 5/2) mottles, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist, slightly hard, very friable; few very fine and fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; slightly calcareous; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 9 inches thick)

IIIC4--35 to 63 inches; light gray (10YR 7/2) sand and gravel; loose; micaceous; mostly granitic material; noncalcareous.

TYPE LOCATION: Canyon County, Idaho; about 2 miles northwest of Parma; level, low terrace at 2,200 feet elevation; 288 feet east and 145 feet north of the southwest corner of the NE 1/4 of section 6, T.5N., R.5W.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The average annual soil temperature ranges from 50 to 55 degrees F., and the average summer temperature at depth of 20 inches ranges from 65 to 74 degrees F. The profile ranges from mildly to strongly alkaline. The soil is somewhat saline in some pedons. A saturation extract of this soil above 40 inches has an electrical conductivity of 1 mmhos per centimeter or greater.

The A horizon and upper part of the C horizon are moderately or slightly calcareous (5 to 14 percent carbonates), and the lower part of the soil is commonly slightly calcareous or noncalcareous (1 to 5 percent carbonates). A layer of loose sand and/or gravel has its upper boundary at depths of 20 to 40 inches. The organic matter is estimated to be 1 to 3 percent and decreases regularly with depth to less than 0.35 percent above the sand and gravel.

The Ap or the A1 horizon has hue of 2.5Y or 10YR, value of 5 through 7 dry, 3 through 5 moist, and chroma of 3 through 1.

The C horizons have a hue of 2.5Y or 10YR, value of 5 through 7 dry, 3 through 6 moist, and chroma of 3 or 2. Faint or distinct mottles with chroma of 2 or 3 occur.

COMPETING SERIES: There are no soils listed in the same family at this time.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Oliaga soils are on bottom lands and alluvial fans and have gradients of 0 to 3 percent. Elevations range from 2,000 to 4,500 feet. The soils formed in mixed alluvium derived mainly from acid igneous rocks. They are in a semi arid climate, with annual precipitation ranging from 7 to 11 inches including 0.5 to 1.5 feet of snow. Average January temperature is 27 degrees F.; the average July temperature is 75 degrees F.; the average annual temperature ranges from 48 to 53 degrees F. The frost-free season is about 140 to 160 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Paulmyers and Marsing soils. Paulmyers soils have an argillic horizon. Marsing soils are well drained.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat poorly drained; very slow to slow runoff; moderate permeability. The water table fluctuates between depths of 3 to 5 feet.

USE AND VEGETATION: The soils are mainly used for irrigated pasture, hay, corn, sugar beets, potatoes, and small grains. Native vegetation is mainly foxtail barley, redtop, Kentucky bluegrass, cheatgrass, giant wildrye, rabbitbrush, big sagebrush, saltgrass, and forbs.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southwestern Idaho. The series is inextensive.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Canyon County, Idaho, 1973.

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.