LOCATION PARKINSON IDTentative Series
This series may be associated with the Beaver Creek, Medicine lodge, Peterson, and Utley series. It differs from the Beaver Creek series in being calcareous throughout and in having a strong ca horizon. The Peterson and Utley series are shallow (less than 24 or 22 inches deep) over gravel and sand. The Medicine Lodge series is calcareous throughout but has a lighter colored A1 horizon (lighter than 5.5 value when dry). The Bannock series is formed in more mixed alluvium derived from more varied sources.
The Parkinson series occurs at elevations of 4,500 to 6,500 feet in a semiarid continental climate. The mean annual soil temperature ranges from 41 to 47 degrees F., and the mean summer air temperature ranges from 62 to 56 degrees F. The frost-free season ranges from 94 to 125 days. The mean annual precipitation ranges from 11 to 13 inches and is fairly evenly distributed throughout the year except for May and June, which are slightly higher. The area receives about 3 to 5 feet of snowfall. The series covers about 5 square miles and is slightly important agriculturally
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy over sandy or sandy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, frigid Aridic Calcixerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Parkinson gravelly loam (summer fallow).
A1p--0 to 6 inches; grayish-brown (10YR 5/2) gravelly loam; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) when moist; weak, fine and very fine granular structure; friable; slightly sticky; slightly plastic; slightly calcareous; mildly or moderately alkaline (pH 8.0 cresol red); clear smooth boundary. (5 to 9 inches thick)
AC--6 to 12 inches; grayish-brown (10YR 5/2) gravelly loam, which is high in coarse sand; dark brown or brown (10YR 4/3) when moist; weak, fine and medium subangular blocky structure; friable; slightly sticky; slightly plastic; moderately calcareous; neutral or mildly alkaline (pH 7.6 cr); clear smooth boundary. (5 to 7 inches thick)
C1ca--12 to 24 inches; very pale brown (10YR 8/3) gravelly loam, which is high in coarse sand; pale brown (10YR 5.5/3) when moist; weak, medium and fine subangular blocky structure; firm; slightly sticky; slightly plastic; strongly calcareous; mildly or moderately alkaline (pH 8.4 thymol blue); clear wavy boundary. (10 to 14 inches thick)
C2ca--24 + inches; white (10YR 8/2) gravelly loam, which is high in coarse sand; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) when moist; massive; hard; friable; slightly sticky; slightly plastic; very strongly calcareous; moderately or strongly alkaline (pH 8.6 tb).
TYPE LOCATION: 50 feet west of road in southeast corner of NE 1/4 NW 1/4 Sec. 19., T. 11 N., R. 35 E., Clark County, Idaho.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Gravelly loam is the dominant type, but loam and very gravelly and cobbly loams also occur. The color of the A1 ranges from 4.5 to 5.5 in value when dry. Depth to gravel ranges from 20 to 40 inches. The gravel may be very weakly cemented by lime.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Level to sloping old alluvial fans, which are dissected by stream channels and ravines. Slopes range from 1 to 12 percent, but the dominant slopes are between 1 and 2 percent.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. Surface runoff is medium. Permeability is moderate.
USE AND VEGETATION: Grazing and dryland wheat. Big sagebrush, three-tip sagebrush, bluebunch wheatgrass, Idaho fescue, and forbs.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southeastern Idaho.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES PROPOSED: Clark County, Idaho, 1957. Name from a farm in the area.
OSED scanned by SSQA. Last revised by state on 3/59.