LOCATION PREUSS             ID
Established Series
Rev. SM-FRK-RJS
07/2008

PREUSS SERIES


The Preuss series consists of moderately deep, well drained soils that formed in residuum, slope alluvium and alluvium from calcareous siltstone on hills. Permeability is moderate. Preuss soils have slopes of 5 to 50 percent. Average annual precipitation is about 14 inches. Average annual air temperature is about 42 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, carbonatic, frigid Typic Calcixerepts

TYPICAL PEDON: Preuss gravelly silt loam, in rangeland, at 6,330 feet elevation. When described on September 4, 1985, the soil was slightly moist to 13 inches and dry below that. (Colors are for air dry soil unless otherwise noted.)

A--0 to 2 inches; light gray (2.5Y 7/2) gravelly silt loam, pale brown (10YR 6/3) moist; moderate fine granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine and common medium roots; common very fine and fine irregular pores; 30 percent gravel; violently effervescent, disseminated lime (33 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); abrupt wavy boundary. (2 to 5 inches thick)

Bw--2 to 13 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) very gravelly loam, pale brown (10YR 6/3) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine, fine, and medium roots; few very fine tubular and common very fine irregular pores; 50 percent gravel; violently effervescent, disseminated lime (32 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear wavy boundary. (10 to 15 inches thick)

Bk--13 to 22 inches; light gray (2.5Y 7/2) very gravelly loam, grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine irregular pores; 55 percent gravel; violently effervescent, disseminated lime and common fine irregularly shaped soft masses of lime (45 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); clear smooth boundary. (8 to 20 inches thick)

Cr--22 inches; highly fractured, calcareous siltstone.

TYPE LOCATION: Bear Lake County, Idaho; about 0.5 mile southwest of Border Summit; about 1,400 feet south and 2,700 feet west of the northeast corner of sec. 18, T.14S., R.46E. Latitude - 42 degrees, 12 minutes, 32 seconds north; Longitude - 111 degrees, 7 minutes, 15 seconds west.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:

Depth to paralithic contact - 20 to 40 inches.
Average annual soil temperature - 43 to 45 degrees F.

Particle-size control section:
Clay content average - 18 to 24 percent (total clay).
Rock fragment content - 35 to 65 percent, averages more than 35 percent.
Calcium carbonate equivalent - averages 40 to 50 percent (less than 2mm plus rock fragments less than 20mm).

A Horizon:
Hue - 10YR or 2.5Y
Value - 6 or 7 dry, 4 through 6 moist
Chroma - 2 or 3 dry or moist

Bw horizon:
Hue - 10YR or 2.5Y
Value - 6 or 7 dry, 5 or 6 moist
Chroma - 2 or 3 dry or moist
Texture - gravelly loam or very gravelly loam
Rock fragment content - 25 to 55 percent
Reaction - slightly or moderately alkaline

Bk horizon:
Hue - 2.5Y or 5Y
Value - 7 or 8 dry, 5 through 7 moist
Texture - very gravelly loam or extremely gravelly loam
Rock fragment content - 35 to 65 percent
Reaction - slightly or moderately alkaline

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Bakerpeak (T) and Sprollow series. Bakerpeak soils are very deep. Sprollow soils formed over limestone and have a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Preuss soils are on hills at elevations of 6,000 to 7,450 feet. They are generally on south facing slopes. They formed in residuum, slope alluvium and alluvium from calcareous siltstone. Slopes are 5 to 50 percent. The average annual precipitation ranges from 13 to 16 inches. The average annual air temperature is 39 to 43 degrees F. The frost free period is 70 to 90 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Everry (T), Mumford (T), and Sprollow (T) soils. Everry soils are generally on north facing, smooth to concave slopes and are 40 to 60 inches deep to a paralithic contact. Mumford soils are on ridges and convex slopes and are 10 to 20 inches deep. Sprollow soils are on smooth to convex sloping limestone hills.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; low to high runoff; moderate permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: Preuss soils are used for rangeland. The potential natural vegetation is Goldenweed and Indian ricegrass.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southeastern Idaho. This series is not extensive. MLRA 13.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Bear Lake County, Idaho 2008.

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

Ochric epipedon - the zone from the surface to 2 inches (A horizon)

Cambic horizon - the zone from 2 to 13 inches (Bw horizon)

Calcic horizon - the zone from 13 to 22 inches (Bk horizon)

Particle-size control section - the zone between 10 and 22 inches (part of the Bw and Bk horizons)

Paralithic contact - highly fractured, calcareous siltstone at 22 inches (Cr horizon)


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.