LOCATION RAMSDELL                ID

Established Series
Rev. CJW/SHB/EMM
10/2013

RAMSDELL SERIES

The Ramsdell series consists of very deep, very poorly drained soils on level or nearly level low stream terraces and depressions on floodplains and valley floors. They formed in silty alluvium. Slope ranges from 0 to 2 percent. The average annual precipitation is about 28 inches and the average annual air temperature is about 45 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-silty, mixed, superactive, nonacid, frigid Aquandic Endoaquepts

TYPICAL PEDON: Ramsdell ashy silt loam, pasture; on a 1 percent slope at 2,140 feet elevation. When described on November 4, 1971, the soil was moist throughout. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)

Ap--0 to 8 inches; light gray (2.5Y 7/2) ashy silt loam, grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) moist; moderate fine granular structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine, fine and medium roots; common very fine tubular pores; moderately acid (pH 6.0); abrupt wavy boundary. (8 to 10 inches thick)

Bg1--8 to 15 inches; light gray (2.5Y 7/2) very fine sandy loam, grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) moist; many medium prominent brown (7.5YR 5/4) moist redox concentrations; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine roots; common very fine and few medium tubular pores; slightly acid (pH 6.4); abrupt wavy boundary. (7 to 16 inches thick)

Bg2--15 to 26 inches; light gray (10YR 7/1) silt loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) moist; many medium prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) moist redox concentrations; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine roots; many fine and common medium tubular pores; moderately acid (pH 6.0); abrupt wavy boundary. (6 to 11 inches thick)

Bg3--26 to 35 inches; light gray (10YR 7/1) silt loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) moist; many medium prominent reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/6) moist redox concentrations; moderate coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine and fine roots; many very fine, fine, and common medium tubular pores; moderately acid (pH 5.8); abrupt wavy boundary. (9 to 13 inches thick)

Cg--35 to 60 inches; light gray (10YR 7/1) silt loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) moist; many medium and coarse prominent reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/6) moist redox concentrations; massive; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine, and few medium tubular pores; moderately acid (pH 6.0).

TYPE LOCATION: Benewah County, Idaho; about 1.5 miles west of St. Maries; about 2,100 feet west and 700 feet south of the northeast corner of section 20, T.46N., R.2W. Latitude 47 degrees, 19 minutes, 27 seconds North; Longitude -116 degrees, 36 minutes, 59 seconds West; NAD 83. USGS Benewah Lake, ID topographic quadrangle.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:

Average annual soil temperature - 44 to 46 degrees F
Average summer soil temperature - 56 to 58 degrees F without an O horizon
Solum thickness - 28 to 50 inches
Depth to seasonal high water table - 0 to 24 inches February to June; July to January 24 to 60 inches

Volcanic glass content - 5 to 20 percent (estimated)
Acid-oxalate extractable Al + 1/2 Fe - 0.4 to 1.0 percent (estimated)
Moist bulk density - 1.0 to 1.2 g/cc (estimated)

Thin buried layers - present in some pedons
Texture - loamy fine sand, fine sandy loam or very fine sandy loam

Ap horizon
Hue - 2.5Y or 10YR
Value - 6 or 7 dry, 3 to 5 moist
Chroma - 1 or 2, dry or moist
Redox features - present in some pedons, faint to prominent, Hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, chroma of 2 to 6, dry or moist
Reaction - moderately acid to neutral

Bg horizon
Hue - 10YR, 2.5Y, or 5Y
Value - 6 or 7 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Redox features - faint to prominent, chroma of 1 to 6, dry or moist
Texture - silt loam or very fine sandy loam
Reaction - moderately acid to neutral

Cg horizon
Hue - 10YR, 2.5Y, or 5Y
Value - 6 through 8 dry, 4 through 6 moist
Chroma - 1 or 2, dry or moist
Redox features - faint to prominent, chroma of 1 to 8, dry or moist
Texture - stratified silt loam or very fine sandy loam
Reaction - strongly acid to slightly acid

COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Ramsdell soils are on level or nearly level low stream terraces and depressions on flood plains and valley floors. Slopes range from 0 to 2 percent. Elevations range from 2,100 to 2,800 feet. The soils formed in stratified silty alluvium. Average annual precipitation ranges from 26 to 32 inches and average annual air temperature is 43 to 46 degrees F. The frost-free period is 90 to 130 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the DeVoignes, Miesen, and Pywell soils. DeVoignes and Pywell soils are on low basins and have a histic epipedon. Miesen soils have an umbric epipedon and are on natural levees and higher stream terraces.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Very poorly drained; very slow runoff; saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately high. These soils are frequently flooded for brief to long periods from February to June. Some areas are artificially drained and protected by levees.

USE AND VEGETATION: Used mostly for non-irrigated oats, pasture, hay, and grass seed production. Natural vegetation is Pacific willow, black cottonwood, western river alder, and western redcedar, with an understory of grass, and sedge, and forbs.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northern Idaho. This soil is not extensive. MLRAs 9, 43A and 44A.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Benewah County, Idaho, 1975.

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

Ochric epipedon - the zone from the soil surface to 8 inches (Ap horizon)

Cambic horizon - the zone from 8 to 35 inches (Bg1, Bg2, and Bg3 horizons)

Particle-size control section - the zone from 10 to 40 inches (part of the Bg1, Bg2, Bg3, and part of the Cg horizon)

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.