LOCATION RAMSHORN ID+UTEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, carbonatic, frigid Xeric Torriorthents
TYPICAL PEDON: Ramshorn gravelly loam (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
Ap--0 to 8 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) gravelly loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; weak very fine granular structure; hard, friable, slightly stick, slightly plastic; common fine and medium roots; many fine and very fine interstitial pores; slightly calcareous; mildly alkaline (pH 7.8); abrupt smooth boundary. (3 to 8 inches thick)
C1ca--8 to 15 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) gravelly loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; common fine and medium roots, common very fine and fine tubular pores; few firm nodules of soil material; strongly calcareous; mildly alkaline (pH 7.8); abrupt wavy boundary. (6 to 16 inches thick)
IIC2--15 inches; gravel and cobblestones with fine sandy loam interstitial material; pebbles and cobblestones, lime-coated on lower side.
TYPE LOCATION: Butte County, Idaho; north of road in corner of SE 1/4, SE 1/4 of section 28, T.6N., R.26E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The average annual soil temperature at depth of 20 inches is estimated to range from 41 to 47 degrees F. Depth to very gravelly material is primarily of gravel, less than 20 inches. The A horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 5.5 to 6.5 dry, 3.5 to 4.5 moist, and chroma of 2 or 3. It ranges from loam to silt loam. Moderately gravelly phases are common, but nongravelly, very gravelly, moderately cobbly, very cobbly, and stony phases are recognized. The C horizon is about one Munsell chip brighter in chroma or one chip lighter in value than the A horizon, and has an increase in carbonates.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Celeton, Emerson, Cencove, Marsing, Feltham, Jenness, Lolalita, Vanderhoff, Garbutt, Pocatello, and Wheeler series. The soils are mesic and noncarbonatic.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The soil is on level to moderately steep, convex, alluvial, and colluvial fans. Slopes are dominantly between 2 and 8 percent. Elevations range from about 5,000 to 6,700 feet. The soil formed mostly in local alluvium from limestone sources. The average summer temperature ranges from 62 to 66 degrees F. The freeze-free period ranges from 94 to 108 days, and the average annual precipitation ranges from 8 to 10 inches, and is fairly evenly distributed except for a slight maximum in May and June.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Bereniceton, Gallagher, McCaleb, Soelberg, and Waddoups series. Bereniceton and Gallagher soils are noncarbonatic and are more than 20 inches deep over gravel. McCaleb and Waddoups soils are deeper than 26 inches to gravel. Also, Wadodups soils have color value less than 5.5 when dry and 3.5 when moist. Soelberg soils have a mollic epipedon and a weak Bt horizon.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well or somewhat excessively drained, medium runoff, moderately rapid permeability in the C horizon and rapid in the IIC horizon.
USE AND VEGETATION: Small areas are irrigated and produce alfalfa, grain, and pasture. Most areas are utilized as rangeland, and vegetation is mainly black sagebrush, winterfat, but sagebrush, stunted big sagebrush, little rabbitbrush, bluebunch wheatgrass, Indian ricegrass, desert ricegrass, and needle-and-thread grass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southern Idaho and central Nevada. The soils are extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California
SERIES ESTABLISHED: BLM Duckwater Planning Unit, Nevada, 1974.
REMARKS: These soils were formerly classified as Alluvial soils.