LOCATION RETTIG                  ID

Established Series
Rev. BDG-EMM-RJS
05/2017

RETTIG SERIES

The Rettig series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in materials from schist and gneiss that are high in mica with a thick mantle of volcanic ash. These soils are on mountain slopes and ridges. Slopes range from 15 to 90 percent. The average annual precipitation is about 1,150 mm and the average annual temperature is about 5.6 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Ashy over loamy, amorphic over micaceous, frigid Typic Udivitrands

TYPICAL PEDON: Rettig ashy silt loam, forested, on a 47 percent slope at 1,365 meters elevation, and an aspect of southwest. Described on October 13, 2004. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise indicated.)

Oi--0 to 4 cm; slightly decomposed needles, twigs, leaves and moss.

Oe--4 to 8 cm; moderately decomposed needles, twigs, leaves and moss. (combined thickness of Oi, Oe horizons -- 3 to 8 cm)

A--8 to 20 cm; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) ashy silt loam, very dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; weak fine and medium granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and fine, and few coarse roots throughout; many very fine and fine irregular pores; slightly acid (pH 6.1); clear wavy boundary. (5 to 23 cm thick)

Bw1--20 to 35 cm; yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) ashy silt loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) moist; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine, many medium, and few coarse roots throughout; few fine tubular pores; moderately acid (pH 6.0); clear wavy boundary.

Bw2--35 to 64 cm; yellow (10YR 7/6) ashy silt loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) moist; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; soft, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine, and common medium and coarse roots throughout; few fine tubular pores; moderately acid (pH 5.7); abrupt wavy boundary. (combined thickness of Bw1, Bw2 horizons -- 23 to 56 cm)

2Bw3--64 to 91 cm; brown (10YR 5/3) loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine roots throughout; common very fine and fine tubular pores; 35 percent fine mica flakes; 5 percent subangular gravel; moderately acid (pH 5.6); clear wavy boundary. (13 to 50 cm thick)

2Bw4--91 to 119 cm; light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) gravelly loam, light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) moist; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine roots throughout; common very fine and few medium tubular pores; 60 percent fine mica flakes; 10 percent subangular gravel and 5 percent subangular cobbles; strongly acid (pH 5.5); gradual wavy boundary. (25 to 60 cm thick)

2C--119 to 150 cm; light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) cobbly loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; massive; soft, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine roots throughout; few very fine and fine tubular pores; 70 percent fine mica flakes; 10 percent subangular gravel and 20 percent subangular cobbles; strongly acid (pH 5.4).

TYPE LOCATION: Latah County, Idaho; about 12.0 kilometers north and 19.3 kilometers east of Harvard, Idaho; about 370 meters north and 425 meters west of the southeast corner of Sec. 32, T42N, R1W; Latitude - 47 degrees, 01 minutes and 30.77 seconds North, Longitude - 116 degrees, 29 minutes and 06.22 seconds West; USGS Fernwood Quadrangle.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Average annual soil temperature -- 3.9 to 7.2 degrees C. (frigid temperature regime)
Soil moisture control section -- not dry for 45 consecutive days from June to October (udic moisture regime)

Thickness of volcanic ash -- 36 to 66 cm
Volcanic glass -- 15 to 50 percent
Acid-oxalate extractable Al+1/2Fe -- 1.3 to 2.7 percent
Phosphorous retention -- 55 to 95 percent
15 bar water retention -- 8.0 to 12.0 percent on air dried samples

A horizon
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR dry or moist
Value: 4 or 5 dry; 2 to 4 moist
Chroma: 3 or 4 dry; 2 to 4 moist
Texture (less than 2mm fraction): ashy loam or ashy silt loam
Clay content: 5 to 16 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 10 percent gravel
Mica content: 0 to 5 percent
Reaction: pH 5.6 to 7.2
Bulk density: 0.60 to 0.90 g/cc

Bw1, Bw2 horizons
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR dry or moist
Value: 4 to 7 dry; 3 to 5 moist
Chroma: 4 or 6 dry or moist
Texture (less than 2mm fraction): ashy loam or ashy silt loam
Clay content: 5 to 18 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 10 percent gravel
Mica content: 0 to 10 percent
Reaction: pH 5.6 to 7.0
Bulk density: 0.60 to 1.00 g/cc

2Bw3 horizon
Hue: 5YR to 10YR dry or moist
Value: 5 to 7 dry; 3 to 5 moist
Chroma: 3 to 6 dry or moist
Texture (less than 2mm fraction): loam, fine sandy loam or sandy loam
Clay content: 8 to 20 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 20 percent gravel
Parafragments: 0 to 10 percent paragravel
Mica content: 20 to 50 percent
Reaction: pH 5.1 to 6.8

2Bw4 horizon
Hue: 5YR to 2.5Y dry or moist
Value: 5 to 7 dry; 3 to 5 moist
Chroma: 3 to 6 dry; 4 to 6 moist
Texture (less than 2mm fraction): loam or sandy loam
Clay content: 10 to 20 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 40 percent--0 to 30 percent gravel; 0 to 15 percent cobbles; 0 to 20 percent channers; 0 to 10 percent stones
Parafragments: 0 to 10 percent paragravel
Mica content: 30 to 65 percent
Reaction: pH 5.0 to 6.4

2BC horizon (where present)
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y dry or moist
Value: 6 or 7 dry; 3 to 5 moist
Chroma: 3 or 4 dry; 3 to 6 moist
Texture (less than 2mm fraction): loam, fine sandy loam, sandy loam, loamy fine sand or loamy sand
Clay content: 3 to 16 percent
Rock fragments: 5 to 50 percent--5 to 30 percent gravel; 0 to 15 percent cobbles; 0 to 40 percent channers; 0 to 5 percent flagstones
Parafragments: 0 to 30 percent--0 to 30 percent paragravel; 0 to 10 percent paracobbles
Mica content: 25 to 50 percent
Reaction: pH 5.0 to 6.2

2C horizon (absent in some profiles)
Hue: 7.5YR to 2.5Y dry or moist
Value: 5 to 8 dry; 3 to 7 moist
Chroma: 0 to 8 dry or moist
Texture (less than 2mm fraction): loam, sandy loam, coarse sandy loam, loamy fine sand or loamy sand
Clay content: 2 to 18 percent
Rock fragments: 5 to 55 percent--5 to 40 percent gravel; 0 to 20 percent cobbles
Parafragments: 0 to 30 percent--0 to 30 percent paragravel; 0 to 15 percent paracobbles
Mica content: 40 to 90 percent
Reaction: 4.9 to 6.2

COMPETING SERIES:
Nakarna (ID): are deep to a paralithic contact

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Rettig soils are on mountain slopes and ridges at elevations of 485 to 1525 meters. They have slopes of 15 to 90 percent. These soils formed in materials from schist and gneiss that are high in mica with a thick mantle of volcanic ash. The average annual air temperature is 3.3 to 7.8 degrees C. The average annual precipitation is 750 to 1525 mm. The frost free season is 50 to 120 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Bouldercreek, Grandad and Township series. Bouldercreek and Township soils are on mountain slopes and canyons, and are skeletal in the 2Bw horizons. Grandad soils are on mountain slopes and ridgetops and have an argillic horizon.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Well drained, moderately high saturated hydraulic conductivity.

USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for timber production, wildlife habitat, watershed and recreation. Potential natural vegetation is western redcedar, western hemlock, grand fir, Douglas-fir, western larch and western white pine with an understory of wild ginger, queencup beadlily, goldthread, starry false Solomon's seal, oneleaf foamflower and baldhip rose.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: North-central Idaho; Rettig soils are moderately extensive. MLRA 43A

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Clearwater County, Idaho, 2003.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and other features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon -- from 0 to 20 cm (Oi, Oe, A horizons)
Cambic horizon: -- from 20 to 119 cm (Bw1, Bw2, 2Bw3, 2Bw4 horizons)
Volcanic ash cap -- from 8 to 64 cm (A, Bw1, Bw2 horizons)
Particle-size control section -- from 8 to 108 cm (A, Bw1, Bw2, 2Bw3, part of 2Bw4 horizons)

The values listed under the Range in Characteristics for Bulk density, Volcanic glass, Acid-oxalate extractable Al+1/2Fe, Phosphorus retention and 15 bar water content are estimates only.

Additional data: This series has laboratory data S95-ID-035-004 (96P21) Clearwater county, Idaho; by NSSL, Lincoln, NE.

Taxonomic version: Keys to Soil Taxonomy, Twelfth Edition, 2014.

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.