LOCATION RONEY IDEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Ultic Haploxerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Roney fine gravelly coarse sandy loam -- on a concave southwest-facing slope of 70 percent at 3,300 feet elevation in rangeland. When described on April 28, 1994, the soil was moist throughout. (Colors are for air-dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A--0 to 10 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) fine gravelly coarse sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak coarse granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine, few medium and coarse roots; many very fine irregular pores; 15 percent fine gravel; moderately acid (pH 5.6); clear smooth boundary. (4 to 17 inches thick)
Bw-- 10 to 24 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) fine gravelly coarse sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine roots; many very fine irregular pores; 15 percent fine gravel; moderately acid (pH 5.8); gradual wavy boundary. (8 to 19 inches thick)
C--24 to 30 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) fine gravelly loamy coarse sand, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; single grain; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine and fine roots; common very fine irregular pores; 25 percent fine gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.2); abrupt wavy boundary. (2 to 8 inches thick)
R--30 inches; slightly weathered granodiorite.
TYPE LOCATION: Boise County, Idaho; about 9 miles north and 5 miles east of Horseshoe Bend; 550 feet south and 1,900 feet west of the northeast corner of section 8, T.8 N., R.3 E.; USGS Banks Quadrangle; Latitude - 44 degrees, 03 minutes, 01 seconds N. and Longitude - 116 degrees, 07 minutes, 32 seconds W.; NAD 83.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mollic epipedon thickness - 7 to 15 inches
Depth to bedrock - 20 to 40 inches
Base saturation (10 to 30 inches) - 50 to 75 percent
Particle-size control section - 7 to 13 percent clay; 15 to 35 percent rock fragments (dominantly fine gravel)
Reaction - strongly acid through slightly acid
Moisture control section - dry 60 to 90 consecutive days following the summer solstice
Average annual soil temperature - 47 to 53 degrees F.
A horizon
Value - 4 or 5 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma - 1 through 3 dry or moist
Clay content - 8 to 15 percent
Rock fragments - 15 to 25 percent fine gravel
Bw horizon
Value - 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma - 2 or 3 dry or moist
Texture - SL or COSL
Clay content - 8 to 15 percent
Rock fragments - 15 to 30 percent gravel, 0 to 5 percent cobbles and 15 to 35 percent total
C horizon
Value - 5 through 7 dry, 4 through 6 moist
Chroma - 2 through 4 dry or moist
Texture - LCOS or COSL
Clay content - 5 to 10 percent
Rock fragments - 15 to 30 percent gravel, 0 to 5 percent cobbles and 15 to 35 percent total
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Ardening, Billyridge, Burrant, Canderly, Catelli, Crouch, Deerrun, Ginnis, Hellgate, Picard, Rebecca, Shangland, Texascreek, and Wind River series. Ardening, Billyridge, Burrant, Canderly, Crouch, Hellgate, Picard, Rebecca and Wind River soils are greater than 40 inches deep. Catelli soils have an average annual soil temperature of 56 to 58 degrees F. Deerrun soils have O horizons and A horizons with less than 15 percent rock fragments. Ginnis soils are dry 90 to 105 consecutive days following the summer solstice and have a paralithic contact. Shangland soils have less than 15 percent rock fragments in the particle-size control section and have a paralithic contact. Texascreek soils have a paralithic contact and O horizons.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Roney soils are on hill summits and backslopes and canyon walls at elevations of 2,650 to 6,400 feet, occurring only on south aspects at higher elevations. These soils formed in colluvium and residuum weathered from granitic rocks. Slopes range from 8 to 90 percent. The average annual precipitation is 13 to 22 inches. The average annual temperature is 45 to 51 degrees F. The frost-free period is 90 to 150 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Dobson, Kisky and Olaton soils. Dobson and Kisky soils are shallow to bedrock and on similar geomorphic positions. Olaton soils are very deep and on concave backslopes and footslopes.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat excessively drained; medium to very rapid runoff; moderately rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Roney soils are used mainly for rangeland and wildlife habitat. Native vegetation is antelope bitterbrush, xeric big sagebrush, bluebunch wheatgrass and on north and east-facing slopes Idaho fescue.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: West-central Idaho. MLRA 10. Roney soils are moderately extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Boise County Area, Idaho, Parts of Ada and Boise Counties, 2005.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon:
Mollic epipedon - zone from the soil surface to 10 inches (A horizon)
Cambic horizon - zone from 10 to 24 inches (Bw horizon)
Particle-size control section - zone from 10 to 30 inches
Lithic contact - at 30 inches (R)
Soil moisture regime - xeric
Differences with the Rainey series (established in adjoining Gem County) are minor and need further investigation.