LOCATION SHANKS                  ID

Established Series
Rev. MEJ/ALH/RWL
07/2012

SHANKS SERIES

The Shanks series consists of moderately deep, well drained soils with moderate permeability that formed in colluvium and residuum from granitic rocks. Slopes range from 25 to 90 percent in canyons and foothills. The average annual precipitation is about 18 inches and the average annual temperature is about 47 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, mesic Ultic Argixerolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Shanks gravelly coarse sandy loam -- on a 55 percent convex west-facing slope at 3,920 feet elevation in rangeland. When described on June 26, 1997, the soil was dry to 18 inches and slightly moist below. (Colors are for air-dry soil unless otherwise noted.)

A--0 to 6 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) gravelly coarse sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak fine and medium granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine and fine, few medium roots; many very fine and fine irregular pores; 15 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.3); clear smooth boundary. (3 to 7 inches thick)

AB--6 to 13 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) gravelly coarse sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine and fine, few medium roots; many very fine and fine tubular pores; 30 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.4); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 11 inches thick)

Bt--13 to 36 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) very gravelly sandy clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine, fine and medium roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; common distinct clay films on faces of peds and in pores; 45 percent gravel and 10 percent cobbles; slightly acid (pH 6.5); abrupt smooth boundary. (10 to 30 inches thick)

R--36 inches; granodiorite.

TYPE LOCATION: Ada County, Idaho; about 3 miles west of Boise; 900 feet south and 150 feet west of the northeast corner of section 27, T.3 N., R.3 E.; USGS Lucky Peak Quadrangle; (Latitude - 43 degrees, 34 minutes, 18 seconds N. and Longitude - 116 degrees, 04 minutes, 27 seconds W.)

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mollic epipedon thickness - 7 to 14 inches
Depth to bedrock - 20 to 40 inches
Base saturation - 50 to 75 percent in some part of upper 30 inches
Reaction - slightly acid or neutral
Particle-size control section 18 to 30 percent clay; 35 to 75 percent rock fragmentsMoisture control section - dry 60 to 90 consecutive days following the summer solstice
Average annual soil temperature - 47 to 52 degrees F.

A horizon
Value - 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma - 2 or 3 dry or moist
Clay content - 10 to 18 percent
Rock fragments - 0 to 5 percent stones and boulders, 0 to 5 percent cobbles, 15 to 35 percent gravel and 15 to 35 percent total

Bt horizon
Hue - 10YR or 2.5Y
Value - 5 or 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma - 3 or 4 dry or moist
Texture - SCL, SL or COSL
Clay content - 18 to 30 percent
Rock fragments - 0 to 5 percent stones, 0 to 25 percent cobbles, 25 to 60 percent gravel and 35 to 85 percent total

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Balake, Beezee, Bluenose, Bluesprin, Fordice, Hunsinger, Jebe, Jellico, Keuterville, Legall, Nashmead, Riverpoint (T), Sauter, Sienna and Tekoa series. Balake, Beezee, Bluenose, Fordice, Jebe, Keuterville, Legall, Riverpoint and Sauter soils are very deep. Bluesprin soils have average annual soil temperatures of 59 to 63 degrees F. Jellico and Nashmead soils have O horizons. Tekoa soils have textures with less than 50 percent sand and a paralithic contact (fractured shale). Hunsinger soils are 40 to 60 inches deep to paralithic contact (strongly weathered basalt). Sienna soils have textures with less than 50 percent sand and are over basalt bedrock.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Shanks soils are on canyon walls and hill backslopes at elevations of 3,000 to 5,000 feet. Slopes range from 25 to 90 percent. These soils formed in colluvium and residuum from granitic rocks. The average annual precipitation is 14 to 20 inches. The average annual temperature is 45 to 50 degrees F. The frost-free period is 90 to 140 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Borid, Brownlee, Cartwright, Robbscreek and Schiller soils. These soils are on hill slopes and canyon walls. Borid soils are shallow. Brownlee, Cartwright and Schiller soils are greater than 40 inches deep. Robbscreek soils are not skeletal.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; medium to very rapid runoff; moderate permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: Shanks soils are used mainly for rangeland and wildlife habitat. Native vegetation is xeric big sagebrush, antelope bitterbrush, bluebunch wheatgrass and Idaho fescue.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: West-central Idaho. MLRA 10. Shanks soils are not extensive.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Ada County, Idaho, 2012.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon:
Mollic epipedon - zone from the soil surface to 13 inches (A and AB horizons)
Argillic horizon - zone from 13 to 36 inches (Bt horizon)
Particle-size control section - zone from 13 to 33 inches
Lithic contact - at 36 inches (R)
Soil moisture regime - xeric


This revision of 7/04 reflects a change in the Type Location to an adjacent soil survey area.

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.