LOCATION SHOEBEND IDEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Aridic Argixerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Shoebend loam -- on a 60 percent convex west-facing slope at 2,960 feet elevation in rangeland. When described on May 8, 1997, the soil was moist throughout. (Colors are for air-dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A--0 to 7 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak medium and coarse granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and moderately plastic; many very fine and fine, few medium roots; many very fine, fine and medium irregular pores; 10 percent fine gravel; neutral (pH 7.2); clear smooth boundary. (5 to 10 inches thick)
AB--7 to 14 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and moderately plastic; many very fine and fine, few medium roots; many very fine, fine and medium irregular and tubular pores; 5 percent fine gravel; neutral (pH 7.2); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 8 inches thick)
Bt1--14 to 20 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) clay loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine and fine, few medium roots; common very fine tubular pores; common distinct clay films on faces of peds and in pores; 5 percent fine gravel; neutral (pH 7.3); clear wavy boundary. (5 to 10 inches thick)
Bt2--20 to 28 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; weak medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; very hard, friable, very sticky and very plastic; common very fine and fine, few medium roots; common very fine tubular pores; many distinct clay films on faces of peds and in pores; 5 percent fine gravel; neutral (pH 6.6); abrupt wavy boundary. (5 to 15 inches thick)
Cr--28 to 34 inches; weathered granodiorite. (4 to 20 inches thick)
R--34 inches; unweathered granodiorite.
TYPE LOCATION: Boise County, Idaho; about 1/2 mile northeast of Gardena; 2,500 feet due west of the southeast corner of section 35, T.8 N., R.2 E.; USGS Horseshoe Bend Quadrangle; Latitude - 43 degrees, 58 minutes, 47 seconds N. and Longitude - 116 degrees, 11 minutes, 06 seconds W.; NAD 83.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mollic epipedon thickness - 7 to 15 inches
Depth to paralithic contact - 20 to 40 inches
Depth to lithic contact - 30 to 60 inches
Base saturation - 50 to 75 percent in some part between 10 and 30 inches
Reaction - slightly acid or neutral
Particle-size control section - 22 to 35 percent clay; 0 to 15 percent rock fragments
Moisture control section - moist less than 90 consecutive days when the soil temperature is greater than 47 degrees F.
Average annual soil temperature - 52 to 54 degrees F.
A horizon
Value - 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma - 2 or 3 dry or moist
Rock fragments - 0 to 15 percent fine gravel
Bt horizon
Value - 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma - 3 or 4 dry or moist
Texture - CL, SCL or L
Clay content - 22 to 35 percent
Rock fragments - 0 to 15 percent fine gravel
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Bissell, Bjork, Cowiche, Dodes, Fernpoint, Hullsgulch, Indiano, Jerusalem, Madras, Margerum, Noslo, Orr, Pahrange, Quailridge (T), Quiero, Ralls, Simcoe, Springmeyer, Truax, Uhaldi and Wenatchee series. Bissell, Cowiche, Fernpoint, Hullsgulch, Jerusalem, Margerum, Orr, Quailridge, Ralls, Springmeyer, Truax and Wenatchee soils are more than 40 inches deep. Bjork, Dodes, Noslo, Pahrange and Uhaldi soils do not have a lithic contact. Indiano soils have 15 to 35 percent rock fragments of volcanic origin in the particle-size control section and are 20 to 40 inches to lithic volcanic bedrock, including rhyolite. Madras soils have secondary carbonates in a 2Crk horizon and 10 to 30 percent volcanic glass within the mollic epipedon. Quiero and Simcoe soils do not have Cr horizons, have rock fragments of volcanic origin, when present, and are 20 to 40 inches to lithic volcanic bedrock.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Shoebend soils are on south and west-facing hill backslopes at elevations of 2,600 to 4,000 feet. These soils formed in colluvium and residuum from granitic rocks. Slopes range from 25 to 65 percent. The average annual precipitation is 12 to 15 inches. The average annual temperature is 50 to 52 degrees F. The frost-free period is 140 to 155 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Dobson and the competing Jerusalem soils. Dobson soils are shallow to bedrock on hill shoulders and convex backslopes. Jerusalem soils are on hill footslopes and concave backslopes.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; rapid to very rapid runoff; moderately slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Shoebend soils are used mainly for rangeland. Native vegetation is basin big sagebrush and bluebunch wheatgrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: West-central Idaho. MLRA 10. Shoebend soils are not 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 14 inches (A and AB horizons)
Argillic horizon - zone from 14 to 28 inches (Bt1 and Bt2 horizons)
Paralithic contact - at 28 inches (Cr horizon)
Lithic contact - at 34 inches (R)
Particle-size control section - zone from 14 to 28 inches
Soil moisture regime - aridic bordering on xeric
These soils are drier than other Xerolls in the region under similar precipitation due to exposure, early runoff and extended period of high evapotranspiration.