LOCATION SMELTER IDEstablished Series
The Smelter series consists of very deep, well drained soils that
formed in alluvium and residuum from andesite, latite, or welded tuff.
Smelter soils are on foothills and fan terraces and have slopes of 4 to
30 percent. Permeability is slow. The average annual precipitation is
about 14 inches, and the average annual temperature is about 40 degrees
F.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-silty, mixed, superactive, frigid Pachic Argixerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Smelter loam - on a 24 percent north-facing slope at an
elevation of 5,450 feet in rangeland. When described on May 16, l979,
the soil was moist throughout. (Colors are for dry soil unless
otherwise noted.)
A1--0 to 9 inches, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) loam, very dark
grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak fine and medium granular
structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic,
many very fine and fine roots; many very fine and fine interstitial
pores; about 5 percent pebbles; neutral (pH 6.6); gradual wavy
boundary. (4 to 12 inches thick)
A2--9 to 18 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) loam, very dark
grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular
blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, sticky and plastic; many very
fine and fine roots; few fine tubular pores; about 5 percent pebbles;
neutral (pH 6.6); abrupt smooth boundary. (3 to 9 inches thick)
Bt1--18 to 26 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) clay loam, dark brown (10YR
3/3) moist; strong medium and coarse prismatic structure; very hard,
firm, very sticky and very plastic; few very fine and fine roots; few
fine tubular pores; about 5 percent pebbles; continuous moderately
thick clay films on ped faces; neutral (pH 7.0); clear wavy boundary.
(8 to 12 inches thick)
Bt2--26 to 35 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) clay loam, dark
yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; strong medium and coarse prismatic
structure; very hard; firm, very sticky and very plastic; few fine
roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; about 5 percent
pebbles; continuous moderately thick clay films on ped faces and lining
pores; neutral (pH 7.0); clear wavy boundary. (9 to 18 inches thick)
BC--35 to 6l inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) sandy clay
loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; massive; hard, friable,
sticky and plastic; few very fine roots; common very fine and fine
tubular pores; about 10 percent pebbles; neutral (pH 7.2).
TYPE LOCATION: Blaine County, Idaho about 2 miles north and 7 miles
east of Bellevue; 2,500 feet south and 100 feet east of the northwest
corner of section 17, T. 2 N., R 20 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Depth to andesite, latite, and welded tuff bedrock - 60 inches or more
Thickness of mollic epipedon - 20 to 30 inches
Average annual soil temperature - 41 to 44 degrees F.
Reaction - slightly acid to neutral throughout
Depth to argillic horizon - 14 to 22 inches
A Horizon
Color value, dry - 4 or 5
Color value, moist - 2 or 3
Chroma, moist or dry - 2 or 3
Bt Horizon
Color hue - 10YR or 7.5YR
Color value, dry - 3 through 5
Color value, moist - 2 through 4
Chroma, dry - 2 through 4
Chroma, moist - 2 through 4
Texture - CL, SICL
Clay content - 27 to 35 percent
Coarse fragments - 1 to 10 percent
BC Horizon
Color hue - 10YR or 7.5YR
Color value, dry - 6 or 7
Color value, moist - 4 through 6
Chroma, moist or dry - 2 through 4
Texture - CL, SCL, C, L
Clay content - 20 to 32 percent
Rock fragments - 5 to 15 percent
COMPETING SERIES: There are no soils recognized in the same family.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Smelter soils are on foothills and fan terraces.
Slopes range from 4 to 30 percent. Elevation ranges from 5,200 to
6,500 feet. The soil formed in residuum and alluvium from andesite,
latite and welded tuff. The average annual precipitation is 12 to 16
inches, most of which falls as snow and early spring rain. The average
annual temperature is about 39 degrees to 42 degrees F. The frost-free
season is 60 to 90 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Peevywell, Muldoon, and
Starhope soils. Peevywell and Muldoon soils have duripans. Starhope
soils have mollic epipedons less than 20 inches thick. Peevywell and
Muldoon soils occur on fan terraces. Starhope soils occur on the same
landscape as the Smelter soils.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. Runoff is medium to rapid.
Permeability is slow.
USE AND VEGETATION: Mainly used for rangeland. Vegetation is Mountain
big sagebrush, Idaho fescue, bluebunch wheatgrass, Nevada bluegrass,
and Lupine.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: South-central Idaho. This series is
inextensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Blaine County, Idaho, 1985.
REMARKS: Laboratory data (No. S 81ID-013-007).
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon occurs from the soil surface to approximately 26 inches
(A1, A2, and Bt1 horizons).
Argillic horizon is the zone from approximately 18 inches to 35 inches
(Bt1 and Bt2 horizons).
National Cooperative Soil Survey