LOCATION SNOWSHOE                ID

Established Series
Rev. RG/MD/CLM
06/2011

SNOWSHOE SERIES

The Snowshoe series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in stabilized dunes on basalt plains. Slopes are 1 to 12 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 14 inches and the mean annual temperature is about 42 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Humic Haploxerepts

TYPICAL PEDON: Snowshoe loamy fine sand - on a 1 percent concave slope. When described on September 24, 1980, the soil was slightly moist from 4 to 60 inches. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)

A1--0 to 8 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) loamy fine sand, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; massive; soft, very friable; common fine and medium roots; neutral (pH 7.1); gradual smooth boundary. (8 to 10 inches thick)

A2--8 to 22 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) loamy fine sand, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; massive; soft, very friable; common fine and medium roots; neutral (pH 7.1); gradual smooth boundary. (14 to 22 inches thick)

Bw1--22 to 28 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) loamy fine sand, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable; few fine and medium roots; neutral (pH 7.2); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 6 inches thick)

Bw2--28 to 40 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) fine sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; strong medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine and medium roots; few fine and medium tubular pores; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); clear smooth boundary. (7 to 32 inches thick)

C--40 to 60 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine roots; few fine tubular pores; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6).

TYPE LOCATION: Fremont County, Idaho, about 1 mile west of North Juniper Buttes; 2,550 feet north and 350 feet east of the southwest corner of sec. 29, T.9N., R.39E.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:

Mean annual soil temperature - 43 to 45 degrees F
Mean summer soil temperature - 60 to 63 degrees F
Depth to the cambic horizon (Bw2 horizon) - 25 to 30 inches

A horizon
Color value, dry - 4 through 6
value, moist - 2 through 4
chroma - 2 or 3, dry or moist
Reaction - neutral or slightly alkaline
Organic matter - less than 1 percent

Bw horizon
Color value, dry - 5 or 6
Value, moist - 3 through 5
Texture - FSL, LFS, or L
Percent clay - 10 to 18
Effervescence - none or slight

C horizon
Texture - FSL or L

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Bouldrock, Labuck, Stapaloop, Stavely, and Switchback series. Bouldrock, Labuck and Switchback soils are moderately deep to a paralithic or lithic contact. Stavely soils have 5 to 20 percent rock fragments in the control section and clay films in the B horizons. Stapaloop soils lack coarse textures in the upper part and have O horizons.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Snowshoe soils have formed in stabilized dunes on basalt plains. Slopes are 1 to 12 percent. The frost-free season is 60 to 90 days. The mean annual temperature is 41 to 43 degrees F. The mean annual precipitation is 13 to 16 inches. Elevation is 5,300 to 5,500 feet.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Blacknoll, Jipper, Nayrib, Stipe, and Wolverine soils. Blacknoll and Stipe soils are 20 to 40 inches deep over bedrock. Jipper soils are pachic. Wolverine soils have fine sand textures throughout. Blacknoll, Nayrib, Stipe, and Jipper soils have formed in swales and on ridges of basalt plains. Wolverine soils have formed on adjacent stabilized dunes.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; permeability is rapid to about 30 inches and moderate to 60 inches or more.

USE AND VEGETATION: Rangeland and wildlife habitat. Principal vegetation consists of basin big sagebrush, needleandthread grass, rabbitbrush, and bitterbrush.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Snowshoe soils are of small extent; MLRA 13. They are in southeastern Idaho.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Fremont County, Idaho, 1989.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:

Particle-size control section - the zone from 10 to 40 inches (part of the A2, the Bw1, and 2Bw2).
Ochric epipedon - the zone from 0 to 28 inches (A1 and A2 horizons).
Humic subgroup - color requirements are meet from 0 to 22 inches
Cambic horizon - the zone from 28 to 40 inches (Bw2 horizon).
Dark colors are due to mineral coloring rather than organic matter.

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.