LOCATION SOELBERG IDEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy over sandy or sandy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, frigid Calciargidic Argixerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Soelberg loam-- on a 1 percent east facing slope at 5,400 feet elevation in hayland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted. When described on August 17, 1988, the soil was dry throughout.)
A1--0 to 3 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate fine granular structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine roots; many very fine irregular pores; 3 percent gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); clear smooth boundary.
A2--3 to 10 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine, fine and medium roots; common very fine tubular pores; 2 percent gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.5); clear wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the A horizons is 10 to 12 inches)
Bt1--10 to 17 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to moderate fine subangular blocky; slightly hard, firm, slightly sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine, fine and medium roots; common very fine tubular and irregular pores; common faint clay films on faces of peds and lining pores; 1 percent gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); clear wavy boundary.
Bt2--17 to 28 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; moderate fine prismatic structure parting to moderate fine subangular blocky; slightly hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine, fine and medium roots; common very fine tubular pores; few faint clay films on faces of peds and lining pores; 3 percent gravel; moderately alkaline (pH 8.1); clear wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bt horizons is 10 to 20 inches)
Bk--28 to 36 inches; very pale brown (10YR 8/3) gravelly loam, pale brown (10YR 6/3) moist; moderate thin platy structure; hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots; common very fine irregular pores; 30 percent gravel, 2 percent cobbles; prominent lime coatings on all sides of coarse fragments; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear wavy boundary. (8 to 15 inches thick)
2Bkq--36 to 40 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) extremely gravelly loamy coarse sand, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine and fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; 60 percent gravel, 5 percent cobbles; many prominent lime and silica coatings on coarse fragments; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); gradual wavy boundary. (5 to 15 inches)
2Bq--40 to 60 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) extremely gravelly sand, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine roots; common very fine irregular pores; 65 percent gravel, 5 percent cobbles; many prominent silica coatings on coarse fragments; moderately alkaline (pH 7.9).
TYPE LOCATION: about 3 miles south of Moore, Idaho, about 500 feet east and 600 feet north of the southwest corner section 9, T. 4 N., R. 26 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Average annual soil temperature - 39 to 43 degrees Thickness of mollic epipedon - 10 to 12 inches
Depth to calcic horizon - 20 to 30 inches
Depth to sand and gravel (2Bkq) is 30 to 40 inches
Reaction - neutral to moderately alkaline
A horizons
Chroma - 2 through 4 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Bt horizons
Value - 3 or 4 moist
Chroma - 3 or 4 dry and moist
Texture - L, CL
Coarse fragments - 0 to 15 percent
Percent clay - 24 to 35
Bk horizon
Value - 6 through 8 dry, 4 through 6 moist
Coarse fragments - 20 to 35 percent
2Bkq and 2Bq horizons
Value - 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma - 2 through 4 dry and moist
Texture - GRX-COS, GRX-S, GRV-COS, GRX-LCOS, GRX-LS
Coarse fragments - 55 to 80 percent
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Soelberg soils are on terraces and have slopes of 0 to 12 percent. The soils formed in lacustrine sediments over flood deposited sand and gravel. Elevations are 5,000 to 6,000 feet. The climate is cold and moist in winter and spring and dry in summer. Average annual precipitation is 11 to 13 inches. Average annual temperature is 37 to 41 degrees F. Frost-free period is 70 to 100 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Atomic, Lesbut, Techick, and Splittop soils. Atomic and Splittop soils are on basalt plains and lack mollic epipedons. Lesbut and Soelberg soils are on terraces. Lesbut soils have sandy-skeletal particle-size control sections. Techick soils are deep to sand and gravel.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. Slow to medium runoff. Moderately slow permeability in the upper part and very rapid permeability in the lower part.
USE AND VEGETATION: Livestock grazing and cropland. Native vegetation is Wyoming big sagebrush and bluebunch wheatgrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: East-central Idaho. These soils are not extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Butte County Area, Idaho, 1997.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - the zone from 0 to 10 inches (A1 and A2 horizons)
Argillic horizon - the zone from 10 to 28 inches (Bt1 and Bt2 horizons)
Calcic horizon - the zone from 28 to 36 inches (Bk and Bkq horizons)
Particle-size control section - the zone from 10 to 40 inches (Bt1, Bt2, Bk and 2Bqk horizons) because the argillic horizon is less than 20 inches thick and contrasting material is below the argillic horizon but with 40 inches of the surface.