LOCATION SPACECREEK ID

Established Series
Rev. ELR-BDG-EMM
07/2013

SPACECREEK SERIES

The Spacecreek series consists of very deep, moderately well drained soils formed in mixed alluvium with a thick volcanic ash mantle. They are on stream terraces. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately high and slopes range from 2 to 15 percent. The average annual precipitation is about 45 inches and the average annual temperature is about 42 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Medial over loamy, amorphic over isotic, frigid Oxyaquic Udivitrands

TYPICAL PEDON: Spacecreek medial silt loam, forested, on a 7 percent slope at 3,100 feet elevation. Aspect is east. When described on July 6, 1996, the soil was moist throughout. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted).

Oi--0 to 1 inch; fresh and partially decomposed needles, twigs, bark, and moss.

Oe--1 to 2 inches; decomposed needles, twigs, bark, and moss. (O horizons 0 to 2 inches thick)

A--2 to 10 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) medial silt loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) moist; weak very fine and fine granular structure; very soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine and fine roots thoughout; many very fine and fine irregular pores; 5 percent fine and medium iron-manganese concretions; moderately acid (pH 5.6); clear smooth boundary. (1 to 8 inches thick)

Bw--10 to 16 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) medial silt loam, brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; weak fine and medium granular structure; very soft, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine to medium roots throughout; many very fine and fine irregular pores; 5 percent very fine and fine iron-manganese concretions; moderately acid (pH 5.6); clear wavy boundary. (6 to 19 inches thick)

2Bt1--16 to 20 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; common very fine to coarse roots along faces of peds; common very fine and fine irregular and tubular pores; common faint brown (10YR 4/3) clay films on faces of peds; 5 percent very fine mica flakes; moderately acid (pH 5.7); clear smooth boundary.

2Bt2--20 to 28 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/4) loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; moderate medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine to medium roots along faces of peds; common very fine tubular pores; common faint brown (10YR 4/3) clay films on faces of peds; 10 percent very fine mica flakes; very strongly acid (pH 4.8); clear smooth boundary. (2Bt horizons 12 to 46 inches thick)

2BC--28 to 42 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/4) sandy loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; weak medium and coarse subangular blocky sturcture; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine and fine roots along faces of peds; common very fine tubular pores; 15 percent very fine mica flakes; few fine faint dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) redox concentrations on faces of peds; strongly acid (pH 5.1); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 17 inches thick)

2C1--42 to 52 inches; very pale brown (10YR 8/4) loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; weak medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots along faces of peds; few very fine irregular and tubular pores; 10 percent very fine mica flakes; few fine faint dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) redox concentrations on faces of peds; strongly acid (pH 5.2); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 22 inches thick)

2C2--52 to 64 inches; very pale brown (10YR 8/4) silt loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; moderate medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots along faces of peds; few very fine irregular pores; 5 percent very fine mica flakes; few faint dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) redox concentrations on faces of peds; very strongly acid (pH 4.7).

TYPE LOCATION: Clearwater County, Idaho; about 3 miles north and 1 mile west of Headquartes, Idaho; about 1050 feet north and 2150 feet east of the southwest corner of sec. 34, T. 39 N., R. 5 E.; Latitude - 46 degrees, 40 minutes, 35 seconds North; Longitude - 115 degrees, 49 minutes, 04 seconds West. USGS Headquarters Quadrangle.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:

Average annual soil temperature - 39 to 45 degrees F.
Frigid temperature regime.
Soil moisture control section - usually moist year around and not dry for 45 consecutive days during June to October.
Udic moisture regime.

Volcanic ash thickness - 14 to 24 inches.
Volcanic glass content in the 0.02 to 2.0 mm fraction- 15 to 50 percent
Acid-oxalate Al plus 1/2 Fe - 1.3 to 2.7 percent
Phosphate retention - 55 to 95 percent
15-bar water retention on air dried samples - 10 to 17 percent (weighted average between 12 and 15 percent)

A horizon
Hue - 10YR or 7.5YR
Value - 4 or 5 dry and 2 to 4 moist
Chroma - 2 to 4 moist
Clay content - 5 to 12 percent
Rock fragments - 0 to 2 percent gravel
Bulk density - 0.65 - 0.90 g/cc
Reaction - 5.8 to 6.7

Bw horizon
Hue - 10YR or 7.5YR
Value - 5 to 7 dry and 3 to 5 moist
Chroma - 4 or 6 dry and 3 to 6 moist
Clay content - 5 to 12 percent
Rock fragments - 0 to 2 percent gravel
Bulk density - 0.65 - 1.00 g/cc
Reaction - 5.6 to 6.8

2E horizon (present in some profiles)
Hue - 10YR or 7.5YR moist
Value - 6 to 8 dry and 3 to 6 moist
Chroma - 3 or 4 dry
Texture - silt loam, loam or coarse sandy loam
Clay content - 15 to 18 percent
Rock fragments - 0 to 2 percent gravel (predominately fine gravel)
Reaction - 5.0 to 5.8
Thickness - 0 to 18 inches

2Bt horizons
Hue - 10YR or 7.5YR moist
Value - 5 to 8 dry and 4 to 6 moist
Chroma - 1 to 4 dry and 2 to 6 moist
Texture - silt loam, loam, sandy loam or silty clay loam
Clay content - 8 to 33 percent
Rock fragments - 0 to 10 percent gravel, 0 to 10 percent cobbles, 0 to 20 percent total rock fragments
Reaction - 5.0 to 6.4

2BC horizon
Value - 4 to 6 moist
Chroma - 3 or 4 dry or moist
Texture - silt loam, loam, fine sandy loam or sandy loam
Clay content - 14 to 25 percent
Rock fragments - 0 to 10 percent gravel
Reaction - 5.0 to 6.3

2C horizons
Value - 5 to 8 dry and 4 or 5 moist
Chroma - 3 to 6 dry or moist
Texture - silt loam, loam, sandy loam, loamy sand or sand
Clay content - 3 to 22 percent
Rock fragments - 0 to 25 percent gravel, 0 to 10 percent cobbles, 0 to 25 percent total rock fragments
Reaction - 5.0 to 6.3

COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Spacecreek soils are on stream terraces at elevations of 2800 to 3,565 feet (854 to 1087 meters) with slopes of 2 to 15 percent. These soils are formed in mixed alluvium with a thick volcanic ash mantle. The average annual temperature is 38 to 46 degrees F. and the average precipitation is 30 to 55 inches (762 to 1397 mm). The frost free season is 50 to 120 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are Brodeer, Grangemont, Grasshopper, Kauder, Mushel, Norwidge, and Teneb series. Brodeer soils are on mountain sideslopes and are well drained. Grangemont soils are on plateaus, hills and benches, are well drained and have fragic characteristics. Grasshopper soils are on floodplains and are somewhat poorly drained. Kauder soils are on hills and plateaus and have a fragipan. Mushel soils are on mountain sideslopes and are well drained. Norwidge soils are on hills and plateaus, are well drained and have fragic characteristics. Teneb soils are on floodplains and drainageways and are poorly drained.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Moderately well drained, slow to medium runoff; moderately high saturated hydraulic conductivity; water table at 20 to 40 inches from mid December to May.

USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for timber production, livestock grazing, wildlife habitat, watershed, and recreation. Potential natural vegetation is western red cedar, grand fir, western larch, Douglas-fir, Engleman spruce and lodgepole pine, with an understory of wild ginger, queencup beadlily, coolwort foamflower, goldenthread, poineer violet, and huckelberry.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: North Central Idaho, Spacecreek soils are not extensive. MLRA 43A.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Clearwater County, Idaho, 2003.

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

Ochric epipedon - The zone from 0 to 10 inches (Oi, Oe, and A horizons).

Volcanic ash cap - The zone from 2 to 16 inches (A and Bw horizons).

Cambic horizon - The zone from 10 to 16 inches (Bw horizon).

Argillic horizon - The zone from 16 to 28 inches (2Bt horizons).

Particle size control section - The mineral soil surface to 40 inches (A, Bw, 2Bt1, 2Bt2, and 2BC horizons).

Ranges in the "Range in Characteristics" section for bulk density, volcanic glass content, acid-oxalate, phosphate retention and 15 bar water retention are estimates only.

The 8/2008 description reflects a change in classification from Medial over loamy, amorphic over mixed, active, frigid Alfic Udivitrands to Medial over loamy, amorphic over isotic, frigid Oxyaquic Udivitrands.

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.