LOCATION SPLITEN IDEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy, mixed, superactive Lithic Haplocryolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Spliten loam--on a 2 percent concave northeast-facing slope. (Colors are for air-dry soil unless otherwise stated. When described on August 27, 1979 the soil was dry to 4 inches.)
A--0 to 4 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; weak fine granular structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; few medium and many very fine roots; 5 percent angular basalt gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.2); clear smooth boundary. (3 to 5 inches thick)
Bw--4 to 17 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/4) loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure, slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; neutral (pH 6.8); clear smooth boundary. (9 to 18 inches thick)
2R--17 inches; unweathered basalt.
TYPE LOCATION: Fremont County, Idaho; 10 miles west of Elk Creek Station; 1,800 feet north and 400 feet west of the southeast corner of sec. 24, T.13N., R.41E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mollic epipedon (mixed) thickness - 7 to 17 inches
Depth to bedrock - 10 to 20 inches
Average annual soil temperature - 39 to 42 degrees F
Average summer soil temperature - 56 to 59 degrees F
Soil moisture - dry throughout the moisture control section for 45 to 60 consecutive days during the four months following the summer solstice.
Base saturation - 50 to 80 percent
Reaction - strongly acid to neutral
Particle-size control section:
Clay content - 8 to 18 percent
Rock fragment content - 0 to 25 percent
A horizon
Hue - 10YR or 7.5YR
Value - 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma - 2 or 3, dry or moist
Bw horizon
Hue - 7.5YR or 10YR
Value - 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma - 2 through 4 dry or moist
Texture - L, FSL, GR-SL, CB-L
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Dickle (T), Duncom, Ganis (T), Hanagita, Hazton, Heisspitz (T), Jenkinson, Lotex, Paddy (T), Skisams, Splitro, Trump, Tuggle (T), and Udelope soils. The Duncom, Jenkinson, and Trump soils contain carbonates in some parts of the profile. Hazton and Udelope soils lack B horizons. Ganis soils have average annual soil temperature of 42 to 44 degrees F. and have a cambic horizon. Hanagita soils have average annual soil temperature of 32 to 35 degrees F. Heisspitz soils have 18 to 35 percent clay in the particle-size control section. Lotex soils have Hues of 5YR or redder throughout. Dickle and Skisams soils have more than 18 percent clay in the control section. The Splitro soils receive most of their moisture during the summer months. Tuggle soils have Cr horizons above a lithic contact and are dominated by granitic rock fragments. Udelope soils are dry longer than 60 consecutive days and have a mollic epipedon 8 to 20 inches and includes the entire profile.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Spliten soils are on gently sloping to rolling loess covered basalt plains, caldera floors, and rhyolite terraces. Slopes range from 0 to 12 percent. Elevation ranges from 5,200 to 6,500 feet. The average annual precipitation is about 20 to 30 inches including 3 to 6 feet of snow. The average annual air temperature is about 37 to 40 degrees F. The frost-free season is 40 to 80 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Fourme and Shotgun soils. Fourme soils are on stream terraces and are very deep. Shotgun soils are moderately deep to basalt bedrock.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow through rapid runoff; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used for range and wildlife habitat. The potential natural vegetation is mountain big sagebrush, Idaho fescue, and other bunchgrasses.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Spliten soils are inextensive in eastern Idaho.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Fremont County, Idaho, l989.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - the zone from the soil surface to 17 inches (the A and Bw horizons)
Particle-size control section - the zone from 10 to 17 inches (part of the Bw horizon)
Lithic feature - the contact with bedrock at 17 inches (the 2R horizon)
Soil moisture regime - xeric
This draft reflects a change in classification from mixed Lithic Cryoborolls to mixed, superactive Lithic Cryoborolls.