LOCATION STARLITE IDEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-silty, carbonatic, frigid Petronodic Xeric Haplocalcids
TYPICAL PEDON: Starlite loam -- on a 1 percent southeast slope at 4,800 feet elevation in seeded rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted. When described on July 5, 1989, the soil was dry throughout).
A--0 to 5 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak fine and medium granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; common very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine irregular pores; strongly effervescent (25 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); moderately alkaline (pH 8.3); clear smooth boundary. (3 to 9 inches thick)
Bw--5 to 14 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure parting to moderate medium granular; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; common very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; strongly effervescent (25 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); strongly alkaline (pH 8.5); clear smooth boundary. (7 to 11 inches thick)
Bk1--14 to 23 inches; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) loam, dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; common very fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; 20 percent cicada nodules; common lime splotches 1 to 2 mm thick on faces of peds; violently effervescent (40 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); strongly alkaline (pH 8.7); clear smooth boundary. (9 to 14 inches thick)
Bk2--23 to 32 inches; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) silt loam, dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; few fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; 30 percent cicada nodules; common lime splotches 1 to 2 mm thick on faces of peds; violently effervescent (45 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); clear smooth boundary. (7 to 15 inches thick)
2Bk3--32 to 37 inches; light gray (10YR 7/2) silty clay loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) moist; common medium distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) redox accumulations; weak medium platy structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few fine roots; 35 percent cicada nodules; many lime splotches 1 to 2 mm thick on faces of peds; violently effervescent (40 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); strongly alkaline (pH 8.5); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 5 inches thick)
3Bk4--37 to 41 inches; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) silt loam, dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure parting to weak fine subangular blocky; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; few lime splotches 1 mm thick on faces of peds; violently effervescent (45 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); strongly alkaline (pH 8.6); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 4 inches thick)
3Bk5--41 to 47 inches; light gray (10YR 7/1) silt loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) moist; common medium distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) redox accumulations; weak medium platy structure parting to weak fine subangular blocky; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; few lime splotches 1 mm thick on faces of peds; strongly effervescent (45 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 6 inches thick)
4Bk6--47 to 60 inches; gray (10YR 5/1) very fine sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure parting to weak fine subangular blocky; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine roots; few lime splotches 1 mm thick on faces of peds; strongly effervescent (40 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); strongly alkaline (pH 8.6);
TYPE LOCATION: Butte County, Idaho; about 5 miles east of Howe, Idaho, about 300 feet north and 500 feet west of the southeast corner of section 31, T.6N., R.30E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
The soil moisture control section is dry for one-half to three-fourths of the time when the soil temperature is above 41 degrees F; dry for 70 to 85 consecutive days.
Average annual soil temperature - 41 to 47 degrees F.
Average summer soil temperature - 59 to 66 degrees F.
Particle-size control section averages - 18 to 27 percent total clay and 10 to 20 percent carbonate clay. Carbonate free clay is 5 to 15. The weighted average of fine sand or coarser is 5 to 15 percent.
Calcium carbonate equivalent averages - 40 to 45 percent
Depth to calcic horizon - 10 to 20 inches
Redoximorphic accumulations are relic
A horizon
Value - 6 or 7 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma - 2 or 3 dry or moist
Reaction - moderately or strongly alkaline
Calcium carbonate equivalent - 20 to 30 percent
Bw horizon
Value - 6 or 7 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma - 2 or 3 dry or moist
Reaction - moderately or strongly alkaline
Calcium carbonate equivalent - 20 to 30 percent
Bk and 2Bk horizons
Hue - 2.5Y or 10YR
Value - 5 through 7 dry, 3 through 5 moist
Chroma - 1 through 4, dry or moist
Reaction - moderately or strongly alkaline
Cicada nodules - 20 to 35 percent
Texture - L, SIL, SICL with 12 to 37 percent total clay
Calcium carbonate equivalent 40 to 45 percent
3Bk and 4Bk horizons
Hue - 2.5Y and 10YR
Value - 5 through 7 dry, 3 through 5 moist
Chroma - 1 through 4, dry or moist
Reaction - moderately or strongly alkaline
Texture - L, SIL, VFSL, GR-L
Gravelly and very fine sandy loam textures occur below 40 inches
COMPETING SERIES: There are no other series in the same family.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Starlite series are in basins and on valley flats. These soils formed in lacustrine sediments. Slopes are 0 to 4 percent. Elevations are 4,700 to 5,800 feet. The climate is cold and moist in winter and spring, and dry in summer. Average annual precipitation is 8 to 11 inches. Average annual temperature is 39 to 44 degrees F. The frost-free period is 70 to 90 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Sparmo, Arco, Medicine, and Pancheri soils. Sparmo soils are on outwash fans and fan terraces and have a coarse-loamy particle-size control section. Arco soils are on valley flats and dissected terraces, are somewhat poorly drained and have a mollic epipedon. Medicine soils are on alluvial fans and have contrasting particle-size classes. Pancheri soils are on terraces and have a coarse-silty particle-size control section.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. Slow runoff. Moderately slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Mostly cultivated under irrigation for hay, pasture, small grain, and potatoes. The principal native vegetation is Wyoming big sagebrush, Bluebunch wheatgrass, and Indian ricegrass.
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:
Ochric epipedon - The zone from 0 to 5 inches.
Cambic horizon - The zone from 5 to 14 inches (Bw horizon).
Calcic horizon - The zone from 14 to 60 inches (the Bk1, Bk2, 2Bk3, 3Bk4, 3Bk5, and 4Bk6 horizons).
Petronodic - Over 20 percent nodules from 14 to 37 inches
Particle-size control section - The zone from 10 to 40 inches (part of the Bw, the Bk1, Bk2, 2Bk3, and part of the 3Bk4).