LOCATION STRINGAM IDEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive Mollic Haplocryalfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Stringam loam on a southwest facing slope of 3 percent under conifers and grass at 6,480 feet in forest land. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated. When described on November 4, 1980 the soil was moist below 8 inches.)
Oi--1/2 to 0 inches; undecomposed needles and twigs. (0 to 3 inches thick)
A1--0 to 4 inches: grayish brown (10YR 5/2) loam, dark brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; moderately acid (pH 5.8); clear irregular boundary. (3 to 5 inches)
A2--4 to 8 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) sandy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; moderately acid (pH 5.8); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 5 inches thick)
AB--8 to 12 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) sandy loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; moderate medium and fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; moderately acid (pH 5.8); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 5 inches thick)
Bt1--12 to 22 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) sandy clay loam; dark brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium and fine subangular blocky; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky, and plastic; few very fine and fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; few thin clay films on faces of peds; 5 percent pebbles; moderately acid (pH 5.9); clear wavy boundary. (10 to 11 inches thick)
Bt2--22 to 34 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) sandy clay loam, dark brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; hard, very firm, slightly sticky and plastic; few very fine and fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; few thin clay films on faces of peds and very few thin clay films bridging mineral grains; 5 percent pebbles; moderately acid (pH 5.9); clear wavy boundary. (12 to 19 inches thick)
Bt3--34 to 56 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) sandy clay loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, slightly sticky and plastic; few thin clay films on faces of peds and very few thin clay films bridging mineral grains; 10 percent pebbles; moderately acid (pH 5.8); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 22 inches thick)
C1--56 to 61 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) sandy clay loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; massive; hard, very firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; 10 percent pebbles; slightly acid (pH 6.1).
TYPE LOCATION: Clark County, Idaho; about 3 miles north and 3 miles east of Kilgore; 1,000 feet south and l50 feet east of the NW corner of Sec. 22, T.13N., R.39E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Thickness of solum - 42 to 60 inches or more
Weighted average of percent clay in the control section - 24 to 34
Average annual soil temperature - 35 to 39 degrees F
Average summer soil temperature - 50 to 55 degrees F (The O horizon is thin and intermittent so was not used in determining soil temperature regime.)
Reaction - slightly or moderately acid
A1 horizon
Color value, dry - 5 through 7
Chroma- 2 or 3, dry or moist
A2 horizon
Color value, dry - 5 through 7
Value, moist - 3 or 4
Chroma- 3 or 4, dry or moist
Bt horizon
Color, value, moist - 4 or 5
Chroma- 2 through 3, dry or moist
Texture - SCL, CL, L, GR-CL, GRV-CL or GR-SICL
Coarse fragments - 0 to 35 percent
Depth to argillic - 4 to 14 inches
Thickness of argillic - 30 to 44 inches
C horizon (when present)
Color value, moist - 4 or 5
Chroma- 2 or 3, dry or moist
Texture - SCL, L, GR-SCL or SL
Coarse fragments - 10 to 20 percent
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Beardall, Bramard, Dunlatop, Nisula, Swapps, Telcher, Ula, and Wix soils. Beardall soils have a Bk horizon and have lithic contact at less than 40 inches. Bramard soils have the upper boundary of the argillic horizon at depths greater than 14 inches. Dunlatop soils have solums less than 40 inches thick and have B/E horizons. Nisula soils have the upper boundary of the argillic horizon at depths greater than 17 inches and an average annual soil temperature of 41 to 45 degrees F. Swapps soils are moderately deep. Telcher soils have an E horizon and average an annual soil temperature of 42 to 45 degrees F. Ula and Wix soils have a paralithic contact at depths less than 40 inches.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Stringam soils are on nearly level to steep uplands and mountain slopes at elevations of 6,200 to 7,000 feet. Slopes are 1 to 25 percent. The soils formed in alluvium and eolian material derived dominantly from rhyolitic tuff and obsidian. Average annual precipitation is 20 to 30 inches. Average annual temperature is 33 to 37 degrees F. The frost-free period is 30 to 60 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: This is the Crystalbutte(T) soil. This soil is on basalt plains and has a mollic epipedon.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; runoff is slow on nearly level slopes and rapid on steep slopes; permeability is slow.
USE AND VEGETATION: The soil is used principally for the production of merchantable timber and grazeable woodland. Vegetation is mainly Douglas-fir and pine reedgrass. In some areas the vegetation is dominantly Idaho fescue, Kentucky bluegrass, and arrowleaf balsamroot.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: These soils are inextensive in southeast Idaho.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Fremont County, Idaho, 1989.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this soil are:
Ochric epipedon - the zone from 0 to 12 inches (A1, A2, and AB horizons).
Argillic horizon - the zone from 12 to 56 inches (Bt1, Bt2, and Bt3).
Particle-size control section - the zone from 12 to 32 inches (Bt1 and part of Bt2 to include the upper 20 inches of the argillic horizon).