LOCATION UNKEE IDEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, mesic Chromic Haplotorrerts
TYPICAL PEDON: Unkee clay loam, rangeland - on a 1 percent slope, at 4,370 feet elevation. (When described on August 18, 1993, the profile was dry throughout. Colors are for air-dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
Oe--0 to 1 inch; organic matter, decomposing plant roots intermixed with root mat. (0 to 2 inches thick)
A--1 to 8 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) clay loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) moist; strong fine to medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; many very fine and medium roots; few fine and medium tubular pores; cracks 3/4 to 1 inch wide and about 6 to 8 inches apart; slightly effervescent (8 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); gradual wavy boundary. (4 to 10 inches thick)
Bss1--8 to 47 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) clay, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) moist; moderate medium angular wedge-shaped and blocky peds and irregular vertical fractures; many slickensides 4 to 5 inches apart; extremely hard, very firm, very sticky and very plastic; few fine roots; few fine tubular pores; 5 percent gravel; cracks 1/4 to 3/4 inch wide and about 4 to 6 inches apart; strongly effervescent (5 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); gradual wavy boundary. (32 to 45 inches thick)
Bss2--47 to 67 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) clay, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) moist; moderate coarse angular wedged-shaped blocky peds; many slickensides 4 to 5 inches apart; extremely hard, very firm, very sticky and very plastic; 5 percent gravel; slightly effervescent (5 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); moderately alkaline (pH 8.2).
TYPE LOCATION: Minidoka County, Idaho; about 3.8 miles north of Norland, Idaho; about 1,400 feet west and 100 feet south of the northeast corner of section 5, T.7S., R.23E.; Latitude - 42 degrees, 50 minutes, 57 seconds North; Longitude - 113 degrees, 40 minutes, 20 seconds West.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Average annual soil temperature - 49 to 51 degrees F.
Depth to bedrock - more than 60 inches
Particle-size control section
clay content - 40 to 60 percent
A horizon
Value - 5 or 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma - 2 or 3 dry or moist
Bss horizon
Value - 5 through 7 dry, 3 through 5 moist
Chroma - 2 through 4 dry or moist
Texture - SIC, C
Rock fragment content - 0 to 5 percent
Clay content - 40 to 60 percent
Reaction - slightly or moderately alkaline
Effervescence - slight or moderate
2C horizon (when present)
Value - 5 through 7 dry, 3 through 5 moist
Chroma - 2 through 4 dry or moist
Texture - SICL, SIL
Reaction - moderately or strongly alkaline
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series. The Day and Agerdelly series in a closely related family are very-fine.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Unkee soils are in playas. Slopes range from 0 to 1 percent. The soil formed in alluvium from mixed sources. Elevation ranges from 4,100 to 4,500 feet. The average annual precipitation is about 8 to 10 inches. The average annual air temperature is about 47 to 49 degrees F. The frost-free period is 120 to 140 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Paulville and Power soils. The Paulville and Power soils are not fine textured. Paulville and Power soils occur on higher terraces.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow runoff; frequent ponding; very slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Unkee soils are used for rangeland. The native vegetation is three-tip sagebrush, bluebunch wheatgrass and sedges.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: South-central Idaho. This series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Minidoka County, Idaho, 1999.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon
Particle-size control section - the zone from 11 to 41 inches (part of the Bss1 horizon)