LOCATION VERTINE IDTentative Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, carbonatic, frigid Oxyaquic Haploxerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Vertine sandy loam, 1 percent slope, in a meadow at 1879 meters. When described on August 8, 1992, the soil was dry to 23 cm and slightly moist below. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
Oi--0 to 5 cm; slightly decomposed plant material and live roots; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2), very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 5 cm thick)
A--5 to 24 cm; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure parting to strong very fine and fine granular; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and few fine roots; many very fine irregular pores; many fine irregular soft secondary calcium carbonate masses and seams; 80 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; violently effervescent; slightly alkaline (pH 7.7); abrupt wavy boundary. (13 to 20 cm thick)
C1--24 to 28 cm; very pale brown (10YR 8/3) extremely channery loam, very pale brown (10YR 7/3) moist; common fine and medium prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) mottles; strong very thick platy structure; extremely hard, extremely firm, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and few fine roots; many very fine, fine and medium irregular and tubular pores; 90 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; violently effervescent; 65 percent travertine channers; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); abrupt wavy boundary.
C2--28 to 41 cm; very pale brown (10YR 8/2) gravelly loamy sand, pale brown (10YR 6/3) moist; common fine, medium and coarse prominent reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/6) mottles; strong fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine and common fine roots; common very fine tubular and many very fine irregular pores; 90 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; violently effervescent; 20 percent travertine gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8). abrupt wavy boundary.
C3--41 to 61 cm inches; very pale brown (10YR 8/2) extremely channery loam, very pale brown (10YR 7/4) moist; few fine prominent reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/6) mottles; strong very thick platy structure; extremely hard, extremely firm, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine and fine roots; many very fine, fine and medium irregular and tubular pores; 85 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; violently effervescent; 80 percent travertine channers; moderately alkaline (pH 7.9); clear wavy boundary.
C4--61 to 79 cm; light gray (10YR 7/2) gravelly sand, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) moist; common fine and medium prominent reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/6 and 7.5YR 7/6) mottles; single grain; loose; few very fine roots; many very fine irregular pores; violently effervescent (85 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); 20 travertine gravel; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0). (combined thickness of C horizons is 37 to 75 cm)
R--79 cm; very strongly cemented travertine.
TYPE LOCATION: Caribou County, Idaho; about 16.5 kilometers north of Soda Springs, Idaho; 665 meters south and 755 meters east of the northwest corner, sec. 22, T.7S., R.42E.; China Hat, USGS topographic quadrangle; latitude, 42 degrees 48 minutes 08 seconds north and longitude, 111 degrees 32 minutes 07 seconds west, NAD 83.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Profile:
Mean annual soil temperature: 3.3 to 5.6 degrees C.
Mean summer soil temperature: 15.0 to 18.3 degrees C.
Thickness of mollic epipedon: 18 to 25 cm
Depth to water table: 23 to 46 cm December through June
Particle-size control section:
Clay content: averages 8 to 15 percent clay
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 70 to 90 percent
Oi horizon:
Slightly decomposed plant material and live roots with some moss.
A horizon:
Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 70 to 85 percent
C horizons:
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 7 or 8 dry, 5 to 8 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4 dry or moist
Texture: SL, LS, GR-LS or GR-S
Reaction: slightly or moderately alkaline
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series at this time.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landscape: Valleys
Landform: Travertine terraces
Elevation: 1767 to 1900 meters
Slope: 0 to 3 percent
Parent material: Residuum from travertine
Mean annual air temperature: 2.2 to 4.4 degrees C.
Mean annual precipitation: 400 to 500 millimeters
Frost free period: 60 to 90 days
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Formation (T), Lantonia, Rin, and Wospring (T) series. All of these soils are very deep and lack cemented layers in the profile. Formation soils are well drained and are on adjacent travertine terraces and old drainageways. Lantonia and Rin soils are well drained, and are on south and west-facing convex slopes on loess covered basalt plains. Wospring soils are on travertine terraces and are poorly drained.
DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY:
Drainage class: Somewhat poorly
Runoff: low
Saturated hydraulic conductivity: high
USE AND VEGETATION:
Major uses: nonirrigated pasture.
Vegetation: mainly shrubby cinquefoil, bluegrass and sedges.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southeastern Idaho; MLRA 13. The soils are of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES PROPOSED: Caribou County, Idaho, 1993. The name is coined.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mottles: result of minerals deposited by geologic action rather than redoximorphic features.
Mollic epipedon: from a depth of 5 to 24 cm, epipedon meets phosphate, moisture and n value requirements.
Particle-size control section: from a depth of 25 to 79 cm.
Limiting layer: 79 cm strongly cemented travertine.
Carbonatic mineralogy: particle-size control section averages greater than 40 percent calcium carbonate equivalent.