LOCATION WARDWELL ID

Established Series
Rev. LMR/TWP
12/2022

WARDWELL SERIES

The Wardwell series consists of deep, somewhat poorly drained soils that formed in alluvium from intrusive acid igneous rock sources. Wardwell soils are on low stream terraces and have slopes of 0 to 2 percent. The mean annual air temperature is about 12 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy over sandy or sandy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, mesic Aquic Haplargids

TYPICAL PEDON: Wardwell loam, cultivated. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)

Ap--0 to 18 cm; pale brown (10YR 6/3) and light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) light loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; few very faint mottles; weak very fine granular structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine roots; many very fine pores; moderately acid (pH 6.0); abrupt smooth boundary. (10 to 20 cm thick)

A1--18 to 25 cm; pale brown (10YR 6/3) and light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; few fine faint light gray (10YR 7/2) mottles; massive; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine roots; many very fine and fine pores; slightly acid (pH 6.1); clear smooth boundary. (5 to 13 cm thick)

A2--25 to 30 cm; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) and pale brown (10YR 6/3) loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; few fine distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) mottles, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist; few medium faint light gray (2.5Y 7/2) mottles, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) moist; massive; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine roots; many very fine and fine pores; moderately acid (pH 6.0); clear smooth boundary. (3 to 8 cm thick)

Bt--30 to 43 cm; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) heavy loam containing about twice as much clay as the Ap, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; few fine distinct brown (10YR 5/3) mottles, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak fine medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular and angular blocky; very hard, firm, sticky and plastic; few fine roots; few very fine pores; continuous thin dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) clay films on surfaces of peds which are very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; slightly acid (pH 6.3); clear smooth boundary. (10 to 23 cm thick)

Bk--43 to 61 cm; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; common coarse faint pale brown (10YR 6/3) mottles; and few fine distinct dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist mottles; weak fine and subangular blocky structure; very hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine roots; common very fine pores; moderately calcareous with few fine lime veins and splotches; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear smooth boundary. (13 to 25 cm thick)

2C1--61 to 81 cm; pale brown (10YR 6/3) fine sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; common medium faint light gray (10YR 7/2) mottles, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) moist; massive; hard, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; few fine roots; many very fine pores; slightly calcareous; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 50 cm thick)

3C2--81 cm; loose gravel and sand.

TYPE LOCATION: Gem County, Idaho; 1.6 km east of Emmett; about 15 meters north and 24 meters west of the center of the SE1/4 section 5, T.6N., R.1W.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature ranges from 8 to 12 degrees C. The soils are usually dry but unless artificially drained they are saturated in a subhorizon between depths of 61 to 100 cm for a short period in late summer and have dominant chroma of 2 or less accompanied by mottles due to segregation of iron or manganese within depth of 10 cm. Solum thickness is 41 to 76 cm and depth to moderately or slightly calcareous Bk horizon is 30 to 50 cm. Depth to loose sand and gravel is 50 to 100 cm.

A horizon
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3
Any surface layer having value darker than 5.5 dry and 3.5 moist is less than 7 inches thick.
Texture: loam, fine sandy loam
Reaction: medium acid to mildly alkaline.

B2t horizon
Texture: loam, sandy clay loam, or clay loam
Structure: weak or moderate prismatic or moderate strong subangular blocky structure
Clay content: averages 17 to 34 percent clay
Reaction is slightly acid to mildly alkaline

C horizon
Reaction: neutral to moderately alkaline.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Paulmyers, Bramwell, and Lamanga series. These soils lack contrasting textures above depth of 100 cm. Bramwell soils are moderately or strongly calcareous. Lamanga soils have frigid temperature.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Wardwell soils are on low stream terraces and have slopes of 0 to 2 percent. The soils formed in alluvium mainly from intrusive acid igneous rock sources. Elevations are 610 to 765 meters. The climate has hot, dry summers and cold, moist winters. The mean annual precipitation is 200 to 300 millimeters. The mean summer temperature is 21 to 22 degrees C., and the mean annual temperature is about 9 to 11 degrees C. The frost free season is about 145 to 170 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Bissel, Emerson, Falk, Letha and Quenzer soils and the competing Bramwell soils. Bissell soils lack mottles above depth of 100 cm. Emerson and Falk soils lack argillic horizons. Letha soils have sodium saturation greater than 50 percent in the upper 50 cm. Quenzer soils lack argillic horizons and are gleyed throughout the profile.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat poorly drained; slow or medium runoff; moderately slow permeability. A water table is common between depths of 76 and 150 cm.

USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for irrigated hay, pasture, corn, wheat and barley. Natural vegetation is bunchgrasses, sedges, rushes and other moisture loving plants.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southwstern Idaho. The soil is inextensive.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Gem County, Idaho, 1948.

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.