LOCATION WIGGLETON IDEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy-skeletal, mixed Xeric Haplocryolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Wiggleton gravelly silt loam. (Colors are for dry soils unless otherwise noted.)
A1--0 to 6 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) gravelly silt loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine and few coarse roots; common very fine and fine irregular and tubular pores; 30 percent gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.7); clear wavy boundary.
A2--6 to 12 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) very gravelly coarse sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak very fine and fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; many very fine and fine roots; many very fine and fine irregular pores; 40 percent gravel and 2 percent cobbles; carbonate and silica coatings less than 1 millimeter thick on underside of some rock fragments; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); clear wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the A horizon is 10 to 16 inches)
2Bkq1--12 to 18 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) extremely gravelly loamy coarse sand, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; single grain; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and fine roots; many fine and medium irregular pores; 60 percent gravel and 10 percent cobbles; carbonate and silica coatings less than 1 millimeter thick on underside of rock fragments; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); gradual wavy boundary.
2Bkq2--18 to 30 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) extremely gravelly sand, multicolored moist; single grain; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine roots; many fine and medium irregular pores; 60 percent gravel and 10 percent cobbles; carbonate and silica coatings less than 1 millimeter thick on underside of rock fragments; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 7.9); gradual wavy boundary.
2Bkq3--30 to 60 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) extremely gravelly sand, light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) moist; single grain; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine roots; many fine and medium irregular pores; 70 percent gravel and 10 percent cobbles; carbonate and silica coatings less than 1 millimeter thick on underside of rock fragments; upper 1 to 2 inches of horizon has discontinuous weak cementation; root mat at upper boundary; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.3).
TYPE LOCATION: Lemhi County, Idaho; about 17 miles southeast of Leadore; about 1,250 feet south and 2,440 feet west of the northeast corner of section 21, T.13N, R.27E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mollic epipedon and depth to the discontinuity (2Bkq horizon) is 10 to 16 inches thick. The mean annual soil temperature is 37 to 41 degrees F. with mean summer soil temperature of 53 to 58 degrees F.
The A horizon has value of 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist, and chroma of 2 to 3 moist or dry; it is gravelly silt loam or gravelly sandy loam in the upper part and very gravelly coarse sandy loam or extremely gravelly sandy loam in the lower part.
The 2Bkq horizon is extremely gravelly loamy coarse sand or extremely gravelly sand. It is neutral to moderately alkaline. It has 0 to 5 percent calcium carbonate. Total clay content is 1 to 8 percent.
COMPETING SERIES: This is the Langer series. Langer soils lack secondary carbonate accumulation.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Wiggleton soils are on stream and fan terraces and outwash fans. Elevations are 6,200 to 7,500 feet. The soils formed in mixed alluvium derived from a variety of igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks. The soils are in a cool subhumid continental climate with annual precipitation of 13 to 20 inches. Mean annual temperature is about 33 to 40 degrees F., and the average summer temperature is about 53 to 57 degrees F. The frost-free season is 5 to 60 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Copperbasin, Gany and Redfish soils. Copperbasin soils are somewhat poorly drained. Gany soils have a calcic horizon. Redfish soils are poorly or very poorly drained.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat excessively drained; slow runoff; permeability is moderately rapid over very rapid.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used mainly for pasture or range, but some areas are irrigated and produce wheat, barley, oats, pasture, and hay crops. Vegetation is threetip sagebrush, Idaho fescue, bluebunch wheatgrass and arrowleaf balsamroot.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Eastern Idaho; MLRA 12. The soils are inextensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Teton County, Idaho, 1975.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and other features:
Mollic epipedon - 0 to 12 inches
The official series type location was moved from Teton County to Lemhi County in 2008.