LOCATION WINDYPOINT ID
Established Series
Rev. DFA/CLM
10/2011
WINDYPOINT SERIES
The Windypoint series consists of very deep, well drained soils, that formed in alluvium from mixed sources. They are on terraces. Slopes range from 1 to 4 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 9 inches, and the mean annual temperature is about 48 degrees F.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Xeric Haplargids
TYPICAL PEDON: Windypoint loam -- on a slope of 2 percent under rangeland vegetation at 4,510 feet elevation. (Colors are for air dry soil unless stated.) When described on October 2, 1985, the soil profile was dry.
A--0 to 3 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate fine platy structure; slightly hard, friable; many very fine roots; common very fine vesicular pores; 10 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.0); abrupt smooth boundary. (2 to 5 inches thick)
Bt1--3 to 9 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) gravelly loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, sticky and plastic; common fine and medium roots; common fine tubular pores; few faint clay films on faces of peds and in pores; 15 percent gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4), clear smooth boundary. (5 to 8 inches thick)
Bt2--9 to 15 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) gravelly loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, sticky and plastic; common fine and medium roots; common fine tubular pores; few faint clay films on faces of peds and in pores; 15 percent gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear smooth boundary. (5 to 8 inches thick)
Bt3--15 to 28 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) gravelly loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine and medium roots; common fine tubular pores; few faint clay films on faces of peds and in pores; slightly effervescent; 25 percent gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear smooth boundary. (10 to 15 inches thick)
2Bk--28 to 34 inches; light gray (10YR 7/2) extremely gravelly sandy loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine roots; few fine tubular pores; strongly effervescent; 75 percent gravel; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); gradual wavy boundary. (3 to 6 inches thick)
C--34 to 65 inches; multi-colored extremely gravelly sand; single grain; loose; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6).
TYPE LOCATION: Twin Falls County, Idaho; about 4 miles northwest of Hollister, Idaho; in the southeast 1/4, southwest 1/4, southwest 1/4 of section 13, T. 12 S., R. 15 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Depth to bedrock - more than 60 inches
Depth to sand and gravel - 25 to 40 inches
Depth to calcium carbonate - 12 to 18 inches
Mean annual soil temperature- 49 to 52 degrees F.
A horizon
Value - 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma - 2 or 3 dry or moist
Gravel - 0 to 10 percent
Bt horizons
Value - 5 or 6 dry
Chroma - 3 or 4 dry or moist
Texture - L, CL, GR-L
Clay content - 25 to 30 percent
Gravel - 5 to 25 percent
Reaction - neutral or mildly alkaline
COMPETING SERIES: These are the
Abgese,
Ackley,
Blacknest (T),
Colbar, Esha (T),
Eusbio (T),
Greenbrae,
Hardtrigger (T),
Harsan (T),
Hoosegow (T),
Lankbush,
Morfitt (T),
Paulville,
Sevy,
Shawave,
Sidlake (T),
Stiles (T),
Turria and
Zane series. Abgese soils have 18 to 25 percent average clay content in the control section. Ackley, Greenbrae, Hoosegow, and Lankbush soils are noncalcareous above 34 inches. Blacknest soils lack a layer of lime accumulation above the sand and gravel. Colbar, and Sidlake soils have bedrock at 20 to 40 inches. Esha soils have average annual soil temperature of 53 to 59 degrees F. Eusbio and Stiles soils have a paralithic contact at 20 to 40 inches. Hardtrigger soils have a weakly cemented layer above 40 inches and have a Cr horizon. Harsan soils have a moderately fine textured Bk horizon in the lower part of the profile. Morfitt soils lack loose sand and gravel above 40 inches. Paulville and Turria soils have less than 35 percent fine sand and coarser in the control section. Sevy and Zane soils have hue of 7.5YR or redder. Shawave soils have average annual soil temperature of 53 to 56 degrees F. and have less than 25 percent clay in the particle-size control section.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Windypoint soils are on terraces. The slopes range from 1 to 4 percent. The soils formed in alluvium from mixed sources. Elevations are 4,400 to 4,700 feet. The mean annual precipitation is 8 to 10 inches. The mean annual temperature is 47 to 49 degrees F. The frost-free period is 110 to 120 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the
Arbidge,
Chiara, and
Chuska soils. Arbidge soils occur on the same landscape as the Windypoint soils and are moderately deep to a duripan. Chiara and Chuska soils occur on higher terraces and are shallow to a duripan.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow runoff; moderately slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used for rangeland and irrigated cropland. The natural potential plant community consists mainly of Thurber needlegrass, Sandberg bluegrass, and Wyoming big sagebrush.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southcentral Idaho. Windypoint soils are of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Twin Falls County, Idaho, 1992.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - The zone from 0 to 3 inches (A horizon)
Argillic horizon - The zone from 3 to 28 inches (Bt1, Bt2, and Bt3 horizons)
Particle size control section - 3 to 23 inches (upper 20 inches of the argillic horizon)
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.