LOCATION WISKISPRINGS IDEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive Cumulic Cryaquolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Wiskisprings silt loam--on a 2 percent undulating, east aspect at 6,180 feet elevation in pastureland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted. When described on September 3, 1985, the soil was dry to 17 inches and moist below this depth.)
A--0 to 8 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) silt loam, black (10YR 2/1) moist; moderate fine angular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine and few medium and coarse roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; neutral (pH 7.0); clear smooth boundary. (4 to 10 inches thick)
Bg1--8 to 17 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) silt loam, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) moist; common fine and medium prominent brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist redox concentrations; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine roots; many very fine and fine tubular pores; neutral (pH 7.3); clear wavy boundary. (5 to 10 inches thick)
Bg2--17 to 21 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) silt loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; common fine prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) moist redox concentrations; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine and fine roots; many very fine and fine tubular pores; neutral (pH 7.3); clear wavy boundary. (3 to 8 inches thick)
Bg3--21 to 28 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) silt loam, very dark grayish brown (2.5Y 3/2) moist; common medium prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) moist and dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) moist redox concentrations; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine and fine roots; many very fine and fine and common medium irregular pores; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); clear wavy boundary. (4 to 10 inches thick)
Bg4--28 to 36 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) silt loam, dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) moist; common fine and medium prominent dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) moist redox concentrations; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots; many very fine and fine tubular and irregular pores; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); gradual wavy boundary. (6 to 12 inches thick)
Bg5--36 to 49 inches; olive (5Y 5/3) silt loam, very dark grayish brown (2.5Y 3/2) moist; many fine and medium prominent strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) moist redox concentrations; massive; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine tubular pores; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); gradual wavy boundary. (10 to 15 inches thick)
Bg6--49 to 54 inches; olive (5Y 5/3) gravelly loam, olive gray (5Y 4/2) moist; common fine and medium prominent strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) moist redox concentrations; massive; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine and medium irregular pores; 15 percent gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 8 inches thick)
2C--54 to 60 inches; multicolored extremely gravelly loamy coarse sand; single grain; loose; common medium and coarse irregular pores; 65 percent gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.5).
TYPE LOCATION: Custer County, Idaho; approximately 3 miles southeast of the Highway 93 - Trail Creek Road junction, about 2,000 feet south and 1,700 feet east of the northwest corner of section 13, T.8N., R.22E. Latitude - 44 degrees, 1 minute, 32 seconds North; Longitude - 113 degrees, 47 minutes, 50 seconds West
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture control section - Dry in some parts more than 30 days when soil temperature is above 41 degrees F
Average annual soil temperature - 37 to 42 degrees F
Average summer soil temperature - 50 to 55 degrees F
Mollic epipedon thickness - 20 to 30 inches
Depth to high water table - 6 to 18 inches April through July
Control section - Percent clay: 18 to 25
Coarse fragments - 0 to 15 percent
Depth to strongly contrasting textures and solum thickness - 40 to more than 60 inches
A horizon
Value- 3 or 4 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma - 1 through 3, dry or moist
Bg horizon
Hue - 2.5Y, 5Y, 5GY, or 10YR
Value - 4 or 5 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma - 2 through 4 dry, 1 through 3 moist
Texture - SIL, GR-L, SCL, GR-SIL
Coarse fragments - 0 to 20 percent
2C horizon
Rock fragments - 60 to 85 percent
COMPETING SERIES: This is the Venable series. Venable soils are moist in all parts of the moisture control section when the soil temperature is above 41 degrees F.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Wiskisprings soils are on floodplains and stream terraces. These soils formed in alluvium. Slopes are 0 to 3 percent. Elevations are 4,500 to 6,600 feet. The climate is cold and moist in winter and spring and cool in summer. The average annual precipitation is 10 to 14 inches. Average annual temperature is 35 to 40 degrees F. Frost-free period is 35 to 60 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Copperbasin soils. Copperbasin soils are on flood plains and have mollic epipedons that are 7 to 11 inches thick and have sandy-skeletal particle-size control section.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Poorly drained. Slow runoff. Moderate permeability in the upper part and very rapid permeability in the lower part. This soil floods frequently for brief periods in January through June.
USE AND VEGETATION: Pastureland. The natural vegetation is sod-forming grasses and sedges.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: East-central Idaho. These soils are not extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Custer County, Idaho, 1999.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - The zone from 0 to 28 inches (A, Bg1, Bg2 and Bg3 horizons).
Particle-size control section - The zone from 10 to 40 inches (part of the Bg1, the Bg2, Bg3, Bg4, and part of the Bg5 horizons).