LOCATION WISTONA IDEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Fluventic Haploxerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Wistona very fine sandy loam -- on a 2 percent slope at 780 feet elevation in an abandoned field. When described on July 16, 1992 the soil was dry throughout. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated).
A--0 to 8 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) very fine sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium platy structure parting to moderate medium granular; soft, friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; many fine and very fine roots; common fine and very fine tubular pores; abundant sand-sized mica; neutral (pH 7.2); clear smooth boundary. (6 to 16 inches thick)
Bw1--8 to 18 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) very fine sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine and very fine roots; few fine and very fine tubular pores; less than 2 percent fine gravel; abundant sand-sized mica; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); gradual smooth boundary.
Bw2--18 to 45 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) fine sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine and very fine roots; few fine and very fine tubular pores; abundant sand-sized mica; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear wavy boundary. (combined thickness of the Bw horizon is 30 to 50 inches)
Bk--45 to 51 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine and very fine roots; few fine and very fine tubular pores; slightly effervescent (2 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); very few fine rounded soft masses of carbonate; less than 2 percent fine gravel; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 14 inches thick)
C1--51 to 55 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) fine sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; massive; soft, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine and very fine tubular pores; strongly effervescent (3 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); carbonates disseminated; 5 percent fine gravel; strongly alkaline (pH 8.8); clear wavy boundary. (4 to 10 inches thick)
C2--55 to 64 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine and very fine tubular pores; strongly effervescent (3 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); carbonates disseminated; less than 2 percent fine gravel; strongly alkaline (pH 8.8).
TYPE LOCATION: Nez Perce County, Idaho; about 4 miles west of Spalding, about 1,900 feet south and 2,150 feet west of the northeast corner of section 25, T. 36 N., R. 4 W. USGS Lewiston Orchards North topographic quadrangle; Latitude - 46 degrees, 26 minutes, 18 seconds N. and Longitude - 116 degrees, 53 minutes, 52 seconds W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Thickness of mollic epipedon - 10 to 20 inches. Depth to secondary carbonates - 43 to 60 inches or more. Days dry, moisture control section - 90 to 120. Average annual soil temperature - 54 to 55 degrees F
Particle-size control section (weighted averages). Clay content - 5 to 10 percent. Gravel content - less than 5 percent
A horizon. Value - 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist. Chroma - 2 or 3 dry or moist. Reaction - neutral or slightly alkaline
Bw horizon. Value - 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist. Chroma - 3 or 4, dry or moist. Textures - VFSL, FSL, SL. Fine gravel content - less than 5 percent. Clay content - 5 to 12 percent. Reaction - slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline
Bk and C horizons. Value - 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist. Chroma - 3 or 4, dry or moist. Textures - VFSL, FSL, SL. Gravel content - less than 5 percent. Clay content - 4 to 10 percent. Calcium carbonate equivalent - 1 to 5 percent. Reaction - moderately alkaline or strongly alkaline
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Beetville, Floutier, Kodak, Malo, Martini, and Newberg series. Beetville soils have common redoximorphic features between 20 and 40 inches and have loose sand and gravel below 40 inches. Floutier soils have silt loam or gravelly silt loam texture in the Bw horizons. Kodak and Martini soils are calcareous in all parts. Malo soils have average annual soil temperature of about 48 degrees and are dry for 60 to 75 days. Newberg soils are slightly acid or moderately acid throughout and are dry 60 to 80 days.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Wistona soils are on flood plains and low terraces. Slopes range from 0 to 3 percent. These soils formed in recent loamy alluvium from mixed sources at elevations of 720 to 1,240 feet. Average annual precipitation is 12 to 14 inches, average annual temperature is 52 to 53 degrees F., and the frost free period is 175 to 195 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Joseph and Chard soils. Joseph soils are on recent flood plains, do not have a mollic epipedon, are sandy-skeletal. Chard soils are on higher terraces and have a regular decrease in organic matter.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow runoff; moderate permeability. This soil floods rarely.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for building sites and pasture. Native vegetation is mainly bluebunch wheatgrass, Sandberg bluegrass, arrowleaf balsamroot, and silky lupine.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: This soil is of small extent in northern Idaho.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Nez Perce County, Idaho 1995.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - The zone from the surface to 18 inches (the A and Bw1 horizons).
Cambic horizon - The zone from 18 to 45 inches (Bw2 horizon).
An irregular decrease in organic matter inferred from the irregular changes in both particle-size distribution and mineralogy of the sand fraction.
Particle-size control section - the zone from 10 to 40 inches (parts of the Bw1 and Bw2 horizons).