LOCATION WOODCANYON IDInactive Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic Xeric Haplocryalfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Woodcanyon very gravelly loam, in rangeland, at 7,040 feet elevation. When described on September 7, 1995, the soil was dry throughout. (Colors are for air dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A--0 to 3 inches; brown (7.5YR 4/3) very gravelly loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) moist; moderate fine and medium granular structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine roots; many very fine irregular pores; 35 percent gravel, 10 percent cobbles, trace stones; neutral (pH 7.2); abrupt wavy boundary. (2 to 5 inches thick)
Bt1--3 to 12 inches; reddish brown (5YR 4/3) gravelly clay loam, reddish brown (5YR 4/3) moist; strong fine and medium subangular blocky structure; moderately hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine and few fine roots; common very fine and few fine tubular pores; common discontinuous distinct clay films in root channels and pores; 25 percent gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); clear wavy boundary.
Bt2--12 to 19 inches; reddish brown (5YR 4/3) gravelly clay loam, reddish brown (5YR 4/4) moist; weak fine and medium prismatic structure parting to moderate fine and medium angular blocky; hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine and few fine roots; common very fine and few fine tubular pores; many continuous prominent clay films in root channels and pores; 15 percent gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.5); clear wavy boundary.
Bt3--19 to 26 inches; reddish brown (5YR 4/4) very gravelly clay loam, reddish brown (5YR 4/3) moist; moderate fine and medium angular blocky structure; very hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; common discontinuous distinct clay films in root channels and pores; 35 percent gravel, 5 percent cobbles; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear wavy boundary.
Bt4--26 to 34 inches; reddish brown (5YR 5/4) gravelly silt loam, reddish brown (5YR 4/3) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; moderately hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; common discontinuous distinct clay films in root channels and pores; 20 percent gravel, 5 percent cobbles; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); abrupt wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of Bt horizons is 18 to 35 inches.)
R--34 inches; noncalcareous sandstone.
TYPE LOCATION: Bear Lake County, Idaho; about 0.75 mile east of Geneva Summit; about 3,250 feet west and 150 feet south of the northeast corner of sec. 6, T.13S., R.46E. Latitude - 42 degrees, 19 minutes, 44 seconds north; Longitude - 111 degrees, 7 minutes, 24 seconds west.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Profile:
Depth to argillic horizon - 2 to 5 inches.
Depth to lithic contact - 20 to 40 inches.
Reaction - neutral to slightly alkaline.
Average annual soil temperature - 37 to 42 degrees F.
Xeric moisture regime
Particle-size control section:
Clay content average - 35 to 42 percent (total clay).
Clay content range - 30 to 45 percent (total clay).
Rock fragment content range - 15 to 50 percent.
A horizon:
Value - 3 through 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma - 1 through 3 dry or moist
Bt1 and Bt2 horizons:
Chroma - 3 or 4 dry or moist
Rock fragments - range 15 to 30 percent
Texture - gravelly clay loam or gravelly clay
Bt3 horizon:
Chroma - 3 or 4 dry or moist
Rock fragments - range 35 to 50 percent
Bt4 horizon:
Value - 4 or 5 dry
Chroma - 3 or 4 dry or moist
Rock fragments - range 15 to 30 percent
Texture - gravelly silt loam, gravelly loam, or gravelly clay loam
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Woodcanyon soils are on hills and mountains at elevations of 6,400 to 7,200 feet. They formed in alluvium and colluvium from noncalcareous sandstone. Slopes are 20 to 50 percent. The average annual precipitation ranges from 16 to 20 inches. The average annual air temperature is 36 to 41 degrees F. The frost free period is 50 to 70 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Hagenbarth, Halfcircle (T), and Preussrange (T) soils. Hagenbarth soils have a fine-loamy particle-size control section and are very deep. They are on hills adjacent to Woodcanyon soils. Halfcircle soils are deep to a paralithic contact and are calcareous in the control section. Halfcircle soils are on north facing mountains. Preussrange soils are generally on south facing slopes above Woodcanyon soils and are 20 to 40 inches deep to a paralithic contact.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; high to very high runoff; slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Woodcanyon soils are used for rangeland. The potential natural vegetation is Mountain big sagebrush and Bluebunch wheatgrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southeastern Idaho. This series is not extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES PROPOSED: Bear Lake County, Idaho 1996.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Argillic horizon - the zone from 3 to 34 inches (Bt1, Bt2, Bt3, and Bt4 horizons)
Particle-size control section - the zone between 3 and 23 inches (Bt1, Bt2, and part of the Bt3 horizons)
Lithic contact - noncalcareous sandstone at 34 inches (R horizon)