LOCATION ZEELNOT            ID
Established Series
Rev. GPB/CLM/HBM
04/2000

ZEELNOT SERIES


The Zeelnot series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in colluvium derived from limestone. Zeelnot soils are on foothills and mountains. Permeability is moderately slow. Slopes are 5 to 70 percent. Average annual precipitation is about 14 inches and average annual air temperature is about 37 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, carbonatic Xeric Calcicryolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Zeelnot gravelly loam--on a 28 percent north by northwest-facing slope at 7,900 feet elevation in rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated. When described on August 14, 1984 the soil was dry to 3 inches and moist below this depth.)

A--0 to 10 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) gravelly loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; weak very fine and fine granular structure; soft, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine and few medium roots; many very fine and fine interstitial and few very fine and fine tubular pores; 20 percent pebbles; slightly effervescent; neutral (pH 7.1); clear wavy boundary. (8 to 12 inches thick)

Bkq1--10 to 18 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) very gravelly loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; 40 percent pebbles, 5 percent cobbles; calcium carbonate and silica coatings less than 1 mm thick on undersides of coarse fragments; strongly effervescent (35 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear wavy boundary. (8 to 11 inches thick)

Bkq2--18 to 24 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) very gravelly loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; strong fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; 50 percent pebbles, 5 percent cobbles; calcium carbonate and silica coatings less than 1 mm thick on undersides and some sides of coarse fragments; violently effervescent (40 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear wavy boundary. (4 to 10 inches thick)

Bkq3--24 to 32 inches; light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) extremely gravelly loam, light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) moist; strong fine angular blocky structure; slightly hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine and fine roots; common very fine and few fine tubular pores; 50 percent pebbles, 10 percent cobbles; calcium carbonate and silica coatings less than 1 mm thick on undersides and some sides of coarse fragments; violently effervescent (45 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); strongly alkaline (pH 8.6); clear wavy boundary. (6 to 15 inches thick)

2Bkq4--32 to 56 inches; pale yellow (2.5Y 7/4) extremely cobbly silty clay loam, light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) moist, strong fine angular blocky structure; few very fine and fine roots; common very fine and few fine tubular pores; hard, firm, very sticky and very plastic; 25 percent pebbles, 50 percent cobbles; calcium carbonate and silica coatings and pendants 2 to 5 mm thick on all sides of coarse fragments; soft secondary carbonates as threads between peds occupy 20 percent by volume; violently effervescent (45 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear wavy boundary. (15 to 24 inches thick)

2Bkq5--56 to 60 inches; pale yellow (2.5Y 7/4) extremely cobbly clay loam, olive yellow (2.5Y 6/6) moist, strong fine angular blocky structure; hard, firm, very sticky and very plastic; common very fine tubular pores; 20 percent pebbles, 65 percent cobbles; calcium carbonate and silica coatings and pendants 2 to 5 mm thick on all sides of coarse fragments; soft secondary carbonates as threads between peds occupy 20 percent by volume; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.3).

TYPE LOCATION: Custer County, Idaho; about 3 miles southeast of Willow Creek Summit; 1,100 feet south and 400 feet east of the northwest corner of section 21, T. 10 N., R. 21 E. Latitude - 44 degrees, 11 minutes, 08 seconds North; Longitude - 113 degrees, 59 minutes, 25 seconds West.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:

Average annual soil temperature - 36 to 40 degrees F.
Average summer soil temperature - 46 to 50 degrees F.
Mollic epipedon thickness - 8 to 12 inches
Control section; percent clay - 16 to 22
Coarse fragments - 55 to 75 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent - 40 to 50 percent
Depth to calcic horizon - 8 to 12 inches

A horizon
Value - 3 through 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Reaction - Neutral or slightly alkaline

Bkq horizon
Hue - 2.5Y, 10YR or 7.5YR
Value - 5 through 7 dry, 3 through 5 moist
Chroma - 3 or 4 dry or moist
Texture - GRV-L, GRV-CL
Coarse fragments - 45 to 60 percent
Reaction - Slightly or moderately alkaline

2Bkq horizon
Hue - 7.5YR, 10YR, or 2.5Y
Value - 6 or 7 dry, 4 through 6 moist
Chroma - 3 through 6 dry or moist
Texture - GRX-CL, CBX-CL, CBX-SICL
Rock fragments - 60 to 85 percent
Reaction - Slightly or moderately alkaline

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Fritz(T), Gepton(T), Hanson, Hardol(T), Pahreah, Skaggs, Skibo, and the Zeale series. Fritz soils have 12 to 22 percent clay in the control section and average summer soil temperatures of 52 to 58 degrees F. Gepton soils have 11 to 18 percent clay in the control section and have cambic horizons. Hanson soils have mollic epipedons greater than 12 inches thick. Hardol soils have 8 to 18 percent clay and moderately rapid permeabiltiy. Pahreah soils are moderately deep to bedrock. Skaggs soils are moderately deep to bedrock and receive more precipitation than Zeelnot soils. Skibo soils have an O horizon and 18 to 25 percent clay in the control section. Zeale soils have moderate permeability and the calcium carbonate equivalent ranges from 50 to 80 percent.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Zeelnot soils are on mountains and foothills. Slopes range from 5 to 70 percent. The soils formed in colluvium derived dominantly from limestone. Elevation is 7,000 to 9,000 feet. The climate is cold and moist in winter and spring, and cool and dry in summer. The average annual precipitation ranges from 13 to 16 inches; average annual temperature is 35 to 39 degrees F. The frost-free period is 10 to 40 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Adek, Gany, Meegernot, Nitchly, Skibo, and Zeale soils. Adek soils are on ridges, mountain sideslopes and summits and have ochric epipedons. Nitchly soils are on mountains and have ochric epipedons. Gany, Meegernot, and Skibo soils are on mountains and have mixed minerology. Zeale soils are on mountains, foothills, and fan terraces, have moderate permeability, and have less than 25 percent clay in the lower part of the particle-size control section.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. Medium runoff; moderately slow permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: Rangeland. Vegetation is mainly mountain big sagebrush and Idaho fescue.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: East-central Idaho. These soils are moderately 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 the soil surface to 10 inches (A horizon).

Calcic horizon: The zone immediately under the mollic epipedon to a depth of 60 inches (Bkq and 2Bkq horizons).

Particle-size control section - The zone from 10 to 40 inches (Bkq1, Bkq2, 2Bkq3, and part of 2Bkq4 horizons).

ADDITIONAL DATA: Partial laboratory data 85P204.


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.