LOCATION ELMIRA ID+CA MT NV WAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Mixed, frigid Lamellic Xeropsamments
TYPICAL PEDON: Elmira loamy sand, forested; on a 2 percent slope at 2,120 feet elevation. When described the soil was slightly moist. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
0i--0 to 0.5 inches; very slightly decayed needles, leaves and twigs; slightly matted; slightly acid; abrupt wavy boundary. (0.5 to 1.5 inches thick)
0e--0.5 to 1.5 inches; moderately decayed needles, leaves and twigs; matted; common very fine and fine roots; moderately acid; abrupt wavy boundary. (0.5 to 1 inch thick)
0a--1.5 to 2 inches; well decomposed organic matter; common very fine and fine roots; slightly acid (pH 6.4); abrupt wavy boundary. (0 to 0.5 inches thick)
A--2 to 6 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) loamy sand, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate very fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine to coarse roots; many very fine irregular pores; slightly acid (pH 6.2); clear wavy boundary. (1 to 5 inches thick)
Bw1--6 to 11 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) loamy sand, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist; weak very fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine to coarse roots; many very fine irregular pores; slightly acid (pH 6.3); clear wavy boundary. (3 to 8 inches thick)
Bw2--11 to 19 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) loamy sand, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; weak very fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine to coarse roots; many very fine irregular pores; slightly acid (pH 6.3); clear wavy boundary. (4 to 12 inches thick)
Bw3--19 to 27 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) loamy sand, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; single grain; soft, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine and fine roots; many very fine irregular and few fine tubular pores; slightly acid (pH 6.2); diffuse wavy boundary. (0 to 8 inches thick)
E and Bt1--27 to 38 inches; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) sand, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; single grain; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine and fine roots; many very fine irregular pores; three wavy lamellae 2 to 5 mm thick; slightly acid (pH 6.2); diffuse wavy boundary. (10 to 18 inches thick)
E and Bt2--38 to 60 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) sand, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; single grain; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; very porous; several 2 mm wavy lamellae; slightly acid (pH 6.4).
TYPE LOCATION: Bonner County, Idaho; northwest of Elmira on first road north of Elmira; about 0.5 miles west of US 95 and about 60 feet north of center of road; about 30 feet north and about 1,700 feet west of SE corner, sec. 4, T. 59 N., R. 1 W.; Latitude - 48 degrees, 29 minutes, 18 seconds North; Longitude - 116 degrees, 28 minutes, 00 seconds West; USGS Elmira 15 min Quadrangle.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture - usually dry for 45 to 75 consecutive days
in late summer, moist rest of year
Average annual soil temperature - 43 to 47 degrees F.
Average summer soil temperature - 52 to 55 degrees F. with an O horizon; 59 to 62 degrees F. without an O horizon
Coarse fragments - less than 5 percent throughout
Reaction - moderately acid to neutral throughout
Clay content - 0 to 4 percent in the particle-size control section
A horizon
Hue - 7.5YR or 10YR
Value - 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma - 2 through 4 moist or dry
Texture - LS, LFS, FSL, SL
Bw horizons
Hue - 7.5YR or 10YR
Value - 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma - 3 or 4 dry or moist
Texture - LS, LFS, FS
E horizon (present in some pedons)
Texture LS, S
E and Bt horizons
Hue - 10YR or 2.5Y
Value - 6 or 7 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma - 2 through 4 moist or dry
Lamellae - few to numerous wavy discontinuous or continuous thin 1/16 to 1/2 inch thick
Texture - LS, LFS, FS, S
C horizon (present in some pedons)
Texture - LS, FS, S
COMPETING SERIES: This is the Angle series. Angle soils have 5 to 35 percent rock fragments in the particle-size control section.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Elmira soils are on undulating to hilly dunes of glaciolacustrine terraces. The soils formed in sandy glaciolacustrine sediments or shoreline deposits. Most areas have been reworked by wind, and contain very minor amounts of loess and volcanic ash in the surface layers. Slopes range from 0 to 60 percent. Elevations range from 1,800 to 2,700 feet. Climate is subhumid with cold, moist winters and warm, relatively dry summers. Average annual air temperature ranges from 42 to 47 degrees F. and the average annual precipitation ranges from 23 to 35 inches. The average frost-free period is 90 to 140 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Rubson and Selle soils. Rubson soils are on glacial lacustrine terraces and have argillic horizons. Selle soils are on glacial lacustrine terraces and have fine sandy loam surfaces greater than 10 inches thick.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Excessively drained; runoff is very slow; permeability is rapid.
USE AND VEGETATION: Mostly used for woodland and livestock grazing. Some areas are cleared and used for alfalfa hay or pasture. Natural vegetation is mainly ponderosa pine, lodgepole pine, western larch, and Douglas-fir, with an understory of pine reedgrass, low Oregongrape, snowbrush ceanothus, bluebunch wheatgrass, Saskatoon serviceberry, common snowberry, common chokecherry, and woods rose.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northern Idaho, California, Montana, and Nevada, and northeastern Washington; MLRA 44. This series is moderately extensive.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Bonner County, Idaho, 1935.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - the zone from 2 to 6 inches (A horizon)
Particle-size control section - the zone from 10 to 40 inches (part of the Bw2, Bw3, E and Bt1, and part of the E and Bt2 horizons)
Lamellic feature the zone from 27 to 60 inches (E and Bt1 and E and Bt2 horizons) that does not meet the thickness requirement for an argillic horizon.