LOCATION MACKEY ID+NVEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, mesic Xeric Haplocalcids
TYPICAL PEDON: Mackey extremely stony sandy loam - rangeland. (Colors are for air dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
A--0 to 4 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) extremely stony sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate fine granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine, common medium roots; 20 percent angular stones, 60 percent total rock fragments; mildly alkaline (pH 7.4); clear smooth boundary. (2 to 8 inches thick)
Bw1--4 to 10 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) very stony clay loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine, common medium roots; common very fine pores; 20 percent angular stones, 40 percent total rock fragments; mildly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear smooth boundary. (4 to 9 inches thick)
Bw2--10 to 12 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) very stony loam, dark brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine roots; few very fine pores; 15 percent angular stones, 45 percent total rock fragments; slightly effervescent; mildly alkaline (pH 7.8); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 4 inches thick)
Bkl--12 to 21 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) extremely stony sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 4/3) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many fine, common very fine roots; 15 percent angular stones, 65 percent total rock fragments; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); clear wavy boundary. (6 to 14 inches thick)
Bk2--21 to 32 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) extremely stony loamy sand, dark brown (10YR 4/3) moist; massive; hard, firm; 80 percent rock fragments; common very fine, few fine roots; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 11 inches thick)
R--32 inches; slightly weathered quartz latite and volcanic glass bedrock.
TYPE LOCATION: Cassia County, Idaho; 1,000 feet south and 100 feet west from the center of section 5, T.12 S., R.19 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Average annual soil temperature - 49 to 53 degrees F.
Depth to bedrock - 20 to 40 inches
Depth to calcium carbonate - 8 to 20 inches
Rock fragments - upper profile, 10 to 60 percent; lower profile, 35 to 80 percent
A horizon
Value - 5 through 7 dry, 3 through 5 moist
Chroma - 2 through 4 dry or moist
Bw horizons
Value - 5 through 8 dry, 3 through 6 moist
Chroma - 2 through 4 dry or moist
Texture - GR-SL, GR-L, GR-CL, GRV-SL, GRV-L, GRV-CL, STV-SL, STV-L, or STV-CL
Structure - fine or very fine granular; medium, fine or very fine subangular blocky
Bk horizon
Value - 5 through 8 dry, 3 to 5 moist
Chroma - 2 to 4 dry or moist
Texture - STV-SL, CBX-L, GRX-SL, STX-SL, STX-LS, GRV-SL, or GRX-L
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Bluegulch (T), Cewatt (T), Darkcanyon, Finley, Graveya (T), Kiona, Minat, Nibbs, Panlee (T), Veet, and Veta series. Bluegulch, Graveya, Kinoa, Minat, Nibbs, Panlee, Veet, and Veta soils are over 40 inches deep to bedrock. Darkcanyon soils lack secondary calcium carbonates. Finley soils have gravelly and cobbly sand in the lower part of the control section. Cewat soils have an average annual soil temperature of 54 to 59 degrees F.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Mackey soils are on foothills, dipslopes, and mountains at elevations of 2,000 to 6,000 feet. Slopes range from 8 to 60 percent. These soils formed in residuum and colluvium from mixed sources, including quartz latite, ignimbrite, welded tuff, basalt, rhyolite, and andesite with some inflence of loess. The climate is semiarid. Average annual precipitation is about 10 to 14 inches. Average annual temperature is about 47 to 5l degrees F. Frost-free period is about 100 to 130 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Kanlee, Mulett, Turbyfill, Itca, and Pocatello soils. Kanlee soils have mollic epipedons and do not have skeletal control sections. Itca and Mulett soils have bedrock at depths of less than 20 inches. Pocatello and Turbyfill soils are deeper than 40 inches to rock.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; medium to rapid runoff; moderate to moderately rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Mackey soils are used mainly for rangeland and wildlife habitat. The dominant natural vegetation is Wyoming big sagebrush, bluebunch wheatgrass, Thurber needlegrass, and juniper.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southwestern and south central Idaho. This series is moderately extensive.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Reno, Nevada
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Cassia County, Idaho, l975.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and other features recognized in this pedon:
Ochric epipedon - the zone from the surface to 4 inches (A horizon)
Cambic horizon - the zone from 4 to 12 inches (Bw1 and Bw2 horizons)
Calcic horizon - the zone from 12 to 32 inches (Bk1 and Bk2 horizons)