LOCATION TENSED IDEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, isotic, frigid Xeric Argialbolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Tensed silt loam, cultivated. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
Ap--0 to 8 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) silt loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate coarse subangular blocky structure; very hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many fine roots; common very fine and fine pores; about 2 percent fine gravel; medium acid (pH 5.6); abrupt wavy boundary. (8 to 11 inches thick)
B2--8 to 18 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) silt loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; very hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many fine roots; many very fine and fine tubular pores; ,many fine black concretions; about 2 percent fine gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.4); clear wavy boundary. (6 to 12 inches thick)
A'2--18 to 23 inches; light gray (10YR 7/2) silt loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable; few very fine roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; many black concretions; about 1 percent fine gravel; neutral (pH 6.6); abrupt wavy boundary. (4 to 6 inches thick)
B'21t--23 to 34 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) silty clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; weak coarse prisms that part to moderate medium angular blocky structure; extremely hard, firm, sticky and plastic; few very fine roots on surfaces of peds; many fine and medium tubular pores; many thin continuous clay films; common black concretions; about 3 percent fine and 2 percent medium gravel; stone line at 34 inches with 25 percent fine and medium gravel; neutral (pH 6.8); abrupt wavy boundary. (8 to 13 inches thick)
B'22t--34 to 40 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) silty clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; weak coarse prisms that part to moderate medium angular blocky structure; extremely hard, firm, sticky and plastic; few very fine roots on peds; common fine and medium tubular pores; many thin continuous clay films; common black concretions; about 2 percent fine gravel; thick laminations; neutral (pH 6.8); abrupt wavy boundary. (5 to 8 inches thick)
IIB'23t--40 to 60 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) very gravelly clay loam, dark brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; extremely hard, firm, sticky and plastic; common fine and medium tubular pores; many thin continuous clay films; common concretions; 50 percent coarse gravel; 20 percent fine gravel and 5 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 6.8).
TYPE LOCATION: Benewah County, Idaho; 2.5 miles east of Tensed; 2,500 feet south and 180 feet west of center section 8, T.44N., R.4W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature ranges from 47 to 50 degrees F. The mean summer soil temperature at a depth of 20 inches ranges from 60 to 63 degrees F. with an 0 horizon. The soils are usually moist but are dry for 45 to 80 consecutive days in late summer. The solum is more than 40 inches thick. 0 horizons are present if the soil has not been disturbed.
The Ap horizon has value of 2 or 3 moist, and chroma of 2 or 3 dry and moist.
The B2 horizon has chroma of 3 or 4 moist.
The IIB'2t horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR and chroma of 3 or 4. It is silty clay loam, very gravelly clay loam, silt loam or gravelly loam.
COMPETING SERIES: This is the Coveland series. Coveland soils are somewhat poorly drained and have mottles within 20 inches of the surface.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Tensed soils are on dissected terraces at elevations of 2,500 to 3,200 feet. Slopes range from 3 to 35 percent. The soils formed in colluvium from Belt rocks with a loess mixture in the upper part of the profile. The subhumid climate has a mean annual precipitation of 22 to 26 inches, including 4 to 5 feet of snowfall, dry summers, and an average frost free season of 100 to 130 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the McCrosket, Pedee, Taney and Tekoa soils. McCrosket and Tekoa soils are loamy, skeletal. Pedee soils are fine textured. Taney soils have no rock fragments in the profile.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Moderately well drained; medium runoff; slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used mainly for cropland and woodland. The primary crops are small grains, hay and pasture. The natural overstory is Douglas fir and ponderosa pine. The understory is common snowberry, white spirea, Nootka rose, Woods rose, pine grass, bedstraw and Columbia brome.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Footslopes of forested mountainous areas of Benewah County. The series is of small extent.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Benewah County, Idaho, 1975.