LOCATION ACHELAKE WAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Ashy, glassy, mesic Vitrandic Haploxerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Achelake ashy fine sandy loam cropland, on a 7 percent northeast slope at 2,420 feet elevation. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated. All textures are apparent field textures.)
Ap--0 to 5 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) ashy fine sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate fine granular structure; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and few fine roots; few very fine irregular pores; 5 percent sand-size pumice less than 2.0mm in diameter; neutral (pH 6.8); clear wavy boundary. (3 to 6 inches thick)
A--5 to 13 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) ashy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and few fine roots; few fine tubular pores; 15 percent sand-size pumice less than 2.0mm in diameter; neutral (pH 7.1); clear smooth boundary. (6 to 8 inches thick)
BA--13 to 20 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) ashy silt loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and few fine roots; few fine tubular pores; 15 percent sand-size pumice less than 2.0mm in diameter; neutral (pH 7.1); clear smooth boundary (6 to 8 inches thick)
Bw1--20 to 48 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) ashy silt loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots; few very fine interstitial pores; 15 percent sand-size pumice less than 2.0mm in diameter; neutral (pH 7.0); clear smooth boundary. (24 to 30 inches thick)
Bw2--48 to 60 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) ashy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots; few fine tubular pores; 20 percent sand-size pumice less than 2.0mm in diameter; neutral (pH 7.0).
TYPE LOCATION: Douglas County, Washington. Approximately 6 miles south of Jameson Lake, about 2,000 feet east and 110 feet north of southwest corner of section 7, T. 24N., R. 26E. (Latitude 47 degrees 36' 12"N, Longitude 119 degrees 38' 18"W)
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature is 49 to 51 degrees F. These soils are usually dry in the moisture control section for 90 to 105 consecutive days after the summer solstice. The mollic epipedon is 15 to 20 inches thick. The particle-size control section has an estimated moist bulk density of 1.10 to 1.45 g/cc, volcanic glass content of 30 to 60 percent, including 15 to 30 percent sand-size pumice, 0.5 to 2.0 mm. in diameter, acid- oxalate extractable aluminum plus one half of the acid-oxalate extractable iron of 0.15 to 0.40 percent, 15-bar water retention of 5 to 10 percent, 15 to 25 percent fine sand or coarser, 0 to 5 percent pebbles, and an apparent field estimated 4 to 12 percent clay content in the control section. One or more subhorizons in the top 30 inches of the profile, including the surface horizon in all cases, has less than 75 percent base saturation by sum of cations.
The A horizon has a value of 4 or 5 dry, a chroma of 2 or 3 dry or moist.
The BA horizon has a value of 4 or 5 dry. It is neutral to moderately alkaline. It is ashy fine sandy loam, ashy loam or ashy silt loam.
The Bw horizon has value of 5 or 6 dry and 3 or 4 moist. Chroma is 2 or 3 dry and 3 or 4 moist. It is slightly to moderately alkaline. Textures are ashy loam, ashy fine sandy loam or ashy silt loam.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Dinkels, Mansonia (T), Nemire, Shiva, Watco, and Zark series. The Mansonia series has an estimated moist bulk density of 0.55 to 0.85 g/cc and 5 to 35 percent pumice, 2.0 to 5.0 mm. in diameter in the particle-size control section. The Watco series are dry for 75 to 90 consecutive days. Dinkels soils are 40 to 60 inches deep to bedrock. Zark soils are 20 to 40 inches to a paralithic contact. Shiva soils have a mean annual soil temperature of 50 to 52 degrees F. Nemire soils have a mollic epipedon over 20 inches thick.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Achelake soils are in draws and drainageways on plateaus. Slopes are 0 to 30 percent. These soils formed in mixed loess, volcanic ash, and pumice. Elevations are 2,000 to 2,500 feet. These soils are in a semiarid climate with warm dry summers and cool moist winters. Average annual precipitation is 10 to 15 inches. Average January temperature is about 26 degrees F.; average July temperature is about 70 degrees F.; and average annual temperature is 47 to 50 degrees F. Frost-free season is 110 to 180 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Alstown and Kester soils, the competing Nemire soils, and the Renslow and Willis soils. Alstown soils are in upland positions and are coarse-silty. Kester and Nemire occur along drainageways. Kester soils are moderately deep to basalt. Renslow soils are on upland plateaus and are coarse-silty. Willis soils are on upland plateaus, are coarse-silty, and are moderately deep to an indurated duripan.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained, very slow to
medium runoff; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are primarily used for wheat and barley production. Small areas are used for livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. The potential native vegetation is basin wildrye, basin big sagebrush, Wyoming big sagebrush, Idaho fescue and lupine.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Douglas County, Washington. Series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Douglas County, Washington, 1998.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are a mollic epipedon from the surface to 20 inches and cambic horizon from 20 to 60 inches. The 10 to 40 inch particle size control section has 30 to 60 percent volcanic glass and glass aggregates in the fine earth fraction in the lower part of the A, the BA and the upper part of the Bw1 horizon.
ADDITIONAL DATA: Partial lab data available from Lincoln, Nebraska under NSSL pedon number 90P0352.