LOCATION BERTOLOTTI WAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, isotic, frigid Andic Dystroxerepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Bertolotti ashy sandy loam-under a coniferous forest on a 10 percent northeast facing toeslope at an elevation of 2,560 feet. The soil was dry when described. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated. All textures are apparent field textures).
Oi--0 to 1 inch; slightly decomposed forest litter; abrupt wavy boundary. (1 to 2 inches thick).
A1--1 to 3 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) ashy sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak very fine granular structure; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic, common very fine roots; slightly acid (pH 6.2); clear wavy boundary. (1 to 2 inches thick).
A2--3 to 11 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) ashy sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak fine granular structure; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and fine roots; 10 percent gravel; NaF pH 10.2; slightly acid (pH 6.2); clear wavy boundary. (6 to 11 inches thick).
2Bw1--11 to 17 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) gravelly loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and fine roots; 30 percent gravel; NaF pH 10.2; moderately acid (pH 6.0); abrupt wavy boundary. (6 to 16 inches thick).
2Bw2--17 to 27 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) very gravelly loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; common fine, few medium roots; 45 percent gravel and 5 percent cobbles; strongly acid (pH 5.4); abrupt wavy boundary. (10 to 23 inches thick).
2C--27 to 61 inches; light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) extremely cobbly loam, dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; common fine roots; 50 percent gravel and 30 percent cobbles; strongly acid (pH 5.4).
TYPE LOCATION: Kittitas County, Washington; about 4 miles southwest of Cle Elum; 1,500 feet north and 50 feet east of the southwest corner section 7, T. 19 N., R. 15 E.; W. M.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature is 45 to 47 degrees F. The soils are usually moist, but are dry in all parts in the moisture control section for 60 to 75 consecutive days during summer and fall. The upper 7 to 13 inches has 30 to 60 percent volcanic ash in the fine earth fraction, acid-oxalate extractable aluminum plus one-half iron on 1.0 to 2.0 percent, 15-bar water retention of 10 to 12 percent, and moist bulk density of 0.85 to 1.0 g/cc. The particle-size control section averages 40 to 70 percent rock fragments by volume.
The A1 horizon has value of 2 or 3 moist, 4 to 6 dry and chroma of 2 or 3 moist or dry. Texture is gravelly ashy loamy sand, ashy sandy loam, gravelly ashy loam, very gravelly ashy loam or very gravelly ashy sandy loam.
The A2 horizon has value of 3 to 5 moist, 4 to 6 dry. Texture is ashy sandy loam, gravelly ashy loam, very gravelly ashy sandy loam or very gravelly ashy loam.
The 2Bw horizon has value of 3 or 4 moist and chroma of 3 or 5 dry or moist. The 2Bw1 horizon is very gravelly loam, very gravelly sandy loam, gravelly loam, extremely cobbly sandy loam, extremely cobbly sandy loam or very cobbly sandy loam. The 2Bw2 horizon is very gravelly loam, very gravelly sandy loam, extremely cobbly sandy loam, extremely gravelly sandy loam, very cobbly loam, extremely gravelly sandy loam, very cobbly loam or extremely cobbly loam. Reaction is moderately acid or strongly acid.
The 2C horizon has a hue of 2.5Y or 10YR, value of 5 to 7 dry, 4 to 6 moist, and chroma of 2 to 4 moist. Texture is extremely cobbly loam, very cobbly loam, or extremely gravelly sandy loam. Reaction is slightly acid to strongly acid.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Cliffdell, Deroux, Mountaineer, Pheeny, Roxer and Scotties soils. The Cliffdell soils are dry for 45 to 60 consecutive days and are dominated throughout the particle-size control section with rock fragments of basalt and andesite origin. The Scotties soils are 40 to 60 inches to lithic sandstone. The Deroux, Mountaineer, and Pheeney soils are 20 to 40 inches to a lithic contact. The Roxer soils are dominated throughout the particle-size control section with rock fragments of Teanaway basalt and glacial till origin.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Bertolotti soils are on mountain side slopes and toeslopes. Slopes are 5 to 90 percent. They formed in residuum and colluvium of coarse grained metamorphic gneiss and intrusive granodiorites and quartz diorites with a mantle of volcanic ash. Elevations are 2,300 to 5,000 feet. The soils are in a continental climate with warm dry summers and cool moist winters. The mean annual precipitation is 40 to 55 inches. The mean January temperature is about 26 degrees F; and the mean July temperature is about 65 degrees F. The mean annual temperature is 43 to 45 degrees F. The frost-free season is 70 to 100 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Currier, Longmire, Roslyn, Terence and Volperie soils. Currier and Terence are cryic. Longmire soils are coarse-loamy and have sandstone within 40 inches. Roslyn soils are coarse-loamy. Volperie soils have 5 to 15 percent mica in the particle- size control section.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; permeability is moderate.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for timber production and wildlife habitat. Vegetation is Douglas-fir, lodgepole pine, grand fir, western white pine, huckleberry, and Oregon-grape.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Mountainous areas of west-central Kittitas County. MLRA 6. This series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Kittitas County, Washington 1936.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - the zone from 1 to 11 inches
Cambic horizon - the zone from 11 to 27 inches
Andic feature - the zone from 1 to 11 inches
Particle-size control section - the zone from 11 to 41 inches
Depths to diagnostic horizons and features are measured from the top of the first mineral layer.