LOCATION CHEWELAH WAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Aquic Haploxerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Chewelah fine sandy loam - cultivated. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 10 inches; dark gray (10YR 4/1) fine sandy loam, black (10YR 2/1) moist; moderate fine and medium granular structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many fine roots; many fine pores; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); abrupt smooth boundary. (6 to 12 inches thick)
A--10 to 18 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) fine sandy loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; weak medium prismatic structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many fine roots; common fine pores; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); clear wavy boundary. (4 to 10 inches thick)
C1--18 to 32 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) fine sandy loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; few fine distinct brown (7.5YR 4/4) redox concentrations; weak medium prismatic structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many fine roots; common fine pores; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); clear wavy boundary. (6 to 18 inches thick)
C2--32 to 37 inches; very pale brown (10YR 8/3) loamy sand, pale brown (10YR 6/3) moist; few fine distinct brown (7.5YR 4/4) redox concentrations; single grain; loose; nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine and fine roots; many fine and very fine pores; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 8 inches thick)
C3--37 to 60 inches; multicolored coarse sand; few fine brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist redox concentrations; single grain; loose; nonsticky and nonplastic; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4).
TYPE LOCATION: Stevens County, Washington; 100 feet beyond the west end of Main Street (Chewelah) in the northeast 1/4 of northeast 1/4 of section 14, T. 32 N., R. 40 E.; 1,800 feet south and 1,200 feet east of northwest corner of section 14.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature at a depth of 20 inches ranges from 47 degrees to 49 degrees F. These soils are usually moist but are dry in all parts between depths of 8 and 24 inches for more than 60 consecutive days. These soils are calcareous in all parts. The soil is slightly alkaline to strongly alkaline. Rock fragments range from 0 to 15 percent. The particle-size control section has less than 18 percent clay and more than 15 percent particles coarser than very fine sand.
The A horizon has value of 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist, and chroma of 1 or 2 dry or moist.
The C1 horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5YR, value of 5 or 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist, and chroma of 2 or 3 dry and moist. It is sandy loam or fine sandy loam. It is massive or has weak medium prismatic structure. Redox features are few or common distinct and have a chroma of 2 or less where the matrix has a chroma of 3.
The C2 and C3 horizons have hue of 10YR or 2.5YR, value of 6, 7 or 8 dry, 4, 5 or 6 moist, and chroma of 2 or 3 dry and moist. These horizons range from fine sandy loam to coarse sand. They are massive or single grained. Redox features are few or common distinct.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Chewelah soils are along streams and drainageways on smooth to gently undulating alluvial bottomland at elevations of 1,500 to 2,000 feet. Slopes are 0 to 3 percent. They formed in alluvium of mixed mineralogy. The climate is characterized by warm dry summers and cool moist winters. Mean annual temperature is about 45 degrees to 48 degrees F.; average annual precipitation is 18 to 22 inches; and the frost-free season is 100 to 125 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Chamokane, Colville, and Narcisse soils. Chamokane soils are loam in the upper part and have an irregular decrease in organic matter with depth. Colville soils have a fine-silty control section. Narcisse soils have a mollic epipedon more than 60 inches thick.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat poorly drained; slow runoff; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas are under cultivation. Small grains, clover, and grasses are the principal crops. Principal vegetation of uncultivated areas is water tolerant grasses, willows, birch, western larch, cedar, and wild rose.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Glaciated parts of northern Washington. This series is small in extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Stevens County, Washington, 1913.