LOCATION CHOWCHOW WA

Established Series
Rev. EAB/TDT
02/2011

CHOWCHOW SERIES

The Chowchow series consists of very deep, very poorly drained soils derived from organic material over glaciolacustrine deposits. Chowchow soils are on proglacial lakes on till plains with slopes of 0 to 2 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 110 inches, the mean annual temperature is about 49 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy, isotic, dysic, isomesic Terric Haplosaprists

TYPICAL PEDON: Chowchow peat on a 1 percent slope at an elevation of 253 feet. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated. All textures are apparent field textures.)

Oi--0 to 4 inches; dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) rubbed peat, very dark gray (7.5YR 3/1) exterior, dry; 90 percent unrubbed fiber, 75 percent rubbed; many fine and very fine roots throughout; very strongly acid (pH 5.0); abrupt smooth boundary. (4 to 6 inches thick)

Oa--4 to 8 inches; black (10YR 2/1) rubbed muck, black (10YR 2/1) exterior, dry; 20 percent unrubbed fiber, 5 percent rubbed; many fine and very fine roots throughout and common medium roots throughout; very strongly acid (pH 4.8); abrupt wavy boundary.

2Oe--8 to 13 inches; very dark brown (10YR 2/2) rubbed mucky peat, black (10YR 2/1) exterior, dry; 30 percent unrubbed fiber, 20 percent rubbed; many fine roots throughout and common medium roots throughout; neutral (pH 6.6); abrupt wavy boundary. (0 to 6 inches thick)

2Oa--13 to 23 inches; black (10YR 2/1) rubbed muck, black (10YR 2/1) exterior, dry; 10 percent unrubbed fiber, 1 percent rubbed; common medium roots throughout; very strongly acid (pH 5.0); abrupt smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the O horizons is 22 to 38 inches).

3Cg1--23 to 36 inches; very dark grayish brown (2.5Y 3/2) silt loam, light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2), dry; massive; hard, firm, slightly sticky and moderately plastic; common medium roots throughout; 30 percent fine prominent threadlike black (2.5Y 2.5/1), moist, iron-manganese masses along root channels; strongly acid (pH 5.4); gradual wavy boundary. (10 to 17 inches thick)

3Cg2--36 to 48 inches; olive gray (5Y 5/2) silt loam, light gray (5Y 7/1), dry; massive; hard, firm, slightly sticky and moderately plastic; few medium roots throughout; very strongly acid (pH 4.8.)

TYPE LOCATION: Grays Harbor County, Washington; about 2 miles north of the Moclips Highway (F-5 road) on the Quinault Indian Reservation; about 1240 feet east and 1145 feet north of the southwest corner of section 16, T.21N., R.11W.; Latitude 47 degrees, 18 minutes, 20.8 seconds North and Longitude 124 degrees, 05 minutes, 31.4 seconds, West

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature is 47 to 50 degrees F. The difference between mean summer and winter soil temperature is 5 to 7 degrees. These soils are always moist, and have a surplus of available water on a monthly basis throughout the year; peraquic moisture regime. Depth to the mineral material is 22 to 38 inches. Not all pedons have the discontinuity within the organic layer.

The Oi horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR moist and dry, value of 3, and chroma of 2 moist and 1 dry, broken, rubbed, or pressed. Reaction is very strongly acid.

The Oa layers have a hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 2 or 2.5, and chroma of 1 moist and dry, broken, rubbed, or pressed. Reaction is very strongly acid or extremely acid.

The 2Oe layer has hue of 10YR, chroma of 2, and value of 2 moist and 1 dry, broken, rubbed, or pressed. Reaction is neutral.

The 3Cg horizons have hue of 10YR, 2.5Y or 5Y, value of 3 through 5 moist, and 5 through 7 dry, and chroma of 1 or 2 moist and dry. Texture is silt loam or silty clay loam. Reaction is strongly acid or very strongly acid.

COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Chowchow soils are on proglacial lakes on till plains at elevations of 10 to 520 feet. Slopes are 0 to 2 percent. These soils formed in organic material over glaciolacustrine deposits. The soils are in a mild marine climate and have cool, moist summers and cool, wet winters. The mean annual precipitation is 90 to 120 inches. The average January temperature is about 40 degrees F.; the average July temperature is about 60 degrees F.; and the mean annual temperature is about 49 degrees F. The frost free season is 160 to 220 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Aabab, Copalisrock, Kydaka, Nuby, Oyhut, and Southshore soils. All of these soils lack the thick saturated organic surface layer. Aabab soils are somewhat poorly drained. Copalisrock soils are 20 to 40 inches to dense glacial till. Kydaka soils are poorly drained, and are 20 to 40 inches to dense glacial till. Nuby soils are poorly drained and have silt loam textures throughout. Oyhut soils are moderately well drained and have a cemented material at 24 to 40 inches. Southshore soils are well drained and have greater than 35 percent rock fragments in the particle-size control section.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: very poorly drained; very slow runoff; moderate over slow permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: Wildlife habitat and recreation. Sedges and rushes.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: West side of the Olympic Peninsula in western Washington; MLRA 4A. Series is of small extent.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Grays Harbor County, Washington, 2007 Quinault Indian Reservation.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Organic soil materials from 0 to 23 inches
0 to 4 inches fibric material
4 to 8 inches sapric material
8 to 13 inches hemic material
13 to 23 inches sapric material
The pedon was saturated throughout the profile when described. Observations could not be made below 48 inches.

ADDITIONAL DATA: NSSL pedon characterization S04WA-027-009.

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.