LOCATION KEMOLE HI

Established Series
Rev. CJ/MRK
05/2012

KEMOLE SERIES

The Kemole series consists of deep, well drained soils that formed in basic volcanic ash in `a`a lava. Slopes range from 6 to 20 percent. The mean annual rainfall is about 762 millimeters (30 inches) and the mean annual temperature is about 16 degrees C (60 degrees F).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Medial-skeletal, amorphic, isothermic Pachic Haplustands

TYPICAL PEDON: Kemole extremely stony mucky medial very fine sandy loam, on a west facing, 10 percent slope, in open forest, at an elevation of 6550 feet (1996 meters). When described the soil was dry throughout. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted).

A/2C1--0 to 10 centimeters, (0 to 4 inches); dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) broken face extremely stony mucky medial very fine sandy loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) broken face moist; weak medium granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky, moderately plastic; weakly smeary; common very fine roots throughout; common very fine irregular pores; moderately hydrophobic when dry, 5 percent subangular very strongly cemented 2 to 75 millimeter basalt fragments and 10 percent subangular very strongly cemented 75 to 250 millimeter basalt fragments and 50 percent subangular very strongly cemented 250 to 610 millimeter basalt fragments; slightly acid(pH 6.5); the 2C part of this horizon consists of unconsolidated `a`a lava fragments of variable size; abrupt broken boundary. (4 to 6 inches/10 to 15 centimeters thick)

Bw1/2C2--10 to 16 centimeters, (4 to 6 inches); brown (7.5YR 5/4) broken face extremely stony medial very fine sandy loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) broken face moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky, slightly plastic; weakly smeary; common very fine roots throughout; common very fine irregular pores; 5 percent subangular very strongly cemented 2 to 75 millimeter basalt fragments and 10 percent subangular very strongly cemented 75 to 250 millimeter basalt fragments and 50 percent subangular very strongly cemented 250 to 610 millimeter basalt fragments; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); the 2C part of this horizon consists of unconsolidated `a`a lava fragments of variable size; abrupt broken boundary. (2 to 4 inches/6 to 10 centimeters thick)

2C3/Bw2--16 to 28 centimeters, (6 to 11 inches); very dark brown (7.5YR 2.5/2) broken face extremely stony medial very fine sandy loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) broken face moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky, slightly plastic; weakly smeary; many very fine roots throughout; common very fine irregular pores; 10 percent subangular very strongly cemented 75 to 250 millimeter basalt fragments and 10 percent subangular very strongly cemented 2 to 75 millimeter basalt fragments and 50 percent subangular very strongly cemented 250 to 610 millimeter basalt fragments; slightly alkaline (pH 7.5); the 2C part of this horizon consists of unconsolidated `a`a lava fragments of variable size; clear wavy boundary. (4 to 6 inches/10 to 15 centimeters thick)

2C4/Bw3--28 to 36 centimeters, (11 to 14 inches); very dark brown (7.5YR 2.5/2) broken face extremely stony medial very fine sandy loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) broken face moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky, slightly plastic; weakly smeary; many very fine roots throughout; common very fine irregular pores; 15 percent subangular very strongly cemented 75 to 250 millimeter basalt fragments and 15 percent subangular very strongly cemented 2 to 75 millimeter basalt fragments and 50 percent subangular very strongly cemented 250 to 610 millimeter basalt fragments; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); the 2C part of this horizon consists of unconsolidated `a`a lava fragments of variable size; clear wavy boundary. (2 to 4 inches/5 to 10 centimeters thick)

2C5/Bw4--36 to 56 centimeters, (14 to 22 inches); very dark brown (7.5YR 2.5/2) broken face extremely stony medial sandy loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) broken face moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky, slightly plastic; nonsmeary; many very fine roots throughout; common very fine irregular pores; 20 percent subangular very strongly cemented 75 to 250 millimeter basalt fragments and 20 percent subangular very strongly cemented 2 to 75 millimeter basalt fragments and 40 percent subangular very strongly cemented 250 to 610 millimeter basalt fragments; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); the 2C part of this horizon consists of unconsolidated `a`a lava fragments of variable size; clear wavy boundary. (6 to 10 inches/15 to 25 centimeters thick)

2C6--56 to 111 centimeters, (22 to 44 inches); lithochromic dark brown(7.5YR 3/4) extremely stony loamy coarse sand, very dark brown(7.5YR 2.5/2) moist; single grain; loose, loose, nonsticky, nonplastic; nonsmeary; few fine roots throughout; common fine interstitial pores; 25 percent subangular very strongly cemented 75 to 250 millimeter basalt fragments and 25 percent subangular very strongly cemented 2 to 75 millimeter basalt fragments and 45 percent subangular very strongly cemented 250 to 610 millimeter basalt fragments; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2);gradual wavy boundary. (20 to 25 inches/50 to 64 centimeters thick)

2C7--111 to 149 centimeters, (44 to 59 inches); lithochromic dark brown(7.5YR 3/4) extremely stony loamy coarse sand, very dark brown(7.5YR 2.5/2) moist; single grain; loose, loose, nonsticky, nonplastic; nonsmeary; common fine interstitial pores; 25 percent subangular very strongly cemented 75 to 250 millimeter basalt fragments and 25 percent subangular very strongly cemented 2 to 75 millimeter basalt fragments and 45 percent subangular very strongly cemented 250 to 610 millimeter basalt fragments; moderately alkaline (pH 8.1); (12 to 15 inches/30 to 38 centimeters thick)

TYPE LOCATION: Hawaii County, Hawaii; from Old Saddle Road, drive about 2 miles up the main Kilohana hunter road. Pit is located 50 meters makai of road. 19 degrees, 49 minutes, 29 seconds North latitude and 155 degrees, 36 minutes, 45 seconds West longitude, Old Hawaiian Datum- U.S.G.S Quad: Ahumoa,Hawaii.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Depth to bedrock: 102 to 152 centimeters (40 to 60 inches)
Mean annual soil temperature: 17 to 22 degrees C (59 to 64 degrees F).
Coarse fragments: 50 to 90 percent of the pedon.
Soil can be hydrophobic when dry
A/2C horizon
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 2 or 3 moist or dry
Chroma: 1 or 2 moist or dry
Texture: Extremely or very, stony or cobbly, mucky medial very fine sandy loam and mucky medial silt loam
Structure: Weak to strong, fine and medium granular
Consistence: nonsticky to slightly sticky and nonplastic to moderately plastic
Smeariness: nonsmeary to weakly smeary

Bw/2C horizon when present
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 3 to 5 dry and 2 to 4 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4 moist or dry
Texture: Extremely or very, stony or cobbly, medial very fine sandy loam and medial fine sandy loam
Consistence: nonplastic to slightly plastic
Smeariness: nonsmeary to weakly smeary

2C/Bw horizon
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 2 or 3 moist or dry
Chroma: 1 to 3 moist or dry
Texture: Extremely stony or cobbly medial very fine sandy loam and medial fine sandy loam
Consistence: nonplastic to slightly plastic
Smeariness: nonsmeary to weakly smeary

COMPETING SERIES: This is the Akahipuu series. Akahipuu soils are moderately deep to bedrock and formed on landscapes 3,000 to 10,000 years old.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Kemole soils are on mid elevation, leeward slopes of Mauna Kea and Kohala volcanoes at elevations from 610 to 2134 meters (2000 to 7000 feet). These soils are on all hillslope positions of nearly level to moderately steep `a`a lava flows that are greater than 65,000 years old. Slope gradients range from 6 to 20 percent. The soils formed in basic volcanic ash in `a`a lava. The mean annual rainfall ranges from 510 to 1270 millimeters (20 to 50 inches), with most of the rainfall occurring from October through April. The mean annual pan evaporation ranges from 1780 to 2030 millimeters (70 to 80 inches). The mean annual air temperature ranges from 14 to 19 degrees C (57 to 66 degrees F). The mean summer soil temperature and the mean winter soil temperature differ by less than 6 degrees C (11 degrees F).

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Puu Pa, Kamakoa, Kilohana, Waikaloa and Waimea series. Puu Pa soils and Waikaloa have carbonates. Kamakoa, Kilohana and Waimea soils are not skeletal.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. Runoff is low. Permeability is rapid.

USE AND VEGETATION: Used for livestock grazing. Natural vegetation is kikuyugrass (Pennisetum clandestinum), bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon), cactus (Opuntia megacantha), Mamane (Sophora chrysophylla), Naio (Myoporum sandwicense), fireweed (Senecio madagascariensis), and mountain dandelion (Taraxacum vulgare).

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: South Kohala District, Island of Hawaii; MLRA 160. The soils are of moderate extent.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California.

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Island of Hawaii, Hawaii County, Hawaii, 2012. Proposed 2005.

REMARKS: Soil moisture - dry in some or all parts for short intermittent periods totaling 90 or more days during the months of April through October in most years (Ustic moisture regime). Pachic classification is based on the discontinuous nature of the Bw1/2C2 horizon
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - from 0 to 56 centimeters (0 to 22 inches).
Andic soil properties - from 0 to 56 centimeters (0 to 22 inches).
Lithologic Discontinuity - 56 centimeters (22 inches).

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.