LOCATION KILOHANA                HI

Established Series
Revised CDJ
05/2012

KILOHANA SERIES

The Kilohana series consists of very deep, well drained soils formed in deep volcanic ash. Slopes range from 10 to 40 percent. The mean annual rainfall is about 500 millimeters (20 inches), and the mean annual air temperature is about 16 degrees C (60 degrees F).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Medial over sandy or sandy-skeletal, amorphic over mixed, isothermic Typic Durustands

TYPICAL PEDON: Kilohana medial very fine sandy loam grassland, on a 15 percent slope at an elevation of 1,750 meters (5,740 feet). (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted. When described on 9/1/05 the soil was dry throughout. All textures are "apparent field textures". pH was determined by meter in 1:1 water method.)

A--0 to 12 centimeters (0 to 5 inches); very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) medial very fine sandy loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky, slightly plastic; weakly smeary, slight dilatency, slightly hydrophobic; common fine roots throughout and common very fine roots throughout; few very fine irregular pores; slightly acid (pH 6.3); clear smooth boundary. (10 to 20 centimeters (4 to 8 inches) thick)

Bw1--12 to 27 centimeters (5 to 11 inches); dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) medial fine sandy loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; weak fine subangular blocky and weak medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky, slightly plastic; nonsmeary; common very fine roots throughout; few very fine irregular pores; 5 percent subrounded weakly cemented 2 to 30 millimeter welded tuff fragments, slight dilatency; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); gradual smooth boundary. (10 to 35 centimeters (4 to 14 inches) thick)

Bw2--27 to 35 centimeters (11 to 14 inches); litho chromic dark brown (10YR 3/3) ashy loamy sand, litho chromic very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; weak fine subangular blocky and weak medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; nonsmeary; common very fine roots throughout; few very fine irregular pores; slight dilatency; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 25 centimeters (0 to 10 inches) thick)

BC1--35 to 46 centimeters (14 to 18 inches); litho chromic very dark gray (10YR 3/1) loamy coarse sand, litho chromic black (10YR 2/1) moist; massive; weakly cemented, nonsticky, nonplastic; nonsmeary; few very fine roots in cracks; about 5 cracks per horizontal decimeter; strongly alkaline (pH 8.8); very abrupt smooth boundary. NOTE: intergrainal pores are open; horizon contributes to AWC (0 to 15 centimeters (0 to 6 inches) thick)

Bw3--46 to 49 centimeters (18 to 19 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) ashy sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; nonsmeary; common very fine roots throughout; slight dilatency; strongly alkaline (pH 8.8); very abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 20 centimeters (0 to 8 inches) thick)

BC2--49 to 185 centimeters (19 to 73 inches); 70 percent yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) stratified ashy loamy sand to ashy very fine sandy loam, 70 percent dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist; massive; non-cemented to moderately cemented, nonsticky, nonplastic; weakly smeary; few very fine roots throughout; no cracks; strongly alkaline (pH 8.6); gradual smooth boundary. NOTE: intergrainal pores are open; horizon contributes to AWC (0 to 100 centimeters (0 to 40 inches) thick)

C--185 to 198 centimeters (73 to 78 inches); 70 percent brown (10YR 5/3) stratified loamy sand to very fine sandy loam, 70 percent dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; massive; weakly cemented, nonsticky, nonplastic; nonsmeary; strongly alkaline (pH 9.0) NOTE: intergrainal pores are open; horizon contributes to AWC.

TYPE LOCATION: Island of Hawaii; drive 1.25 miles south of Kilohana Girl Scout Camp on old saddle road to an unsurfaced 2 track road. Proceed straight upslope (north) on 2 track road about 200 meters. Pit is located 10 meters west of 2 track road. Keamuku Quadrangle (latitude 19 degrees, 47 minutes, 60 seconds North and longitude 155 degrees, 37 minutes, 40 seconds West. Old Hawaiian Datum. Measured with handheld GPS unit.)

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Depth to bedrock: Deeper than 152 centimeters (60 inches).
Depth to top of weakly cemented sandy ash: 12 to 75 centimeters (5 to 30 inches).
Rock fragments: 0 to 5 percent total volume for the soil, any rock fragments are typically concentrated in the deepest horizon or near the surface.
Soil Reaction: pH 6.1 to 9.0.
Soil moisture: The soil is typically dry but periodic wetting of the control section occurs throughout the year.

A horizon
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y.
Value: 2 or 3 moist.
Chroma: 1 through 3 moist.
Texture: Medial very fine sandy loam or medial fine sandy loam.

Bw horizon when present
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y.
Value: 2 or 3 moist.
Chroma: 2 or 3 moist.
Texture: Medial very fine sandy loam, medial fine sandy loam, or ashy loamy sand.

BC and C horizons
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y.
Value: 2 through 4 moist.
Chroma: 2 or 3 moist.
Texture: weakly cemented ashy, or not ashy, very fine sandy loam, fine sandy loam, sandy loam, loamy sand or loamy coarse sand.

COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Kilohana soils are on ash plains and ash cones of Mauna Kea at elevations of 1,280 to 1,768 meters (4,200 to 5,800 feet). Slopes range from 10 to 40 percent. Median annual rainfall: 400 to 650 millimeters (16 to 25 inches). The mean annual air temperature is 15 to 17 degrees C (59 to 63 degrees F).

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Waimea and Kemole soils. Waimea soils do not have a weakly cemented sandy subsoil and Kemole soils have greater than 35 percent rock content.

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

USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for livestock grazing, wildlife habitat, and recreation. Vegetation is often mamane (Sophora chrysopylla), naio (Myporum sandwicense), hardstem lovegrass (Eragrostis atropioides), and kikuyugrass (Pennisetum clandestinum).

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: These soils occur on the slopes of Mauna Kea; MLRA 160. The series is of small extent.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Soil Survey, Territory of Hawaii, 1955.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features (9th edition keys to soil taxonomy) recognized in this pedon are:
Ustic soil moisture regime
Isothermic soil temperature regime
Andic soil properties - from the surface to 35 centimeters and from 46 centimeters to 185 centimeters.
Ochric epipedon - from 0 to 18 centimeters (A and Bw1 horizons).
Cambic horizon - from 18 to 185 centimeters (Bw and BC horizons).
Cemented horizon - in Durustands criteria - from 35 to 46 centimeters and from 49 to 185 centimeters.

Updated 2006 by C.J. includes a change in pedon, type location, classification, range of characteristics, geographic setting etc.

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.