LOCATION MARLIC WA
Established Series
Rev. BJG/HRG/KWH
11/2010
MARLIC SERIES
The Marlic series consists of shallow, well drained soils formed in loess, slope alluvium and residuum from basalt on dissected plateaus. Slopes are 3 to 15 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 10 inches, and the mean annual temperature is about 49 degrees F.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Aridic Lithic Argixerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Marlic loam - rangeland on a 4 percent southwest-facing slope at 2,680 feet elevation. (When described on October 25, 1993, the soil was dry throughout. Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
A--0 to 2 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak fine and medium granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and common medium roots; few very fine and fine tubular pores; 5 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.2); clear wavy boundary. (2 to 4 inches thick)
BA--2 to 6 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate medium blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and common medium roots; few very fine interstitial and tubular pores; 5 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.2); clear wavy boundary. (2 to 4 inches thick)
Bt1--6 to 12 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) clay loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; strong fine and medium prismatic structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine roots; common fine and medium interstitial and tubular pores; common distinct clay films lining pores and on faces of peds; 5 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.2); abrupt wavy boundary. (4 to 8 inches thick)
2Bt2--12 to 15 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) clay loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; strong fine and medium prismatic structure; very hard, firm, sticky and plastic; common very fine roots; common fine and medium interstitial and tubular pores; 10 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.2); abrupt irregular boundary. (2 to 4 inches thick)
3R--15 inches; fractured basalt with silica coatings over 30 percent of the surface area.
TYPE LOCATION: Kittitas County, Washington; about 10 miles west of Vantage, WA, about 1,400 feet east and 1,700 feet south of the northwest corner of section 33, T. 17 N., R. 21 E.; USGS Boyleston topographic quadrangle; lat. 46 degrees, 55 minutes, 24 seconds N. and long. 120 degrees, 12 minutes, 43 seconds W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The average annual soil temperature at the lithic contact is 47 to 54 degrees F. These soils are dry in the moisture control section more than half of the time when the soil temperature at the lithic contact is above 40 degrees F. The particle-size control section averages 27 to 35 percent clay in the fine earth fraction and 5 to 20 percent rock fragments by volume. Organic matter is estimated to range from 1 to 3 percent. Depth to a lithic contact ranges from 12 to 20 inches. Reaction is neutral or slightly alkaline.
The A horizon has value of 4 or 5 dry and chroma of 2 or 3, dry or moist.
The BA horizon has value of 4 or 5 dry and chroma of 2 or 3, dry or moist.
The Bt and 2Bt horizons have value of 4 or 5 dry or moist, and chroma of 2 or 3, dry or moist. The 2Bt is clay loam or gravelly clay loam with 35 to 40 percent clay. They have moderate fine or medium prismatic or subangular blocky structure.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the
Adinot,
Borland,
Cooperopolis,
Jilson,
Laric,
Malinda,
Libertybutte (T),
Mcquarrie,
Pass Canyon,
Terca, and Yertneg (T) series. Adinot soils are moderately well drained and are dry in all parts from early June to early November and are moist in all parts from mid-December to early
May. Borland, Jilson, Laric, Malinda, McQuarrie, Pass Canyon and Terca soils lack a discontinuity with more than 35 percent clay in the lower part of the argillic horizon. Cooperopolis soils have a surface A horizon with 5 to 20 percent volcanic glass and 0.2 to 0.5 percent acid oxalate extractable Al plus
Fe, and also have a 2Bk horizon at a depth of 10 inches or more. Libertybutte soils are dominated by rock fragments of metasedimentary origin and lack a 2Bt horizon. Yertneg soils have a xeric soil moisture regime.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Marlic soils are on ridgetops and structural benches and have slopes of 3 to 15 percent. These soils formed in loess and slope alluvium over residuum weathered from basalt. Elevations are 1,800 to 2,700 feet. The mean annual precipitation is 9 to 12 inches. These soils are in a semiarid climate with warm dry summers and cold moist winters. The average January temperature is about 25 degrees F. the theaverage July temperature is 69 degrees F. The mean annual temperature is about 48 to 50 degrees F. The frost-free season is 130 to 170 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the
Argabak,
Vantage and
Zen soils. Argabak soils are on ridges and benches and contain more than 35 percent coarse fragments in the particle-size control section. Vantage soils are on plateaus and ridgetops and have more than 35 percent clay and 35 percent rock fragments in the particle-size control section. Zen soils are on broad plateaus and are 20 to 40 inches to lithic contact.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained, medium runoff; moderately slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. Native vegetation is Sandberg bluegrass, bluebunch wheatgrass and stiff sagebrush.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Kittitas County, Washington; MLRA 8. Series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Kittitas County, Washington, Yakima Training Center, 1994.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon include:
Mollic epipedon - 0 to 15 inches (A, BA, Bt1 and 2Bt2 horizons)
Argillic horizon - 6 to 15 inches (Bt1 and 2Bt2 horizons)
Lithic Contact - 15 inches
PSCS - 6 to 15 inches (Bt1 and 2Bt2 horizons)
Soil moisture regime - aridic
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.