LOCATION MENEHUNE                HI

Established Series
Rev. KH-RTG
06/2012

MENEHUNE SERIES

The Menehune series consists of shallow and very shallow, well drained soils formed in volcanic ash deposited over pahoehoe lava. Slopes range from 2 to 20 percent. The mean annual rainfall is about 1,295 millimeters (51 inches), and the mean annual air temperature is about 13 degrees C. (55 degrees F.).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Medial, amorphic, isomesic Lithic Hapludands

TYPICAL PEDON: Menehune medial sandy loam, 12 percent slope, under scattered ohia trees and shrubs at an elevation of 1,600 meters (5,260 feet). (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted. When described on 5/20/99 the soil was slightly moist throughout the subsoil. The soil temperature was 19 degrees C. (66 degrees F.) at a depth of 25 centimeters (10 inches). All textures are "apparent field textures". pH was determined by adjusting field organic dye values via regression to approximate pH in 1:1 water.)

Oa--0 to 5 centimeters (0 to 2 inches); dark reddish brown (5YR 2.5/2) highly decomposed plant material; strong medium platy structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine and fine, and few medium and coarse roots growing horizontally at the bottom of the horizon; many very fine and fine interstitial pores; 2 percent strands of Pele's hair; very strongly acid (pH 4.6); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 5 centimeters (0 to 2 inches) thick)

C--5 to 6 centimeters (2 to 2.5 inches); lithochromic very dark brown (10YR 2/2) medial sandy loam; strong thin platy structure; moderately hard, firm, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine interstitial pores; strongly acid (pH 5.4); abrupt wavy boundary. (0 to 1 centimeters (0 to 0.5 inches) thick)

2A--6 to 7 centimeters (2.5 to 3 inches); very dark brown (7.5YR 2.5/2) medial loam; weak thin platy structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine and fine, and few medium and coarse roots; many very fine and fine interstitial pores; strongly acid (pH 5.2); abrupt wavy boundary. (0 to 5 centimeters (0 to 2 inches) thick)

2C1--7 to 13 centimeters (3 to 5 inches); stratified deposits of lithochromic very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) medial loamy very fine sand; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine and fine roots; many very fine and fine interstitial pores; neutral (pH 6.6); abrupt wavy boundary. (5 to 10 centimeters (2 to 4 inches) thick)

2C2--13 to 17 centimeters (5 to 7 inches); stratified deposits of lithochromic dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) medial loam; weak very thin platy structure; moderately hard, firm, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and fine roots between peds; common very fine and fine interstitial pores; neutral (pH 6.6); clear wavy boundary. (5 to 10 centimeters (2 to 4 inches) thick)

2C3--17 to 18 centimeters (7 to 7.5 inches); stratified deposits of lithochromic 50 percent very dark brown (7.5YR 2.5/2) and 50 percent very dark brown (10YR 2/2) medial loamy sand; massive; moderately hard, firm, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine and fine roots; many very fine and fine interstitial pores; neutral (pH 7.2); abrupt broken boundary. (0 to 1 centimeters (0 to 0.5 inches) thick)

2C4--18 to 20 centimeters (7.5 to 8 inches); stratified deposits of lithochromic very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) medial loamy very fine sand; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine and fine roots; many very fine and fine interstitial pores; neutral (pH 7.2); abrupt broken boundary. (0 to 2 centimeters (0 to 1 inch) thick)

2C5--20 to 36 centimeters (8 to 14 inches); lithochromic 25 percent black (N 2/0) and 40 percent very dark brown (10YR 2/2) and 35 percent very dark brown (7.5YR 2.5/2) medial loamy fine sand and medial fine sand; weak thin platy structure; moderately hard, firm, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine and fine roots growing horizontally between plates; many very fine and fine interstitial pores between plates; slightly alkaline (pH 7.5); abrupt broken boundary. (0 to 16 centimeters (0 to 6 inches) thick)

3R--36 centimeters (14 inches); hard pahoehoe bedrock.

TYPE LOCATION: Hawaii Volcanoes National Park; from State Hwy. 11, drive 4.3 miles north on Mauna Loa Strip Road; turn south-southwest (left) through locked gate on to power line road and continue about 1.5 miles to ranch road; turn west (right) through locked gate onto ranch road that parallels Hawaii Volcanoes National Park fence; drive to end of road; walk along fence to round cemented-in pole of old fence angling off from newer fence; follow 250 degree magnetic heading for 39 meters (125 feet) to type location; Kilauea Crater Quadrangle; lat. 19 degrees 27 minutes, 06.6 seconds N. and long. 155 degrees 23 minutes 07 seconds W. (Old Hawaiian Datum measured by GPS/PLGR, 310 feet).

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Depth to bedrock: 5 to 38 centimeters (2 to 15 inches).
Mean annual soil temperature: 12 to 15 degrees C. (53 to 59 degrees F.).
Rock fragments: Ranges from 0 to 35 percent.
Soil Reaction: Strongly acid to slightly acid.

2A horizon
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR.
Value: 2 or 3 moist.
Chroma: 1 or 2 moist.
Texture: Medial sandy loam, medial loam, or medial silt loam.
Structure: Platy, subangular blocky, or granular.

2C horizons
Hue: 5YR to 10YR.
Value: 2 to 4 moist.
Chroma: 2 to 6 moist.
Texture: Medial loam, medial sandy loam, or medial fine sand.
Structure: Massive or platy.

COMPETING SERIES: This is the Kaholimo series. The Kaholimo soils have Bw horizons and do not have lithochromic colors.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Menehune soils are on Kilauea pahoehoe flows less than 750 years old at elevations of 1,219 to 2,135 meters (4,000 to 7,000 feet). Slopes range from 2 to 20 percent; micro-slopes range from 20 to 35 percent. The mean annual rainfall is 1,270 to 1,524 millimeters (50 to 60 inches), with about 75 percent of the rainfall occurring between October and April. The mean annual pan evaporation is 1,270 to 1,524 millimeters (50 to 60 inches). The mean annual air temperature is 10 to 14 degrees C. (50 to 57 degrees F.).

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Kulalio, Oneula, and Puiwa soils. Kulalio and Oneula soils are skeletal and overlie `a`a lava. Puiwa soils are 50 to 100 centimeters (20 to 40 inches) deep.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. Runoff is high. Permeability is rapid in the soil and very slow in the underlying pahoehoe bedrock.

USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for National Park Service land. Vegetation is aalii (Dodonaea viscosa), ohia lehua (Metrosideros polymorpha), pukiawe (Styphelia tameiameiae), uki (Machaerina angustifolia), and grasses.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: These soils occur within Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and neighboring ranches; MLRA 160. The series is of small extent.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Island of Hawaii, Hawaii County, Hawaii, 2012. Proposed 1998. The name is coined.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Andic soil properties - from 5 to 36 cm (2 to 14 inches)
Ochric epipedon - from 5 to 7cm (2 to 3 inches)
Sapric soil materials - from 0 to 5cm (0 to 2 inches)
Lithic contact - at 36 centimeters (14 inches).
Soil temperature - mean summer and mean winter soil temperatures differ by less than 6 degrees C. (iso temperature regime).
Soil moisture - not dry in some or all parts for 90 days or more in most years (Udic moisture regime).

ADDITIONAL DATA: NASIS User Pedon ID 04HAVO023.
Penetrometer measurements made by inserting penetrometer horizontally into "in situ" soil:
C horizon = 1.5 to 2 tons/square foot
2C1 horizon = 2 to 2.5 tons/square foot
2C2 horizon = 4 to 4.5 tons/square foot
2C4 horizon > 4.5 tons/square foot

Edit Log: 8/09 AMS. Changed muck to highly decomposed plant material.
12/03 KH. Added "medial" modifier to textures.
3/01 KH. Minimum elevation changed from 5,000 to 4,000.

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.