LOCATION MERKEL WA

Established Series
Rev. ASZ/BDG/RJS
03/2016

MERKEL SERIES

The Merkel series consists of moderately deep (to a densic contact), well drained soils that formed glacial till derived from granitic sources with a mixture of volcanic ash in the upper part. These soils are on hillslopes, mountain slopes and moraines. Slopes are 0 to 65 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 525 mm, and the mean annual air temperature is about 6.1 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, isotic, frigid Vitrandic Dystroxerepts

TYPICAL PEDON: Merkel ashy sandy loam - woodland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)

Oe--0 to 3 cm; moderately decomposed needles, twigs, grass; neutral (pH 6.6).

C--3 to 4 cm; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) ashy sandy loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; massive; soft; neutral (pH 6.6); abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 3 cm thick)

2A--4 to 25 cm; pale brown (10YR 6/3) gravelly ashy sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; many roots; 15 percent gravel and cobbles; neutral (pH 6.7); clear smooth boundary. (10 to 25 cm thick)

2Bw--25 to 46 cm; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) gravelly ashy sandy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; many roots; 15 percent gravel, cobbles, stones; few fine pores; neutral (pH 6.6); abrupt wavy boundary. (15 to 58 cm thick)

3BC--46 to 102 cm; pale brown (10YR 6/3) very cobbly sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; many medium faint dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist redox concentrations; massive; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common roots; common fine pores; 30 percent gravel and 25 percent cobbles and stones; slightly acid (pH 6.5); clear wavy boundary. (15 to 76 cm thick)

3Cd1--102 to 119 cm; light gray (10YR 7/2) very cobbly coarse sandy loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; few medium faint brown (10YR 4/3) moist redox concentrations; massive; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common roots; few fine pores; 30 percent gravel and 25 percent cobbles and stones; slightly acid (pH 6.5); abrupt wavy boundary. (13 to 25 cm thick)

3Cd2--119 to 155 cm; light gray (2.5Y 7/2) extremely cobbly loamy coarse sand, grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) moist; massive; slightly hard, compact, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few roots; 35 percent gravel and 25 percent cobbles and stones; neutral (pH 6.7).

TYPE LOCATION: Ferry County, Washington; 49 meters west of power line and 30 meters north of logging road in the southeast corner sec. 30, T. 37 N., R. 32 E.; Latitude - 48 degrees, 40 minutes, 10.87 seconds North; Longitude - 118 degrees, 48 minutes, 55.06 seconds West; USGS Storm King Mountain Quadrangle.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mean annual soil temperature - 5.6 to 8.3 degrees C.
Depth to a densic contact - 50 to 100 cm
Soil moisture - usually moist but is dry in all parts between depths of 20 to 60 cm for 60 to 90 consecutive days
Particle-size control section - averages 35 to 75 percent semi-rounded rock fragments

Vitrandic feature*
*Thickness - 25 to 76 cm
*Volcanic glass content - 5 to 20 percent
*Acid-oxalate extractable aluminum plus one-half of the acid-oxalate extractable iron - 0.4 to 1.0 percent

C horizon (not present in some pedons)
Value of 5 to 7 dry, 3 to 5 moist
Chroma of 1 or 2 dry or moist
Reaction - 6.1 to 7.3
Note: This is a layer of Mount Saint Helens T or W volcanic ash

2A horizon
Value - 5 to 7 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma - 2 or 3 dry or moist
Clay content - 4 to 8 percent
Rock fragments - 0 to 20 percent gravel, 0 to 20 percent cobbles and 0 to 5 percent stones
Reaction - 6.1 to 7.3

2Bw horizon
Value - 5 to 7 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma - 3 to 5 dry or moist
Textures - ashy sandy loam
Clay content - 4 to 8 percent
Rock fragments - 5 to 25 percent gravel, 0 to 20 percent cobbles and 0 to 5 percent stones
Reaction - 6.1 to 7.3

3BC, 3CB (when present)
Hue - 10YR or 2.5Y
Value - 5 to 7 dry, 3 to 5 moist
Chroma - 2 to 4 dry or moist
Textures - sandy loam or coarse sandy loam
Clay content - 1 to 5
Rock fragments - 20 to 45 percent gravel, 5 to 25 percent cobbles, and 5 to 10 percent stones
Reaction - 5.6 to 7.3

3Cd1, 3Cd2 horizons
Hue - 10YR or 2.5Y
Value - 6 or 7 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma - 2 to 4 dry or moist
Textures - sandy loam, coarse sandy loam in the upper part; sandy loam, coarse sandy loam, loamy sand, loamy coarse sand in the lower part
Clay content - 1 to 15 percent
Rock fragments - 20 to 45 percent gravel, 5 to 25 percent cobbles and 5 to 10 percent stones
Reaction - 5.6 to 7.3

COMPETING SERIES:
Roop (CA) - are moderately deep to a lithic contact

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform - hillslopes, mountain slopes, moraines
Elevation - 760 to 1,585 meters
Slope - 0 to 65 percent
Parent material - formed glacial till derived from granitic sources with a mixture of volcanic ash in the upper part
Mean annual precipitation - 425 to 900 mm
Climate - warm, dry summers and cool, moist winters
Mean annual air temperature - 4.0 to 8.0 degrees C.
Frost-free period - 90 to 120 days

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Elbowlake, Goddard, Nevine, Newbell, Talls, and Torboy soils. Elbowlake and Nevine soils have a mantle of volcanic ash more than 14 inches (36 cm) thick with a bulk density of 0.65 to 0.85 g/cc. Nevine soils are on moraines, foothills and mountains. Goddard soils are sandy-skeletal and are on outwash terraces and terrace escarpments. Newbell soils have a mantle of volcanic ash 18 to 36 cm thick with a bulk density of 0.65 to 0.85 g/cc and are dry for 45 to 60 consecutive days. Elbowlake and Newbell soils are on mountain backslopes, footslopes, and toeslopes. Talls soils are more than 18 percent clay in the lower part of the particle-size control section and are on hills and mountains. Torboy soils are sandy and are on terraces and terrace escarpments.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Well drained; high over moderately low saturated hydraulic conductivity.

USE AND VEGETATION: Used for timber production, grazing, wildlife habitat and watershed. Native plants are Douglas-fir, western larch, ponderosa pine, lodgepole pine, kinnikinnick, elk sedge, common snowberry, and pinegrass.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northeastern Washington. Merkel series is extensive, about 130,000 acres. MLRA 6, 43A.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Ferry County, Washington, 1971.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in the pedon:
Ochric epipedon - from 0 to 25 cm (Oe, C, 2A horizons)
Cambic horizon - from 25 to 46 cm (2Bw horizon)
Vitrandic feature - from 3 to 46 cm (C, 2A, 2Bw horizon)
Particle size control section - from 28 to 103 cm (part of 2Bw, 3BC, part of 3Cd1 horizons)

Martella soils have a frigid temperature regime and a xeric moisture regime.

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.