LOCATION NANAIA                  HI

Tentative Series
MRK-RTG
02/2012

NANAIA SERIES

The Nanaia series consists of very shallow, well drained soils that formed in basic volcanic ash over pahoehoe lava. Slopes range from 2 to 20 percent. The mean annual rainfall is about 1140 millimeters (45 inches), and the mean annual air temperature is about 21 degrees C. (69 degrees F.)

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Medial, amorphic, isothermic Lithic Haplustands

TYPICAL PEDON: Nanaia gravelly medial silt loam, on a west facing, slightly concave, 2 percent slope under grasses at an elevation of 640 meters (2100 feet). (Colors are for moist soils unless otherwise noted. All textures are "apparent field textures". pH measured with electrode in 1:1 water. When described on July 1, 1993, the soil was moist throughout.)

A--0 to 5 centimeters (0 to 2 inches); black (10YR 2/1) gravelly medial silt loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) dry; moderate fine granular structure; friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine roots; 15 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.4); clear wavy boundary. (3 to 10 centimeters {1 to 4 inches} thick)

Bw--5 to 15 centimeters (2 to 6 inches); very dark gray (10YR 3/1) medial silt loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) dry; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine roots; neutral (pH 6.8); abrupt wavy boundary. (2 to 20 centimeters {1 to 8 inches} thick)

2R--15 centimeters (6 inches); hard, massive pahoehoe lava.

TYPE LOCATION: Island of Hawaii, Hawaii County, Hawaii; about 1 mile west of Kahuku Ranch headquarters and 15 meters (50 feet) north of old highway; 152 meters (500 feet) east of bench mark 2097. Kahuku Quadrangle; lat. 19 degrees 4 minutes 8 seconds N. and long. 155 degrees 42 minutes 14 seconds W. (Old Hawaiian Datum)

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Depth to bedrock: 5 to 25 centimeters (2 to 10 inches).
Mean annual soil temperature: 19 to 22 degrees C. (67 to 72 degrees F.)
Rock fragments: 15 to 35 percent by volume of the pedon and range in size from gravel to cobbles.

A horizon
Value: 2 or 3 moist or dry.
Chroma: 1 or 2 moist or dry.
Texture: Gravelly or cobbly medial silt loam or loam.
Wet consistence: Nonsticky or slightly sticky, and nonplastic or slightly plastic.
Soil reaction: Slightly acid or neutral (pH 6.1 to 7.3).

Bw horizon
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR.
Value: 2 or 3 moist, 3 or 4 dry.
Chroma: 1 or 2 moist, 2 or 3 dry.
Texture: Medial silt loam or gravelly medial silt loam.
Wet consistence: Nonsticky or slightly sticky, and nonplastic or slightly plastic.

COMPETING SERIES: This is the Kahaumanu series. Kahaumanu soils are moist in the control section from January through July and have a lithic contact at 25 to 50 centimeters (10 to 20 inches). Ahiu series is similar. Ahiu soils are ashy and have an ochric epipedon.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Nanaia soils are on south slopes on the undissected upland and southwest rift of mid elevation, windward slopes of Mauna Loa Volcano at elevations from 305 to 1067 meters (1000 to 3500 feet). These soils are in depressions of constructional landscapes consisting of nearly level to moderately steep pahoehoe lava flows that are 1,500 to 3,000 years old. Slope gradients range from 2 to 20 percent. The soils formed in basic volcanic ash over pahoehoe lava. The mean annual rainfall ranges from 760 to 1520 millimeters (30 to 60 inches), with most of the rainfall occurring from October through April. The mean annual pan evaporation ranges from 1520 to 2030 millimeters (60 to 80 inches). The mean annual air temperature ranges from 19 to 22 degrees C. (67 to 72 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 Kamaoa, Kapulehu, Keaa, and Kiolakaa series. Kamaoa soils are very deep. Kapulehu and Kiolakaa soils are medial-skeletal. Keaa soils are medial-skeletal and have a lithic contact between 25 to 50 centimeters (10 to 20 inches).

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. Runoff is negligible in depressions on gentle slopes and high to very high on steeper slopes. Permeability is moderately rapid in the soil and very slow in the underlying bedrock.

USE AND VEGETATION: Used for wildlife habitat and grazing. The natural vegetation is barbwiregrass (Cymbopogon refractus) and lantana (Lantana camara).

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Kau District, Island of Hawaii; MLRA 157 and 161. The series is of small extent.

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

SERIES PROPOSED: Island of Hawaii, Hawaii County, Hawaii 1993. Name is from Puu Nanaia in Kahuku area of Kau.

REMARKS: Soil moisture - usually moist, but dry in some or all parts for short intermittent periods totaling 90 or more days (Ustic moisture regime).
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon include:
Mollic epipedon - from 0 to 15 centimeters (0 to 6 inches) (A and Bw horizons).
Lithic contact - at 15 centimeters (6 inches) (2R horizon).
Andic properties - from 0 to 15 centimeters (0 to 6 inches) (A and Bw horizons).

ADDITIONAL DATA: NASIS User Pedon ID 01HI601018.

Edit Log: 2/08 MRK. Minor edits and andic textural modifiers added.
12/03 SN. Added source of Nanaia name, plus minor edits.
5/00 SN. This soil is renamed Nanaia; changed from Kahuku, which is an inactive soil previously mapped (1955) in Kahuku area of Oahu.

---

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.