LOCATION OLETE WAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, isotic, mesic Vitrandic Haploxerepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Olete very gravelly silt loam, forested. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted.)
Oi--0 to 1 inch; leaves, needles and twigs.
Oe--1 to 2 inches; decomposed leaves, needles and twigs.
A1--2 to 5 inches; dark reddish brown (2.5YR 3/4) very gravelly silt loam, weak red (2.5YR 5/2) dry; moderate very fine and fine granular structure; hard, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; many fine and medium roots; 55 percent angular gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.1); abrupt wavy boundary. (2 to 6 inches thick)
A2--5 to 20 inches; dusky red (2.5YR 3/2) extremely gravelly silt loam, pale red (2.5YR 6/2) dry; massive; hard, friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; common fine roots; 65 percent angular gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.5); gradual irregular boundary. (10 to 16 inches thick)
Bw--20 to 26 inches; weak red (2.5YR 4/2) extremely gravelly silt loam, pale red (2.5YR 6/2) dry; massive; hard, friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; 80 percent coarse fragments; slightly acid (pH 6.5); clear irregular boundary. (2 to 8 inches thick)
R--26 inches; basalt.
TYPE LOCATION: Jefferson County, Washington; 1/2 mile south of Knapp farm and 1/4 mile west of St. 9E road, on logging road 150 yards southwest of basalt rock quarry; SW1/4 NE1/4 SW1/4 section 19, T.28N., R.1E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature is 47 to 55 degrees F. These soils are usually moist but are dry in all parts between depths of 8 and 24 inches or lithic contact for 60 to 80 consecutive days. The soils are slightly acid or neutral. The solum ranges from 12 to 20 inches thick. Depth to basalt bedrock ranges from 20 to 30 inches. The control section contains 50 to 80 percent coarse fragments.
The B horizon has hue of 2.5YR or 5YR, value and chroma of 2 through 4 moist. It is silt loam or loam and is gravelly or very gravelly. This horizon has weak granular structure, or is massive.
The C horizon has hue of 2.5YR or 5YR, value and chroma of 2 through 4 moist. It is silt loam or loam and is very gravelly or very stony.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Ahl, Alderwood, Brody, Beausite, Cathcart, Dabob, Everett, Hoodsport, Klaus, Sinclair, Whidbey, and Winston series. Ahl soils have sola from 20 to 36 inches thick and have smeary consistence throughout. Brody soils have a mean summer temperature colder than 59 degrees F., with no 0 horizon. Beausite soils have sola 20 to 36 inches thick and have gravelly sandy loam or very gravelly sandy loam control sections. Alderwood, Dabob, Hoodsport, Sinclair, Whidbey, and Winston soils lack a lithic contact within depth of 40 inches. Cathcart soils have sola 24 to 40 inches thick and contain less than 50 percent coarse fragments. Everett soils have 10YR or 7.5YR hue in the control section. Klaus soils have coarse apparent field textures.
GEOGRAPHICAL SETTING: Olete soils are on strongly sloping to steep uplands at elevations of near sea level to about 1,000 feet. They formed in colluvium from basalt. These soils occur in a mild marine climate with cool, dry summers and mild, wet winters. The mean July temperature is 62 degrees F.; the mean January temperature is 38 degrees F.; and the mean annual temperature is 50 degrees F. The mean annual precipitation is about 28 to 32 inches. The mean annual frost free growing season is about 160 to 190 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the competing Ahl, Alderwood, Everett, and Hoodsport soils and the Clallam, Grove and Triton soils. Clallam soils have less than 35 percent coarse fragments in the control section. Grove soils have a spodic horizon and lack a lithic contact. Triton soils have a lithic contact within depth of 20 inches.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; medium to rapid runoff; moderately permeable.
USE AND VEGETATION: Woodland, wildlife, recreation and watershed. Douglas fir, madrona, Oregon grape, and oceanspray are the principal plants.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northwestern Washington. Series is of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Jefferson County, Washington, 1971.
REMARKS: Classification changed 4/94 because of recent amendments to Soil Taxonomy, in addition horizon nomenclature was modified. These soils were formerly classified as Lithosols. The zone from 20 to 26 inches has base saturation (NH4OAC) of 86 percent.
ADDITIONAL DATA: Partial laboratory data available for this pedon; Laboratory sample No. R72110-117.