LOCATION SCHLOMER           WA
Established Series
Rev. EAB/TLA
07/1999

SCHLOMER SERIES


The Schlomer series consists of well drained soils that are moderately deep to laminated, soft siltstone and shale. They formed in loess over semi-consolidated siltstone and shale. These soils are on terraces. Slopes range from 0 to 35 percent. Average annual precipitation is about 8 inches and average annual temperature is about 51 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-silty, mixed, superactive, mesic Xeric Haplocambids

TYPICAL PEDON: Schlomer silt loam - irrigated cropland(corn), on a 0 percent slope at an elevation of 845 feet. (colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)

Ap1--0 to 4 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) silt loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine roots; many fine tubular pores; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear smooth boundary. (4 to 6 inches thick)

Ap2--4 to 16 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) silt loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate coarse prismatic structure; soft, friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; common very fine roots; many fine tubular pores; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 12 inches thick)

Bw--16 to 22 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) silt loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate coarse prismatic structure; soft, friable, nonsticky and moderately plastic; few very fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); clear wavy boundary. (5 to 13 inches thick)

2Bk--22 to 34 inches; pale yellow (2.5Y 8/4) silty clay loam, light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; lime is disseminated and also segregated in seams; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); gradual smooth boundary. (4 to 14 inches thick)

2Cr--34 to 44 inches; pale yellow (2.5Y 8/2) semi-consolidated siltstone.

TYPE LOCATION: Franklin County, Washington; about 4 miles southwest of Basin City; 750 feet west and 750 feet north of the southeast corner of section 4, T. 12 N., R. 29 E., W.M.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Mean annual soil temperature ranges from 50 to 55 degrees F. These soils are continuously dry in all parts between 4 and 12 inches from about May 1 to October 1, unless irrigated. Depth to siltstone or shale ranges from 20 to 40 inches. Depth to secondary lime ranges from 15 to 26 inches. Rock fragments range from none to a trace in the control section.

The Ap1 horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 5 or 6 dry, 3 through 5 moist, and chroma of 2 or 3 dry or moist. It has strong or moderate platy or granular structure.

The Ap2 horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 5 or 6 dry, 3 through 5 moist. It is silt loam or very fine sandy loam. It has weak to moderate coarse platy or prismatic structure.

The Bw horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y with value of 5 or 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist. It is silt loam or very fine sandy loam. It has weak to moderate prismatic or subangular blocky structure.

The 2Bk horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y with value of 7 or 8 dry and 5 or 6 moist with chroma of 2 through 4 dry and moist. It is silty clay loam or silty clay. Structure is angular or subangular blocky. Reaction is slightly or moderately alkaline.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Chuffa (T), Luce, McLoughlin, Ottmar, and Tulch soils. Chuffa soils are effervescent throughout. Luce soils are calcareous throughout and have a 2 to 6 inch layer that is weakly cemented. McLoughlin soils are moderately to strongly saline-alkaline throughout. Ottmar soils are more than 40 inches to the siltstone or shale. Tulch soils are very deep.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Schlomer soils occur on terraces at elevations of 750 to 1,000 feet. Slopes range from 0 to 35 percent. They formed in loess mixed with alluvium in the A and Bw horizon and in residuum and alluvium derived from the Ringold Formation in the Bk horizon. These soils overlay soft siltstone and shale sediments of the Ringold Formation. These soils are in an arid climate that borders on xeric with hot dry summers and cool moist winters. The average annual precipitation is 6 to 9 inches. The frost free season is 180 to 200 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Wiehl, Sagehill, Warden, Rinquin, and the competing Ottmar soils. The Sagehill, Warden, and Ottmar soils are more than 40 inches deep. The Wiehl soils are coarse loamy over sandstone or siltstone from 20 to 40 inches. The Rinquin soils are sandy with laminated soft siltstone from 20 to 40 inches.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow to very rapid runoff; moderately slow permeability above the siltstone and very slow in the siltstone.

USE AND VEGETATION: Irrigated cropland, range, and wildlife habitat. Native vegetation is bluebunch wheatgrass, Sandberg bluegrass, and Wyoming big sagebrush.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Western Franklin county, Washington. Series is of small extent.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Franklin County, Washington 1994.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are an ochric epipedon, a cambic horizon from 16 to 22 inches, a zone of lime accumulation from 22 to 24 inches, and laminated soft siltstone at 34 inches. This soil is reclassified based on amendment 17 of Soil Taxonomy.


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.