LOCATION SCHNORBUSH WAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, isotic, mesic Andic Dystroxerepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Schnorbush loam, forested. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted. All textures are apparent field textures.)
Oi--0 to 1 inch; slightly decomposed needles, leaves, and twigs.
A--1 to 5 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) ashy loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) dry; weak very fine granular structure; soft, friable, moderately sticky, moderately plastic; many fine and very fine roots; many fine and very fine irregular and tubular pores; 10 percent hard pebbles and 10 percent paragravel; moderately acid (pH 6.0); clear smooth boundary. (4 to 7 inches thick)
Bw1--5 to 15 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) ashy loam, brown (10YR 5/3) dry; weak fine and very fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, moderately sticky, moderately plastic; many fine and very fine, and few medium roots; many fine and very fine irregular and tubular pores; 10 percent hard pebbles and 15 percent paragravels; moderately acid (pH 5.8); clear smooth boundary. (9 to 14 inches thick)
Bw2--15 to 29 inches; olive brown (2.5Y 4/4) very paragravelly loam, pale yellow (2.5Y 7/4) dry; weak fine and very fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, moderately sticky, moderately plastic; common fine and very fine, and few medium roots; many fine and very fine irregular and tubular pores; 10 percent hard pebbles and 40 percent paragravels; moderately acid (pH 5.6); clear smooth boundary. (9 to 15 inches thick)
C1--29 to 38 inches; light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) extremely paragravelly silty clay loam, pale yellow (2.5Y 7/4) dry; massive; very hard, firm, moderately sticky, moderately plastic; common fine and very fine, and few medium roots; many fine and very fine irregular, and common fine and very fine tubular pores; 75 percent paragravels; strongly acid (pH 5.2); clear wavy boundary. (7 to 16 inches thick)
C2--38 to 61 inches; olive brown (2.5Y 4/4) extremely paragravelly loam, light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) dry; massive; very hard, very firm, moderately sticky, moderately plastic; few fine and very fine roots; many fine and very fine irregular pores; 90 percent paragravel; strongly acid (pH 5.2).
TYPE LOCATION: Clallam County, Washington; 2,000 feet north and 2,400 feet west of the SE corner of section 28, T.31N., R.8W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The solum is 28 to 36 inches thick and contains 0 to 20 percent hard glacial pebbles and cobbles. The mean annual soil temperature is estimated to range from 47 to 51 degrees F. The soil is strongly acid or moderately acid. The soil is dry in the moisture control section for 45 to 60 consecutive days following summer solstice. The particle size control section is 35 to 60 percent paragravel.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 2 through 4 moist, 4 through 7 dry, and chroma of 2 through 4. It has granular or subangular blocky structure.
The B horizon has value of 3 through 5 moist, 5 through 7 dry, and chroma of 4 through 6 moist and 3 through 6 dry. It s loam, clay loam, or silty clay loam and has 0 to 20 percent hard coarse fragments. This horizon has subangular blocky or angular blocky structure.
The C horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 through 6 moist, and chroma of 4 through 6. It is loam, silt loam, or silty clay loam.
Some pedons have a few mottles or iron stains in the lower part of the solum and in the C horizon.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Heisler, Hugo, Madonna, Tebo and Yeary series. Heisler soils contain shaly fragments of argillite, schist, and shale in the control section. (See remarks) Hugo soils have a solum more than 40 inches thick and are dry for about 100 consecutive days in the moisture control section. Madonna soils have a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches. Tebo soils have a solum more than 40 inches thick and lack soft rock fragments. Yeary soils have a paralithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Schnorbush soils are on mountainous uplands at elevations of 200 to 1,400 feet. Slopes are 0 to 80 percent. They formed in glacial till and residuum from siltstone. The soils are in a mild marine climate and have cool, dry summers and cool, moist winters. The mean annual precipitation is 40 to 60 inches. The average January temperature is about 37 degrees F.; the average July temperature is about 58 degrees F.; and the mean annual temperature is about 48 degrees F. The growing season (28 degrees F.) is 160 to 200 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Bellingham, Elwha, Casey, Louella, Neilton, and Terbies soils. Bellingham and Casey soils have a fine control section. Elwha soils are coarse-loamy and have a paralithic contact at a depth of 20 to 40 inches. Louella soils coarse-loamy. Neilton soils are sandy-skeletal. Terbies soils are loamy-skeletal.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; medium runoff; moderately slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Timber production and wildlife are the principal uses. Native vegetation is predominantly Douglas fir with some grand fir, red alder, western hemlock, western red cedar and bigleaf maple. Understory species include salal, oceanspary, red huckleberry, Oregon grape, twinflower, bedstraw, trillium, American trailplant, western swordfern, brachenfern and deer fern.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northern Olympic penninsula and northern Puget Sound area of western Washington; MLRA 2. This series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Whatcom County, Washington, 1941.
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