LOCATION SKAHA WA
Established Series
Rev. CDL/CSN/RJE
01/2011
SKAHA SERIES
The Skaha series consists of very deep, excessively drained soils formed in glacial outwash of mixed mineralogy on terraces and terrace escarpments. Slopes are 0 to 65 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 10 inches, and the mean annual temperature is about 49 degrees F.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy-skeletal, mixed, mesic Xeric Torriorthents
TYPICAL PEDON: Skaha gravelly loamy sand, orchard. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
Ap--0 to 7 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) gravelly loamy sand, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; single grained; loose; common roots; 25 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.9); clear smooth boundary. (5 to 10 inches thick)
C1--7 to 13 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) gravelly loamy sand, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; single grained; loose; common roots; 30 percent grave;; neutral (pH 6.9); abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 12 inches thick)
C2--13 to 23 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) very gravelly loamy sand, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist; single grained; loose; few roots; 35 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.0); abrupt wavy boundary. (0 to 20 inches thick)
C3--23 to 60 inches; multicolored very gravelly coarse sand, single grained; loose; 55 percent gravel, neutral (pH 7.0).
TYPE LOCATION: Okanogan County, Washington; about 4 miles north of the town of Ellisforde; 310 feet west and 110 feet south of the northeast corner of sec. 35, T.39N., R.27E., WM.(Latitude 48 degrees, 50 minutes, 35 seconds North, Longitude 119 degrees, 23 minutes, 14 seconds West NAD 83).
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature is 47 to 55 degrees F. These soils are usually dry in all parts between depths of 12 and 35 inches for more than half the time that the soil temperature at a depth of 20 inches is above 41 degrees F (about 105 to 115 consecutive days). Organic matter content in the epipedon is less than 1 percent. The particle-size control section averages 40 to 75 percent rock fragments. Reaction is neutral or slightly alkaline throughout the profile.
The A horizon has value of 4 through 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist, and chroma of 2 or 3 dry or moist.
The C horizon has value of 5 through 7 dry, 3 through 5 moist, and chroma of 1 through 4 dry or moist, or is multicolored. It is loamy sand, loamy coarse sand, sand, or coarse sand. The upper part is gravelly, very gravelly, or extremely gravelly and is 15 to 50 percent gravel, 0 to 15 percent cobbles, and 0 to 5 percent stones. The lower part is very gravelly, extremely gravelly, very cobbly, or extremely cobbly and is 30 to 60 percent gravel, 5 to 30 percent cobbles, and 0 to 10 percent stones.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the
Alderdale,
Burbank,
Crunkvar,
Denio,
Doowak,
Sheeprock, Ulymeger (T), and
Wrango series. Alderdale soils have a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches. Burbank and Doowak soils are calcareous in part of the particle-size control section. Crunkvar soils are more than 50 percent 2-to-5 millimeter pebbles in the particle-size control section. Sheeprock and Wrango soils are calcareous throughout the particle-size control section. Denio soils are dominated by 2 to 5 mm. sinze gravel and formed in material from granite.
Ulymeyer soils have a mean annual soil temperature of 57 to 59 degrees F and are dominated by cobbles and stones.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Skaha soils are on terraces and terrace escarpments. These soils formed in glacial outwash of mixed mineralogy. Slopes are 0 to 65 percent. Elevations range from 700 to 2,500 feet. The climate is characterized by hot, dry summers and cool, moist winters. The mean annual precipitation is 8 to 12 inches. The mean January temperature is about 25 degrees F, the mean July temperature is about 74 degrees F, and the mean annual air temperature is about 49 degrees F. The frost-free period is 130 to 190 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the
Aeneas,
Beverly,
Cashmere,
Cashmont,
Ewall,
Pogue,
Quincy, and
Strat soils. Aeneas, Cashmere, Cashmont, Pogue, and Strat soils have mollic epipedons. In addition, Aeneas and Pogue soils are coarse-loamy over sandy or sandy-skeletal, Cashmere and Cashmont soils are coarse-loamy, and Strat soils are loamy-skeletal. Beverly soils have an irregular decrease in organic carbon with depth. Ewall and Quincy soils have less than 15 percent rock fragments in the particle-size control section, and also lack a mollic epipedon.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Excessively drained; slow to rapid runoff; rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Irrigated orchards, irrigated hay and pasture, livestock grazing, and wildlife habitat are principal uses. Native vegetation is bluebunch wheatgrass, needleandthread, Sandberg bluegrass, antelope bitterbrush, big sagebrush, hood phlox, snow eriogonum, silky lupine, and gray rabbitbrush.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: North central Washington. The Skaha series is of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Okanogan County, Washington, 1972.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this soil are an ochric epipedon from the surface to 7 inches and a particle-size control section from 10 to 40 inches that averages 46 percent rock fragments.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.