LOCATION SOOES                   WA

Established Series
Rev. EED/TDT
12/2010

SOOES SERIES


The Sooes series consists of moderately deep, well drained soils formed in colluvium and residuum from bedrock of siltstone, sandstone, and conglomerate lithologies. Sooes soils are on summits and shoulders of hills and mountains. Slopes are 10 to 75 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 110 inches and the mean annual temperature is about 42 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Medial, ferrihydritic, isofrigid Pachic Fulvudands

TYPICAL PEDON: Sooes medial silt loam, on a northeast facing slope of 35 percent at 1150 feet elevation under coniferous forest vegetation. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted.)

Oi--0 to 4 inches; slightly decomposed plant material; abrupt smooth boundary. (1 to 5 inches thick)

A--4 to 6 inches; very dark brown (10YR 2/2) medial silt loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) dry; moderate fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; many fine and common medium and few coarse roots; few fine tubular and common fine irregular pores; 5 percent gravel and 5 percent paragravel; extremely acid (pH 4.3); abrupt wavy boundary. (1 to 5 inches thick)

Bw1--6 to 22 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) paragravelly medial silt loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) dry; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; common fine, medium, and coarse roots; few fine irregular and tubular pores; 10 percent gravel and 20 percent paragravel; very strongly acid (pH 4.9); abrupt wavy boundary. (10 to 25 inches thick)

Bw2--22 to 27 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) very paragravelly medial silt loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) dry; weak fine subangular blocky structure; moderately hard, firm, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; few fine and very fine roots; many fine irregular pores; 10 percent gravel, 40 percent paragravel, and 10 percent paracobbles; very strongly acid (pH 4.7); abrupt wavy boundary. (5 to 15 inches thick)

Cr--27 to 60 inches; moderately cemented sandstone.

TYPE LOCATION: Clallam County, Washington; Neah Bay, Washington USGS quadrangle; 48 degrees, 18 minutes, 27 seconds north latitude and 124 degrees, 34 minutes, 5 seconds west longitude.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Depths to diagnostic horizons and features start from the mineral soil surface.

Mean annual soil temperature - 41 to 45 degrees F
Soil moisture control section - dry 0 to 30 consecutive days
Depth to paralithic contact - 20 to 40 inches
Reaction - Extremely acid to strongly acid
Particle size control section:
Clay content - 18 to 30 percent field estimate
Bulk density - 0.70 to 0.90 g/cm3
Phosphate retention - 85 to 100
Ammonium oxalate extractable aluminum plus one half iron - 2 to 5 percent
Rock fragments - 0 to 15 percent gravel, 30 to 50 percent paragravel, 0 to 5 percent paragravel, 15 to 65 percent total

A horizon
Hue - 7.5YR or 10YR
Value - 2, 2.5, or 3 moist, 3 or 4 dry
Chroma - 1 or 2 moist, 2 or 3 dry
Organic matter - 20 to 40 percent
Rock fragments - 0 to 10 percent gravel, 0 to 10 percent paragravel, 0 to 10 percent total

Bw1 horizon
Hue - 7.5YR or 10YR
Value - 3 to 5 moist, 5 or 6 dry
Chroma - 4 to 6 moist or dry.
Texture - PGR-MEDL-SIL, MED-SIL
Organic matter - 10 to 20 percent
Rock fragments - 0 to 15 percent gravel, 0 to 35 percent paragravel, 0 to 35 percent total

Bw2 horizon
Hue - 7.5YR or 10YR
Value - 3 to 5 moist, 4 to 6 dry
Chroma - 3 to 6 moist or dry.
Texture - PGRV-MEDL-SIL, PGRV-MEDL-SICL
Organic matter - 10 to 20 percent
Rock fragments - 0 to 15 percent gravel, 15 to 60 percent paragravel, 0 to 15 percent paracobbles, 35 to 65 percent total

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Hyas, Makah, Mosscreek, Neah, and Stolzenberg series. Hyas, Makah, and Mosscreek soils are greater than 60 inches deep to bedrock and formed in colluvium and residuum derived from volcanic rock. Neah soils are 20 to 40 inches to a lithic contact and are derived from volcanic rock. Stolzenberg soils have a paralithic contact 40 to 60 inches from the mineral soil surface.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Sooes soils occur on summits and shoulders of hills and mountains at elevations of 400 to 2,000 feet. Slopes are 10 to 75 percent. These soils formed in colluvium and residuum from bedrock of siltstone, sandstone, and conglomerate lithologies. The climate is characterized by cool, wet winters and cool, dry summers. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 90 to 120 inches. Mean annual air temperature is 40 to 44 degrees F. The frost-free period is 120 to 140 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Sockeye and Stolzenberg soils. These soils occur on adjacent hillslopes and mountain slopes.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Well drained; Saturated hydraulic conductivity is high.

USE AND VEGETATION: Used for timber production, recreation, wildlife habitat, homesites, and watershed. Potential natural vegetation consists of Pacific silver fir, Sitka spruce, Sitka mountain ash, western redcedar, Alaska huckleberry, deer fern, evergreen huckleberry, fool's huckleberry, red huckleberry, salal, salmonberry, thimbleberry, and western swordfern.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Washington MLRA 4A. Series is of small extent.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Clallam County, Washington, 2010.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:

Ochric epipedon
Andic soil properties - 4 to 27 inches
Cambic horizon - 6 to 27 inches (Bw horizons)
Paralithic contact - 27 inches (Cr horizon)
Particle-size control section - 4 to 27 inches

Some pedons have lithic materials 10 inches or more below the paralithic contact.


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.