LOCATION TORMENT WA

Established Series
Rev. TMR/SBC
09/2011

TORMENT SERIES

The Torment series consists of very deep, moderately well drained soils formed in alluvial sands from meandering rivers. Torment soils are on slopes of 0 to 5 percent on river valley bottom floodplains. The mean annual precipitation is about 760 millimeters and the mean annual air temperature is about 7 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy-skeletal, isotic, frigid Oxyaquic Xerofluvents

TYPICAL PEDON: Torment loamy sand, located on a forested southeast facing alluvial floodplain with a slope of 2 percent and an elevation of 440 meters. When described on October 11, 2007 the soil was slightly moist throughout. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted)

Oi--0 to 2 cm; slightly decomposed leaves, needles, and twigs; common fine interstitial pores; abrupt smooth boundary.

C1--2 to 15 cm; dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) loamy sand, light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) dry; single grain; loose, nonsticky, nonplastic; many very fine to coarse roots; common fine and few medium irregular pores; strongly acid (pH 5.5); abrupt smooth boundary.

Oa--15 to 25 cm; dark brown (7.5YR 3/3) highly decomposed plant material, brown (7.5YR 5/3) dry; many very fine to coarse roots; few fine irregular pores; strongly acid (pH 5.4); abrupt smooth boundary.

C2--25 to 35 cm; dark olive brown (2.5Y 3/3) gravelly coarse sand, light olive brown (2.5Y 5/3) dry; single grain; loose, nonsticky, nonplastic; common very fine to medium and few coarse roots; common fine to medium irregular pores; 5 percent fine gravel and 15 percent medium and coarse gravel; strongly acid (pH 5.2); clear smooth boundary.

C3--35 to 70 cm; olive brown (2.5Y 4/4) very gravelly coarse sand, light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) dry; single grain; loose, nonsticky, nonplastic; few very fine to coarse roots; many medium interstitial pores; 5 percent fine gravel, 20 percent medium and coarse gravel, and 10 percent cobbles; strongly acid (pH 5.5); clear wavy boundary.

C4--70 to 152 cm; dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) very gravelly loamy sand, light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) dry; single grain; loose, nonsticky, nonplastic; few very fine to fine roots; many medium interstitial pores; 5 percent medium faint irregular yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) masses of oxidized iron with diffuse boundaries throughout; 5 percent fine gravel, 20 percent medium and coarse gravel, and 15 percent cobbles; slightly acid (pH 6.1).

TYPE LOCATION: Chelan County, Washington; near Moon Creek along the banks of the Stehekin River, approximately 13 km northwest of the town of Stehekin; 650 meters west and 420 meters south of the northeast corner of section 12, T. 33 N., R. 16 E. Willamette Meridian; McGregor Mountain, Washington USGS quadrangle; 48 degrees, 22 minutes, 37 seconds north latitude and 120 degrees, 48 minutes, 23 seconds west longitude; UTM 662415 meters E, 5360540 meters N, zone 10N.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mean annual soil temperature 4 to 8 degrees C. Moisture control section - dry 60 to 90 consecutive days following the summer solstice.
Particle size control section:
Clay content - 0 to 5 percent
Rock fragments - 5 to 55 percent fine to coarse gravel, 0 to 25 percent cobbles, 0 to 5 percent stones, averages 35 to 55 percent total

C1 horizon
Hue - 2.5Y or variegated mineral colors
Value - 3 to 4 moist, 4 to 5 dry
Chroma - 2 to 3 moist and dry
Texture - LS
Clay content - 0 to 5 percent
Rock fragments - 0 to 10 percent fine to coarse gravel, 0 to 5 percent cobbles, 0 to 10 percent total
Thickness - 5 to 15 centimeters

C2 horizon
Hue - 2.5Y or 10YR
Value - 3 to 4 moist, 4 to 6 dry
Chroma - 2 to 3 moist and dry
Fine earth texture - COS, LCOS, S, LS
Clay content - 0 to 5 percent
Rock fragments - 5 to 30 percent fine to coarse gravel, 0 to 15 percent cobbles, 5 to 30 percent total
Combined thickness - 10 to 30 centimeters

C3 horizon
Hue - 2.5Y or variegated mineral colors
Value - 3 to 5 moist, 4 to 6 dry
Chroma - 2 to 4 moist and dry
Fine earth texture - COS, LCOS, LS, S
Clay content - 0 to 5 percent
Rock fragments - 15 to 35 percent fine to coarse gravel, 10 to 25 percent cobbles, 0 to 5 percent stones, 35 to 55 percent total
Thickness - 0 to 40 centimeters

C4 horizon
Hue - 2.5Y or variegated mineral colors
Value - 3 to 4 moist, 4 to 6 dry
Chroma - 2 to 3 moist and dry
Fine earth texture - LS, LFS, LCOS
Clay content - 0 to 5 percent
Rock fragments - 5 to 30 percent fine to coarse gravel, 0 to 15 percent cobbles, 0 to 5 percent stones, 5 to 50 percent total

COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series in this family.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Torment soils are on slopes of 0 to 5 percent on floodplains of river valley bottoms at elevations from 300 to 800 meters. They formed in alluvial sands from meandering rivers. The climate is characterized by warm, dry summers and cold, wet winters. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 500 to 1780 millimeters. Mean annual air temperature ranges from 2 to 9 degrees C. Frost-free season is 60 to 90 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Kettling and Sandalee soils. Kettling soils have a cambic horizon and a coarse-loamy particle-size control section. Sandalee soils have redoximorphic features within 20 to 50 cm of the mineral soil surface and a coarse-loamy particle-size control section.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Moderately well drained; high to very high saturated hydraulic conductivity.

USE AND VEGETATION: Torment soils support wildlife habitat, recreation, and watershed. Natural vegetation includes Douglas-fir, bigleaf maple, black cottonwood, western redcedar, Douglas maple, thimbleberry, snowberry, tall Oregon-grape, wild ginger, and clasping twisted stalk.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: North Cascade Mountains, Washington. MLRA 3. Series is of small extent.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: North Cascades National Park Service Complex, Chelan County, Washington, 2011.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon include:
Xeric soil moisture regime
Particle-size control section - 27 to 102 cm (25 to 100 cm from mineral surface)
Ochric epipedon
Redoximorphic concentrations - 70 to 152 cm (C4 horizon)
An irregular decrease in organic carbon is assumed from the stratified alluvial parent material, periodic deposition of flood sediments, and the presence of thin organic horizons between alluvial deposits.

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.