LOCATION VERIDGE WAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, isotic, frigid Andic Haploxerepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Veridge gravelly ashy sandy loam, on a northeast facing 38 percent slope at 4,100 feet elevation in a Douglas-fir and ponderosa pine forest. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated. All textures are apparent field textures.
Oe--0 to 1 inch; moderately decomposed needles and twigs; abrupt smooth boundary. (1 to 3 inches thick)
A--1 to 5 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) gravelly sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic and weakly smeary; many very fine and fine, and few medium and coarse roots, common very fine and fine pores; 15 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.4); clear smooth boundary. (1 to 5 inches thick)
Bw--5 to 13 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) gravelly ashy sandy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic and weakly smeary; many very fine and fine and few medium and coarse roots; common very fine and fine pores; 15 percent gravel and 3 percent cobbles; slightly acid (pH 6.4); clear wavy boundary. (6 to 10 inches thick)
2CB--13 to 22 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) very gravelly sandy loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and fine and few medium and coarse roots; few very fine and fine pores; 30 percent gravel and 10 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 6.6); gradual wavy boundary. ( 5 to 10 inches thick)
2C--22 to 31 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) very cobbly sandy loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine, fine and medium roots; few very fine pores; 20 percent gravel and 30 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 6.8); gradual wavy boundary. (8 to 15 inches thick)
2R--31 inches; sandstone
TYPE LOCATION: Okanogan County, Washington; about 2 miles west-southwest of Mazama, WA., about 1,900 west and 2,100 feet north of the southeast corner of section 35, T. 36 N., R. 19 E. (Latitude 48 degrees, 34 minutes, 36 seconds N., Longitude 120 degrees, 26 minutes, 12 seconds W.)
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature is 42 to 46 degrees F. These soils are usually moist but are dry in all parts of the moisture control section for 60 to 75 days following the summer solstice. The volcanic ash mantle and solum is 7 to 14 inches thick with an estimated bulk density 0.80 to 0.90 g/cc, volcanic glass content of 30 to 60 percent, acid-oxalate extractable aluminum plus one-half of the acid-oxalate extractable iron of 1.0 to 2.0 percent, and 15-bar water retention of 5 to 12 percent. The particle-size control section averages 35 to 55 percent rock fragments and 5 to 10 percent clay. Depth to bedrock ranges from 20 to 40 inches. Reaction ranges from slightly acid to neutral.
The A horizon has value of 3 or 4 moist and chroma of 3 or 4 dry or moist.
The Bw horizon has value of 3 or 4 moist and chroma of 3 or 4 moist. It is gravelly ashy sandy loam or ashy sandy loam. It has 5 to 20 gravel and 0 to 5 percent cobbles.
The 2CB horizon has value of 5 or 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist, and chroma of 3 or 4 dry or moist. It is very gravelly sandy loam or very cobbly sandy loam. It has 25 to 35 percent gravel and 5 to 20 cobbles.
The 2C horizon has value 4 or 5 moist, and chroma of 3 or 4 dry or moist. It has 20 to 35 percent gravel and 20 to 30 percent cobbles.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Inkler, Juandefuca, Newhorn, Oxerine, Tunnelcreek and Wilma series. Inkler soils are greater than 40 inches to bedrock. Oxerine soils have greater than 10 percent clay in particle- size control section. Wilma soils have coarse sandy loam textures in the 2C horizon. Juandefuca and Tunnelcreek soils are dry for 45 to 60 consecutive days and have medial texture modifier in the surface. Newhorn soils are moderately deep to densic material.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Veridge soils are on backslopes and shoulders of mountains and have slopes of 35 to 65 percent. These soils formed in colluvium and residuum from sedimentary rock with a mantle of volcanic ash 7 to 14 inches thick. Elevations are 2,800 to 4,900 feet. The climate is characterized by warm, dry summers and cool, moist winters. The average annual precipitation is 20 to 24 inches. The average January temperature ranges from 22 to 27 F, the average July temperature is 62 to 67 degrees F, and the average annual temperature ranges from 40 to 44 degrees F. The frost-free season is 90 to 115 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Buckrock, Farway, Ontrail, and Redpeak soils. Buckrock soils have a mesic temperature regime and are on open slopes usually with a southerly aspect. Farway soils have a volcanic ash mantle greater than 14 inches thick and are on more concave positions on backslopes. Ontrail and Redpeak soils have redder hues and are on backslopes and footslopes.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained, rapid runoff; moderately rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used for timber production, wildlife habitat, watershed, recreation and livestock grazing. Native vegetation is Douglas-fir and ponderosa pine with an understory of pinegrass, mountainlover, silky lupine, Scouler willow, kinnikinnik and shinyleaf spirea.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northcentral Washington. This series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Okanogan National Forest, Okanogan County, Washington, 2005.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features in this pedon include:
Ochric epipedon
Cambic horizon - 5 to 13 inches (volcanic ash)
Lithic contact - 31 inches
PSCS - 11 to 31 inches (part of the Bw, 2CB and 2C horizons)
Andic properties from 1 to 13 inches.