LOCATION BACON WA

Established Series
IRD PHR/TMR/MPR
06/2011

BACON SERIES

The Bacon series consists of very deep, very poorly drained soils formed in alluvium. Bacon soils are found on slopes of 0 to 10 percent on floodplains, valley bottoms and terraces of glaciated mountain landscapes. The mean annual precipitation is about 2,100 millimeters and the mean annual air temperature is about 5 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy over sandy or sandy-skeletal, isotic, acid Typic Cryaquepts

TYPICAL PEDON: Bacon fine sandy loam, located on a non-forested northeast facing debris apron with a slope of less than 2 percent and an elevation of 1,400 meters. When described on September 11, 2006 the soil was wet throughout. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted)

Oe--0 to 2 cm; moderately decomposed plant material; common very fine to fine and many medium to coarse roots; very strongly acid (pH 4.5); abrupt smooth boundary.

Bg1--2 to 20 cm; greenish gray (5GY 5/1), fine sandy loam, light greenish gray (5GY 7/1), dry; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; common very fine to coarse roots; 60 percent strong brown (7.5YR 4/6), iron-manganese masses in matrix; very strongly acid (pH 5.0); clear irregular boundary.

Bg2--20 to 38 cm; greenish gray (5GY 5/1), very fine sandy loam, light greenish gray (5GY 7/1), dry; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; few very fine to coarse roots; 20 percent strong brown (7.5YR 4/6), iron-manganese masses on surfaces along root channels; very strongly acid (pH 5.0); abrupt wavy boundary.

Cg1--38 to 43 cm; greenish gray (5GY 5/1), coarse sand, light greenish gray (5GY 7/1), dry; single grain; loose, nonsticky, nonplastic; few very fine to coarse roots; strongly acid (pH 5.4); abrupt wavy boundary.

Cg2--43 to 65 cm; greenish gray (5GY 5/1), very fine sandy loam, light greenish gray (5GY 7/1), dry; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; few very fine to coarse roots; 5 percent strong brown (7.5YR 4/6), iron-manganese masses on surfaces along root channels; strongly acid (pH 5.4); abrupt wavy boundary.

Cg3--65 to 150 cm; greenish gray (5GY 5/1), gravelly sand, light greenish gray (5GY 7/1), dry; single grain; loose, nonsticky, nonplastic; 10 percent fine gravel and 20 percent medium to coarse gravel; strongly acid (pH 5.4).

TYPE LOCATION: Chelan County, Washington; approximately 28 kilometers southeast of the town of Newhalem along the Upper Stehekin Valley trail in Pelton Basin, North Cascades National Park Service Complex; 435 meters east and 430 meters north of the southwest corner of Section 6, T. 34 N., R. 14 E. Willamette Meridian; Cascade Pass, Washington USGS quadrangle; 48 degrees, 27 minutes, 34 seconds north latitude and 121 degrees, 2 minutes, 29 seconds west longitude; UTM 644807 meters E, 5369211 meters N, zone 10.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mean annual soil temperature - 4 to 7 degrees C
Moisture control section - seasonal high water table to soil surface for more than 30 consecutive days
Particle size control section:
The particle-size control section in this soil is contrasting. Most characteristics are listed by horizon.
Clay content - 0 to 15 percent throughout both portions
Rock fragments, coarse-loamy portion - 0 to 35 percent total, 0 to 35 percent fine to coarse gravel, 0 to 35 percent cobbles, 0 to 35 percent stones
Rock fragments, sandy or sandy-skeletal portion - 0 to 65 percent total, 0 to 45 percent fine to coarse gravel, 0 to 15 percent cobbles, 0 to 40 percent stones

Bg1 horizon
Hue - 5GY, 2.5Y, or 10YR
Value - 3 to 5 moist, 5 to 7 dry
Chroma - 1 to 3 moist or dry
Fine earth texture - FSL or SL
Rock fragments - 0 to 20 percent total, 0 to 15 percent fine to coarse gravel, 0 to 5 percent cobbles
Reaction - very strongly acid to strongly acid
Thickness - 15 to 30 centimeters

Bg2 horizon
Hue - 5GY, 2.5Y, or 10YR
Value - 3 to 5 moist, 5 to 7 dry
Chroma - 1 to 3 moist or dry
Fine earth texture - VFSL, FSL, SL
Rock fragments - 0 to 20 percent total, 0 to 20 percent fine to coarse gravel, 0 to 10 percent cobbles
Reaction - very strongly acid to strongly acid
Thickness - 15 to 50 centimeters

Cg1 horizon
Hue - 5GY, 2.5Y or 10YR
Value - 3 to 5 moist, 5 to 7 dry
Chroma - 1 to 4 moist or dry
Fine earth texture - COS, COSL, LS
Rock fragments - 0 to 65 percent total, 0 to 45 percent fine to coarse gravel, 0 to 15 percent cobbles, 0 to 40 percent stones
Reaction - strongly acid to moderately acid
Thickness - 5 to 10 centimeters

Cg2 horizon
Hue - 5GY, 2.5Y or 10YR
Value - 3 to 5 moist, 5 to 6 dry
Chroma - 2 to 4 moist or dry
Fine earth texture - VFSL, LCOS, S
Rock fragments - 0 to 65 percent total, 0 to 45 percent fine to coarse gravel, 0 to 15 percent cobbles, 0 to 40 percent stones
Reaction - strongly acid to moderately acid
Thickness - 15 to 30 centimeters

Cg3 horizon
Hue - 5GY, 2.5Y or 10YR
Value - 3 to 5 moist, 5 to 6 dry
Chroma - 2 to 4 moist or dry
Fine earth texture - S, COS, LCOS, LS
Rock fragments - 0 to 65 percent total, 0 to 45 percent fine to coarse gravel, 0 to 15 percent cobbles, 0 to 40 percent stones
Reaction - strongly acid to moderately acid
Thickness - 15 to 50 centimeters

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

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Bacon soils are found on slopes of 0 to 10 percent on floodplains and terraces of glaciated mountain landscapes at elevations from 600 to 2,000 meters and formed in alluvium. The climate is characterized by cool, dry summers and cold, wet winters. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 1,750 to 2,800 millimeters. Mean annual air temperature ranges from 3 to 6 degrees C. Frost-free season is 30 to 60 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Beaverpass, Forbidden, Purple, and Yawning soils. Beaverpass soils have organic soil materials to a depth of 91 cm, the Forbidden and Yawning soils have ochric epipedons, and the Purple soils have a histic epipedon. Forbidden and Beaverpass soils have a sandy-skeletal particle size control section, Yawning soils have a loamy-skeletal particle size control section. Forbidden and Yawning soils have andic soil properties within the upper 25 cm.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Very poorly drained; high to very high saturated hydraulic conductivity. Bacon soils have a water table from endosaturation with an upper limit at the soil surface from November through May and down to 25 cm from June through October. Bacon soils are subject to frequent ponding for very long durations from December through April and for brief durations in May, June, October, and November.

USE AND VEGETATION: Bacon soils support wildlife habitat, recreation, and watershed. Natural vegetation includes Pacific silver fir, mountain hemlock, Engelmann spruce, and subalpine fir. Understory species include red alder, Sitka willow, redosier dogwood, prickly currant, salmonberry, field horsetail, sedges, and grasses.

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:
Cryic soil temperature regime
Aquic soil moisture regime
Contrasting particle-size control section - coarse-loamy 27 to 65 cm (lower 11 cm of Bg2, and Cg1 and Cg2 horizons), sandy or sandy-skeletal 65 to 102 cm (upper 37 cm of Cg3 horizon)
Reaction class control section - 50 to 75 centimeters
Ochric epipedon
Redox Concentrations - 2 to 150 centimeters (all mineral horizons)
Redox Depletions with a Chroma of 2 or less - 2 to 150 centimeters (all mineral horizons)

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.