LOCATION BALAKE WAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, mesic Ultic Argixerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Balake very gravelly loam - forested, on a 5 percent northeast-facing slope at an elevation of 420 feet. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted. All textures are apparent field textures).
A1--0 to 5 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) very gravelly loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate very fine and fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine, fine, and medium roots; common fine tubular pores; 40 percent gravel; strongly acid (pH 5.4); clear smooth boundary.
A2--5 to 12 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) very gravelly loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate very fine and fine subangular blocky and granular structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine, fine, medium, and coarse roots; common fine tubular pores; 45 percent gravel; moderately acid (pH 5.6); clear wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the A horizon is 10 to 18 inches)
Bt1--12 to 18 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) very gravelly clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine, fine, medium, and coarse roots; common fine tubular pores; few faint clay films on faces of peds and lining pores; 40 percent gravel; moderately acid (pH 5.8); clear wavy boundary. (5 to 9 inches thick)
Bt2--18 to 28 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) very gravelly clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine, fine, medium, and coarse roots; common fine tubular pores; common distinct clay films on faces of peds and lining pores; 45 percent gravel; moderately acid (pH 5.8); clear wavy boundary. (8 to 15 inches thick)
Bt3--28 to 45 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) very gravelly clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine, fine, medium, and coarse roots; common fine tubular pores; common distinct clay films on faces of peds and lining pores; 45 percent gravel; moderately acid (pH 6.0); clear wavy boundary. (12 to 25 inches thick)
Bt4--45 to 60 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) very gravelly loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine, fine, and medium roots; common fine tubular pores; few distinct clay films on faces of peds and lining pores; 45 percent gravel and 5 percent cobbles; moderately acid (pH 6.0).
TYPE LOCATION: Klickitat County, Washington; 0.5 miles northwest of Lyle, Washington; about 1,000 feet east and 1,750 feet north of the southwest corner of section 29, T.3N., R.12E. (Latitude 45 degrees 42 minutes 57seconds N and Longitude 121 degrees 20 minutes 12seconds W)
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: These soils are usually moist, but are dry in the moisture control section for 60 to 75 consecutive days following the summer solstice. The mean annual soil temperature is 48 to 50 degrees F. Solum thickness is 60 or more inches. Clay content in the particle-size control section averages from 25 to 35 percent and rock fragments from 35 to 55 percent. The mollic epipedon is 10 to 15 inches thick.
The A horizon has value of 2 or 3 moist, 4 or 5 dry and chroma of 2 or 3 moist and dry. Reaction is strongly acid to slightly acid.
The Bt horizon has value of 3 or 4 moist, 4 to 6 dry and chroma of 4 or 6 moist and dry. Texture is very gravelly loam or very gravelly clay loam. Reaction is moderately acid or slightly acid.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the
Beezee,
Bluenose,
Bluesprin,
Fordice,
Hunsinger,
Jebe,
Jellico,
Keuterville,
Legall,
Nashmead,
Riverpoint,
Sauter,
Shanks(T), and
Sienna series.
Beezee soils mollic epipedon 15 to 20 inches thick
Bluenose soils dry more than 90 consecutive days following the summer solstice
Bluesprin soils 20 to 40 inches to a lithic contact (basalt)
Fordice soils have a mean annual soil temperature of 52 to 57 degrees F.
Hunsinger soils 40 to 60 inches to a paralithic contact (weathered basalt); dry for more than 90 consecutive days following the summer solstice
Jebe soils dry for 45 to 60 consecutive days following the summer solstice
Jellico soils 20 to 40 inches to a lithic contact (basalt); dry for 110 to 130 consecutive days following the summer solstice
Keuterville soils dry for 45 to 60 consecutive days following the summer solstice
Legall soils dry for 75 to 90 consecutive days following the summer solstice
Nashmead soils 40 to 60 inches to a lithic contact (sandstone); dry for more than 90 consecutive days following the summer solstice; mean annual soil temperature of 54 to 59 degrees F.
Riverpoint soils 25 to 40 inches to base of argillic horizon; dry for 60 to 90 consecutive days following the summer solstice; average less than 25 percent clay in the particle-size control section
Sauter soils mollic epipedon 15 to 20 inches thick; hue of 5YR or 7.5YR
Shanks soils 20 to 40 inches to a lithic contact (granodiorite); dry for 60 to 90 consecutive days following the summer solstice
Sienna soils 20 to 40 inches to a lithic contact (basalt); 35 to 60 percent rounded quartzitic rock fragments; dry for 75 to 90 consecutive days
The Bluenose,
Gavel, and
Tekoa series have similar classifications.
Bluenose soils active CEC activity class; dry for greater than 120 consecutive days following the summer solstice
Gavel soils vitrandic subgroup; 20 to 40 inches to a paralithic contact (andesite or basalt)
Tekoa soils vitrandic subgroup; 20 to 40 inches to a lithic contact (shale); dry for 60 to 75 consecutive days following the summer solstice
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Balake soils are on scoured terraces and hillslopes at elevations of 200 to 1,000 feet. Slopes are 2 to 65 percent. These soils formed in conglomerate mixed with loess. Summers are warm and dry and winters are cool and moist. The mean annual precipitation is 25 to 35 inches. The average January temperature is 29 degrees F. and average July temperature is 67 degrees F. The mean annual temperature is 45 to 48 degrees F. The frost-free season is 100 to 120 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Cauley, Galiente and Gunn soils. Cauley soils are on flood plains and hillslopes and are fine-loamy. Galiente soils are on hillsides and have a fine textured particle-size control section. Gunn soils are on hillsides and are fine-loamy.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow to very rapid runoff; moderately slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used mainly for timber production, livestock grazing, crop production, building sites, and wildlife habitat. Native vegetation is mainly ponderosa pine with an understory of western hazel, deerbrush ceanothus, creambush oceanspray, elk sedge, rose, blue wildrye, and strawberry.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Klickitat County, Washington; MLRA 6. The series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Klickitat County, Washington, 2003. Name is coined.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - the zone from the soil surface to 12 inches
Argillic horizon - the zone from 12 to 60 inches
Particle-size control section - the zone from 12 to 32 inches (Bt1, Bt2 and part of the Bt3 horizons).