LOCATION BORGEAU WAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, isotic, mesic Vitrandic Haploxerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Borgeau ashy loam under shrubs and grasses on a 22 percent slope at 2,360 feet elevation. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted. All textures are apparent field textures.)
Oi--0 to 1 inch; partially decomposed organic material.
A--1 to 10 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) ashy loam, black (10YR 2/1) moist; moderate very fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine, fine, and common medium roots; 10 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.6); clear smooth boundary. (7 to 14 inches thick)
Bw--10 to 18 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) very gravelly loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and fine roots; 35 percent gravel; 10 percent cobbles; slightly acid (pH 6.4); gradual wavy boundary. (3 to 10 inches thick)
C1--18 to 35 inches; light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) very gravelly loam, olive brown (2.5Y 4/4) moist; massive; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine roots; 40 percent gravel; 15 percent cobbles; moderately acid (pH 6.0); gradual wavy boundary. (17 to 40 inches thick)
C2--35 to 60 inches; light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) extremely gravelly loam, light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) moist; massive; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine roots; 50 percent gravel; 15 percent cobbles; slightly acid (pH 6.2).
TYPE LOCATION: Ferry County, Washington. About 12 miles north of Inchelium; 2,000 feet south and 2,500 feet west of the northeast corner of sec. 9, T. 34 N., R. 36 E., W.M.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature is 48 to 50 degrees F. These soils are usually moist but are dry for 75 to 90 consecutive days following the summer solstice. The mollic epipedon is 10 to 17 inches thick. The upper 7 to 14 inches has an estimated moist bulk density of 1.45 to 1.55 g/cc, volcanic glass content of 5 to 20 percent, acid-oxalate extractable aluminum plus one-half of the acid-oxalate extractable iron of 0.4 to 1.0 percent, and 15-bar water retention of 5 to 10 percent for air dried samples. The particle-size control section averages 40 to 65 percent metamorphic rock fragments and 10 to 18 percent clay. Base saturation (sum of cations) is less than 75 percent throughout the upper 30 inches.
The A horizon has value of 3 to 5 dry and chroma of 1 to 3 moist or dry. It has 0 to 30 percent coarse fragments.
The Bw horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 or 5 dry, 3 or 4 moist, and chroma of 3 or 4, moist or dry. It is very gravelly loam, very gravelly sandy loam, or gravelly loam. It has 20 to 40 percent gravel and 0 to 10 percent cobbles.
The C horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 5 or 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist, and chroma of 2 to 4 moist or dry. It is very gravelly loam, very gravelly sandy loam, extremely gravelly sandy loam, extremely gravelly loam, very cobbly loam, or very cobbly sandy loam. It has 35 to 50 percent gravel, 0 to 20 percent cobbles, and 0 to 5 percent stones. Reaction is moderately acid to slightly alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Emily, Lenz, Louiecreek, Raisio, Sinlahekin, Speigle, Vanbrunt, and Whitestone series. Emily soils have a mollic epipedon 20 to 36 inches thick. Louiscreek soils have base saturation (sum of cations) of 75 to 100 percent except in the upper part of the A horizon where it is 50 to 75 percent. Lenz, Raisio and Vanbrunt soils are 20 to 40 inches deep to lithic contact. Sinlahekin soils average 3 to 8 percent clay in the particle-size control section. Speigle soils have 2Bt horizons. Whitestone soils have granitic rock fragments and have a high content of quartz and feldspar minerals in the particle-size control section.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Borgeau soils are on backslopes of hills. Elevation is 1,700 to 4,500 feet. Slopes are 8 to 65 percent. The soils formed in glacial till and colluvium from metamorphic rock. The climate is characterized by warm, dry summers and cool, moist winters. The average annual precipitation is 14 to 20 inches. The mean January temperature is about 26 degrees F, the mean annual July temperature is about 66 degrees F, and the mean annual temperature is 45 to 50 degrees F. The frost-free season is 100 to 140 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Dehart, Donavan, Inkler, Raisio, Republic, and Stevens soils. Dehart soils do not have a mollic epipedon and are on mountains. Donavan soils are coarse-loamy and are on toeslopes, footslopes, and backslopes of foothills and mountains. Inkler soils are frigid, have an admixture of volcanic ash in the upper part, and are on foothills and mountains. Raisio soils are 20 to 40 inches deep to a lithic contact and are on south-facing footslopes, sideslopes and ridgetops of mountains. Republic soils are coarse-loamy, frigid, and are on alluvial fans, terrace and footslopes and backslopes of mountains. Stevens soils are coarse-loamy, have a mollic epipedon greater than 20 inches thick, and are on south-facing hillsides, rounded hilltops, mountainsides and ridgetops.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained, moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Rangeland, pasture, and wildlife habitat. Vegetation is common snowberry, Saskatoon serviceberry, common chokecherry, bluebunch wheatgrass, Idaho fescue, prairie junegrass, arrowleaf balsamroot, and silky lupine.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northeastern Washington. MLRA 43A. The series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Colville Indian Reservation, Ferry County, Washington, 1987.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this soil are a mollic epipedon from the mineral surface to 18 inches, and a particle-size control section from 10 to 40 inches that averages 55 percent rock fragments. The description reflects a change in classification from loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, mesic Vitrandic Haploxerolls to loamy-skeletal, isotic, mesic Vitrandic Haploxerolls.