LOCATION CAGEY WAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Mixed, mesic Aquic Xeropsamments
TYPICAL PEDON: Cagey loamy sand; under scotch-broom and grass vegetation on a 2 percent slope at an elevation of 200 feet. The soil was dry when described. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 6 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) loamy sand, brown (10YR
5/3) dry; single grained; loose; many fine roots; many very fine pores; slightly acid (pH 6.4); abrupt smooth boundary. (6 to 8 inches thick)
Bw--6 to 28 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) loamy sand, pale brown (10YR 6/3) dry; single grained; loose; common fine roots; many very fine pores; slightly acid (pH 6.4); abrupt wavy boundary. (8 to 23 inches thick)
C1--28 to 34 inches; light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) fine sand, light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) dry; massive; loose, few fine roots; many very fine pores; slightly acid (pH 6.2); abrupt wavy boundary. (5 to 7 inches thick)
C2--34 to 60 inches; light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) fine sand, pale olive (5Y 6/3) dry; many fine distinct strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) mottles; not visible when dry; massive; loose, few fine roots; many very fine pores; slightly acid (pH 6.2).
TYPE LOCATION Thurston County, Washington near intersection of U.S. Interstate Highway 5 and Lathrop Road; 1,600 feet west and 200 feet north of southeast corner of sec. 16, T. 17 N., R. 2 W., W.M.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Mean annual temperature ranges from 48 to 52 degrees F. These soils are usually moist, but are dry in all parts of the moisture control section for 45 to 60 consecutive days following the summer solstice. Depth to the seasonal high water table ranges from 18 to 30 inches from November to April. Reaction is slightly acid or neutral throughout.
The A horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 3 or 4 moist, 5 or 6 dry, and chroma of 2 or 3 moist and dry.
The B horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 or 5 moist and chroma of 4 or 5 moist and 2 or 3 dry. It lacks mottles in some pedons. It is sand, fine sand or loamy sand.
The C horizon has hue of 2.5Y or 5Y, and chroma of 2 to 4 moist or dry, and is mottled. It is fine sand or sand.
COMPETING SERIES: This is the Fernley series. Fernley soils have a mean soil temperature of 54 to 57 degrees F.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Cagey soils formed in glacial outwash on glacial outwash terraces at elevations from 100 to 300 feet. Slopes are 0 to 4 percent. Average annual precipitation is 40 to 60 inches. Mean January temperature is about 38 degrees F, mean July temperature is about 64 degrees F, mean annual temperature is about 50 degrees F. The frost- free season is 170 to 200
days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the
Alderwood,
Everett,
Indianola,
McKenna, and
Spanaway soils. Alderwood soils are loamy-skeletal and have a duripan at depths of 20 to 40 inches. Everett and Spanaway soils are sandy-skeletal. Indianola soils lack a water table and mottles and are somewhat excessively drained. McKenna soils are loamy-skeletal, have an aquic moisture regime and are moderately deep.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Moderately well drained, slow runoff, rapid permeability. This soil has a seasonal high water table at 18 to 30
inches from November to April. The water table is at depths greater than 60 inches during the summer months.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used for timber production, Christmas tree production, hay and pasture, urban development. Native vegetation consists of Douglas-fir, red alder, western hemlock, western redcedar, bigleaf maple and lodgepole pine with an understory of Scotch-broom, salal, Oregon-grape, western swordfern, western brackenfern, common snowberry, longtube twinflower, cascara buckthorn, Pacific trillium, rose bedstraw, red huckleberry, and trailing blackberry.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: West Central Washington. This series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Whatcom County, Washington, 1942.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and feature recognized in this
pedon are an ochric epipedon from the surface to 6 inches and a particle-size control section from 10 to 40 inches that is sandy throughout.