LOCATION CASSAL WAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, isotic, frigid Vitrandic Haploxerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Cassal ashy loam, on a southwest facing 20 percent slopes at 3,420 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 2 inches; moderately decomposed needles and twigs; abrupt smooth boundary. (1 to 3 inches thick)
A1--2 to 6 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) ashy loam, black (10YR 2/1) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine and fine, and common medium and coarse roots; common very fine and fine pores; 3 percent pebbles; neutral (pH 6.6); clear smooth boundary.
A2--6 to 15 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) ashy loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine and fine, and few medium and coarse roots; common very fine and fine pores; 3 percent pebbles; neutral (pH 6.6); clear wavy boundary. (combined A horizon thickness is 10 to 15 inches)
AB--15 to 20 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) ashy sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) 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; common very fine and fine pores; 5 percent pebbles; slightly acid (pH 6.4); clear wavy boundary. (3 to 5 inches thick)
2C1--20 to 37 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) very gravelly sandy loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and fine, and few medium roots; few fine pores; few fine faint yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) redox concentrations in lower part; 30 percent pebbles and 5 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 6.6); clear wavy boundary. (10 to 17 inches thick)
2C2--37 to 48 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) very gravelly sandy loam, gray (5/1) moist; massive; soft, friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; few very fine, fine and medium roots; few very fine pores; common fine and medium faint yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) redox concentrations; 35 percent pebbles and 5 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 6.6); gradual wavy boundary. (7 to 11 inches thick)
3Cdg--48 to 62 inches; light gray (10YR 7/2) very gravelly sandy loam, light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) moist; massive; hard, friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; few very fine roots; many fine and medium distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) redox concentrations; 40 percent pebbles and 5 percent cobbles; slightly acid (pH 6.4).
TYPE LOCATION: Okanogan County, Washington; about 4 miles southeast of Mazama Wa., about 2,100 feet south and 250 feet west of the northeast corner of section 3, T. 35 N., R. 20 E. (Latitude 48 degrees 33' 54"N., Longitude 120 degrees 19' 32"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 mollic epipedon is 10 to 18 inches thick. Thickness of the volcanic ash influence is 12 to 18 inches, and has an estimated moist bulk density of 1.10 to 1.30 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 35 to 55 percent rock fragments and 5 to 15 percent clay. A perched water table is present March to June at a depth of 36 to 60 inches. Depth to distinct redoximorphic features is 30 to 45 inches.
The A horizon has chromas of 1 or 2 moist.
The AB horizon has values of 3 or 4 dry, 2 or 3 moist, and chromas of 2 or 3 dry or moist. The texture is ashy sandy loam or ashy loam. It has 5 to 10 percent pebbles.
The 2C horizons have values of 5 or 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist, and chromas of 2 or 3 dry, 1 to 3 moist. It is very gravelly sandy loam or very cobbly sandy loam. It has 25 to 35 percent pebbles and 10 to 20 percent cobbles. Reaction ranges from slightly acid to neutral.
The 3Cd horizon has values of 6 or 7 dry, 5 or 6 moist, and chromas of 2 or 3 dry, 1 or 2 moist. It is very gravelly sandy loam or very cobbly sandy loam. It has 30 to 40 percent pebbles and 10 to 20 percent cobbles. Reaction ranges from slightly acid to neutral.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Bearspring, Dogtown, Frint, Hogranch, Midpeak, Mineral, Peahke, Pelican, Scoap, Shalrock, Wellscreek and Yellcreek (T) soils. Bearspring and Scoap soils are well drained. Scoap soils have a 20 to 30 inch mollic epipedon. Dogtown soils have a C horizon that is loamy sand or sand. Frint, Midpeak Mineral, Peahke and Shalrock soils are 20 to 40 inches to a lithic contact. Hogranch soils are 40 to 60 inches to bedrock. Pelican soils are well drained and are dry for 75 to 90 days. Wellscreek soils have 18 to 30 percent clay in the particle-size control section. Yellcreek soils have 50 to 80 percent rock fragments in the particle-size control section.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Cassal soils are on toeslopes and footslopes of mountains and have slopes of 5 to 25 percent. These soils formed in glacial till with a component of volcanic ash in the upper part. Elevations are from 2,700 to 3,900 feet. The climate is characterized by warm, dry summers and cool, moist winters. The average annual precipitation is 20 to 24 inches. The mean January temperature is 23 degrees F, the mean July temperature is 65 degrees F, and the mean annual temperatures is 40 to 44 degrees F. The frost-free season is 90 to 120 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Goddard, Merkel, and Swakane soils. Goddard soils are on outwash terraces and have a volcanic ash mantle 7 to 14 inches thick. Merkel soils are on backslopes and have lighter colored volcanic ash component in the upper part. Swakane soils are on shoulders and ridges and are mesic.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Moderately well drained; medium runoff; moderate permeability. Cassal soils have a perched water table 36 to 60 inches from the surface, March to June.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used for timber production, wildlife habitat, watershed, recreation and livestock grazing. Native vegetation is Douglas-fir, ponderosa pine and quaking aspen with an understory of common snowberry, pinegrass, Scouler willow, northwestern sedge, heartleaf arnica, and luina.
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:
Mollic epipedon - 2 to 20 inches (A1, A2 and AB horizons)
Depth to redoximorphic features range from 30 to 45 inches.
PSCS - zone from 12 to 42 inches (part of A2, AB, 2C1 and part of 2C2 horizons)