LOCATION CONSTANCE WAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Medial-skeletal, ferrihydritic Lithic Haplocryands
TYPICAL PEDON: Constance extremely gravelly medial sandy loam - forestland, on a 61 percent southwest-facing slope at an elevation of 3,340 feet in a Pacific silver fir/salal plant association. (When described on May 3, 1991 the soil was moist throughout. Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated. All textures are apparent field textures.)
Oi--0 to 1 inch; slightly decomposed needles, twigs, and leaves; abrupt smooth boundary. (0.5 to 2 inches thick)
A--1 to 5 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) extremely gravelly medial sandy loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) dry; weak very fine and fine granular structure; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; weakly smeary; many very fine, fine, medium, and coarse roots; common very fine and fine irregular pores; 35 percent gravel, 30 percent cobbles; strongly acid (pH 5.4); clear smooth boundary. (3 to 6 inches thick)
Bw--5 to 13 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) extremely cobbly medial sandy loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) dry; weak very fine subangular blocky and weak very fine and fine granular structure; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; weakly smeary; many very fine, fine, medium, and coarse roots; common very fine and fine irregular pores; 35 percent gravel, 35 percent cobbles; strongly acid (pH 5.4); abrupt wavy boundary. (6 to 14 inches thick)
R--13 inches; hard marine basalt.
TYPE LOCATION: Jefferson County Washington; about 5.25 miles southwest of Collins Campground, about 1,450 feet north and 1,320 feet east of the southwest corner of section 29, T. 25 N., R. 3 W. (Latitude 47 degrees, 37 minutes, 32 seconds N., Longitude 123 degrees, 05 minutes, 32 seconds W.)
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Mean annual soil temperature at the lithic contact is 41 to 45 degrees F. Mean summer soil temperature is 43 to 47 degrees F. Mean winter soil temperature is 37 to 44 degrees F. The difference between mean summer and mean winter soil temperature is 3 to 9 degrees F. These soils are usually moist in the moisture control section and are dry 0 to 30 consecutive days during summer; udic moisture regime. Depth to bedrock is 10 to 20 inches. The particle-size control section from the mineral soil surface to the bedrock contact has andic soil properties with an estimated moist bulk density of 0.70 to 0.90 g/cc., acid-oxalate extractable aluminum plus one-half of the acid-oxalate extractable iron of 2 to 3 percent, phosphate retention is 85 to 100 percent, 15-bar water retention of 15 to 30 percent for air dried samples, and 60 to 90 percent rock fragments by volume. It has 1 to 2 cmol/kg of aluminum. Acid oxalate extractable iron is 1.5 to 3.0 percent.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR and chroma of 3 or 4 moist or dry. It has 5 to 15 percent organic matter.
The Bw horizon has hue of 10YR, 7.5YR or 5YR and a chroma of 3 or 4 moist, and chroma of 4 or 6 moist or dry. It is extremely cobbly medial sandy loam, extremely gravelly medial sandy loam, or extremely cobbly medial loam. It has 1 to 7 percent organic matter.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Bungalow, Buckman, Graves, Weatherwax and Yellowstone series. Bungalow and Buckman soils are very shallow and Bungalow soils are dry for 30 to 45 consecutive days. Graves soils have over 2 cmol/kg of aluminum (Alic) and more organic matter throughout the solum. Yellowstone soils have over 2 cmol/kg of aluminum and have a umbric epipedon. Weatherwax soils have a perudic moisture regime, over 2 cmol/kg of aluminum and more organic matter throughout the solum.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Constance soils are on mid-slopes of north and south-facing mountain slopes. Slopes are 60 to 100 percent. The soils formed in colluvium from marine basalt , sedimentary and associated metasedimentary and meta volcanic rocks. Elevations are 2,750 to 4,200 feet. Average annual precipitation is 70 to 150 inches. Average annual temperature is 39 to 43 degrees F. Frost-free season is 120 to 150 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the competing Graves and Aristine, Brokenfinger, Jorsted, Lilliwaup, Musgrove, and Stonybrook soils. Aristine and Jorsted soils are on glaciated mountain slopes and glacial valleys and are moderately deep to a cemented till. Brokenfinger and Stonybrook soils are on mountain slopes and are moderately deep to bedrock. Lilliwaup soils are on mountain slopes and are very deep and medial-skeletal. Musgrove soils are on mountain slopes and are very deep.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; moderately rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Wildlife habitat, recreation, and watershed. Native vegetation is western hemlock, Douglas fir, salal, Pacific rhododendron, common beargrass, western swordfern, Oregon-grape, northern twinflower, and Alaska huckleberry.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Olympic Mountains in Grays Harbor, Mason and Jefferson Counties, Washington; MLRA 3. Series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Jefferson County, Washington, 2000; Olympic National Forest.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are an ochric epipedon, a cambic horizon from 5 to 13 inches, andic soil properties from the mineral soil surface to 13 inches, and a lithic contact at 13 inches. The particle-size control section is from 1 to 13 inches (A and Bw horizons).
All depths to diagnostic horizons and other features are measured from the top of the first mineral horizon.