LOCATION CURRIER WATentative Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Ashy-skeletal over loamy-skeletal, amorphic over isotic Typic Vitricryands
TYPICAL PEDON: Currier cobbly ashy sandy loam -- under a coniferous forest on a 50 percent northwest-facing slope at an elevation of 3,400 feet. The soil was dry when described. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated. All textures are apparent field textures)
Oe--0 to 1 inch; partially decomposed forest litter; abrupt wavy boundary. (1 to 2 inches thick).
A1--1 to 3 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) cobbly ashy sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; single grain; loose, common fine and few medium roots; 5 percent gravel and 15 percent cobbles; NaF pH 9.6; moderately acid (pH 6.0); clear wavy boundary. (2 to 5 inches thick)
A2--3 to 9 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) very gravelly ashy sandy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist; single grain; loose, common fine, medium and few coarse roots; 25 percent gravel and 10 percent cobbles; NaF pH 10.5 moderately acid (pH 5.8); gradual irregular boundary. (6 to 8 inches thick)
Bw1--9 to 26 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) very gravelly ashy sandy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; very friable, soft, nonsticky and nonplastic, weakly smeary; common fine and medium roots; 30 percent gravel and 10 percent cobbles; NaF pH 10.5 moderately acid (pH 6.0) gradual wavy boundary. (10 to 20 inches thick)
Bw2--26 to 36 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) very gravelly ashy sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak very fine subangular blocky; very friable, soft, nonsticky and nonplastic, weakly smeary; common fine and medium roots; 50 percent gravel and 10 percent cobbles; NaF pH 10.5 moderately acid (pH 5.8); clear wavy boundary. (10 to 12 inches thick)
2BC--36 to 60 inches; pale yellow (2.5Y 7/4) very gravelly sandy loam, light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) moist; massive; very friable, soft, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine roots; 55 percent gravel and 5 percent cobbles; NaF pH 10.0; strongly acid (pH 5.4).
TYPE LOCATION: Kittitas County, Washington; about 4 miles southeast of Easton; 1,300 feet east and 400 feet south of the northwest corner of section 6, T. 19 N., R. 14 E.; USGS Easton, Washington topographic quadrangle; Latitude 47 degrees, 10 minutes, 30 seconds N., and Longitude 121 degrees, 11 minutes, 19 seconds W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The control section averages 40 to 80 percent rock fragments by volume and 5 to 12 percent clay. The mean annual soil temperature ranges from 44 to 46 degrees F. The soils are usually moist but are dry in all parts in the moisture control section for 30 to 45 consecutive days following summer solstice. The upper 30 to 36 inches of the solum has 30 to 70 percent volcanic glass, 0.7 to 2.0 percent acid-oxalate extractable aluminum plus one-half iron, 40 to 80 percent phosphate retention, 5 to 12 percent 15-bar moisture content, and 0.85 to 1.10 g/cc estimated bulk density.
The A1 horizon has a value of 4 or 5 dry, and chroma of 2 or 3 dry.
The A2 horizon has a chroma of 3 or 4 dry. It is very gravelly ashy sandy loam, very gravelly ashy loam or gravelly ashy sandy loam.
The Bw horizon has a value of 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist, and chroma of 3 or 4 moist. It is very gravelly ashy sandy loam, extremely gravelly ashy loam, or extremely cobbly ashy loam.
The 2BC horizon has a hue of 2.5Y or 5Y, a value of 5 through 7 dry, 4 or 5 moist and chroma of 3 or 4 dry, or moist. It is very gravelly sandy loam, extremely cobbly sandy loam, or extremely cobbly loam. Reaction is strongly acid or moderately acid.
COMPETING SERIES: This is the Eaglecap series. Series with similar classification are the Domerie (T), Douthit, Esmeralda, Howson (T), Jimek (T), Lemah (T) and Nomlas soils. Eaglecap soils are 15 to 25 inches deep to contrasting loamy-skeletal material. Domerie soils are deep to bedrock and are dominated by channer size rock fragments. Esmeralda soils are dominated by rock fragments of diabase, gabbro, and serpentinized basalt origin and have a spodic horizon. Howson and Jimek soils are moderately deep to bedrock. Lemah soils have a spodic horizon and are dominated by rock fragments of Swauk sandstone origin. Nomlas soils are dominated by rock fragments of andesite origin and are 20 to 30 inches to contrasting loamy-skeletal material.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Currier soils are on mountain side slopes, toeslopes, and broad ridges. Slopes are 5 to 90 percent. They formed in residuum and colluvium from coarse grained metamorphic gneiss, intrusive granodiorites and quartz diorites, with an admixture of volcanic ash. Elevations are 2,800 to 6,000 feet. The soils are in a continental climate with cool moist summers and cool moderately wet winters. The mean annual precipitation is 45 to 70 inches. The average January temperature is about 24 degrees F. and the mean July temperature is about 62 degrees F. The mean annual temperature is 41 to 43 degrees F. The frost-free season is 35 to 80 days. The growing season at 28 degrees F is 130 to 170 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Kaner and Terence soils. Kamer soils have an umbric epipedon and are on mountain side slopes and ridges. Terence soils have ash mantles 7 to 14 inches thick and are on mountain side slopes, toeslopes, and ridges.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. Runoff is medium on the gentle slopes and rapid on the steeper slopes. Permeability is moderately rapid.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for woodland, wildlife habitat and watershed. Vegetation is Douglas-fir, western hemlock, subalpine fir, western larch, western white pine, lodgepole pine, Engelmann spruce, and grand fir, with an understory of pachystima, huckleberry, Oregongrape, russet buffaloberry, princes pine, rose, deerfoot vanillaleaf, western rattlesnake plantain, elk sedge, pinemat mansanita, ceanothus, rusty manzanita, spirea, and currant.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: East slopes of the Cascade Mountains in west central Kittitas County; MLRA 3. This series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES PROPOSED: Kittitas County, Washington, 1981.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - the zone from 1 to 9 inches (A1 and A2 horizons)
Cambic horizon - the zone from 9 to 36 inches (Bw horizon)
Andic soil properties - the zone from 1 to 36 inches (A1, A2, and Bw horizons)
Particle-size control section - the zone from 1 to 41 inches with 1 to 36 inches meeting ashy-skeletal and 36 to 41 inches meeting loamy-skeletal. All depths to diagnostic horizons and features found in the range of characteristics are measured from the top of the first mineral horizon.
Based upon approval of an ashy-skeletal over loamy-skeletal contrasting class, the thickness range of the ashy mantle has been narrowed to 30 to 36 inches from 30 to 45 inches. Those soils with an ash mantle more than 36 inches thick meeting andic soil properties will be considered a taxadjunct to the series and an ashy-skeletal family.