LOCATION DELRIO WAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Ashy, glassy, mesic Vitrixerandic Haplocambids
TYPICAL PEDON: DelRio ashy fine sandy loam-cropland on a 2 percent slope at an elevation of 2,250 feet. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted. All textures are apparent field textures.)
Ap--0 to 6 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) fine sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak medium granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine roots; few fine spherical tubular pores; 15 percent ash (0.5mm to 2.0mm in diameter); slightly acid (pH 6.4); clear smooth boundary. (4 to 8 inches thick)
AB--6 to 13 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) ashy fine sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine roots; very few fine spherical pores; 15 percent ash (0.5 to 2.0mm in diameter); neutral (pH 6.6); gradual smooth boundary. (6 to 8 inches thick)
BA--13 to 20 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) ashy fine sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak medium granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine roots; common fine irregular and tubular pores; 10 percent ash (0.5 to 2.0mm in diameter); neutral (pH 6.8); gradual smooth boundary. (6 to 8 inches thick)
Bw1--20 to 33 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) fine sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) ashy moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine roots; few fine irregular and tubular pores; 5 percent ash (0.5 to 2.0mm in diameter); neutral (pH 6.8); clear smooth boundary. (10 to 15 inches thick)
Bw2--33 to 45 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) ashy fine sandy loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine roots; few fine irregular and spherical pores; 2 percent ash (0.5 to 2.0mm in diameter); neutral (pH 7.0); gradual smooth boundary. (10 to 15 inches thick)
2Bk--45 to 60 inches; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) loamy fine sand, dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) moist; massive; loose, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; very few very fine roots; common fine and medium tubular pores; few fine filaments of secondary carbonates in pores; slightly effervescent; disseminated secondary carbonates; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8).
TYPE LOCATION: Douglas County, Washington; about 1 mile southeast of Mansfield; 2,200 feet west and 500 feet south of northeast corner section 36, T.27N., R25E. (Latitude 47 degrees 47 minutes 55 seconds N, Longitude 119 degrees 37 minutes 42 seconds W).
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature is 50 to 52 degrees F. These soils are dry in the moisture control section for one-half to three-fourths of the time when the soil temperature is above 41 F. The 10 to 40 inch particle-size control section has an estimated moist bulk density of 1.10 to 1.35 g/cc, volcanic glass content of 30 to 60 percent, including 2 to 25 percent sand-size pumice 0.5 to 2.0mm in diameter, acid-oxalate extractable aluminum plus one-half of the acid-oxalate extractable iron of 0.15 to 0.40 percent, and 15-bar water retention of 3 to 10 percent for air dried samples. Depth to secondary carbonates is more than 44 inches. Apparent field estimated clay is 3 to 12 percent. Depth to strongly contrasting textural stratification (2Bk horizon) is 44 to over 60 inches.
The Ap horizon has a chroma of 2 or 3 dry. Organic matter is 1 to 2 percent.
The AB horizon has chroma of 2 or 3 dry. It is ashy fine sandy loam or ashy sandy loam. Organic matter is less than 1 percent.
The BA horizon has chroma of 3 or 4 dry and 2 or 3 moist. It is ashy fine sandy loam, ashy sandy loam, or very ashy fine sandy loam. Organic matter is less than 1 percent.
The Bw1 horizon has a value of 3 or 4 dry or moist. Chroma is 3 or 4 dry. Texture is ashy fine sandy loam, ashy sandy loam, ashy very fine sandy loam or ashy loam. Reaction is neutral or slightly alkaline.
The Bw2 horizon has hue of 2.5Y or 10YR. Value is 5 or 6 dry and 3 or 4 moist. Chroma is 2 through 4 dry and 2 or 3 moist. Texture is ashy sandy loam, ashy fine sandy loam, or ashy very fine sandy loam.
The 2Bk horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y. Value is 5 or 6 dry and 3 or 4 moist. Chroma is 1 through 3 dry or moist. Textures are loamy fine sand, sandy loam or loamy sand. It is neutral or slightly alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: DelRio soils are on terraces, kames, and in depressions and channels on glaciated plateaus and terraces. They formed in loess and volcanic ash over sandy glacial outwash. Elevation is 1,200 to 2,800 feet. Slopes are 0 to 65 percent. Average annual precipitation is 9 to 12 inches. The semiarid climate is characterized by warm, dry summers and cool, moist winters. Average January temperature is 27 degrees F.; average July temperature is 71 degrees F.; and average annual temperature is 48 to 50 degrees F. Frost-free season is 130 to 180 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Heytou, Strat, Tagear, and Touhey soils. Heytou and Strat soils have horizons with over 35 percent rock fragments in the particle-size control section. Tagear soils have secondary carbonates in the control section and are underlain by glacial till at depths of 40 to 60 inches. Touhey soils have a duripan at 20 to 40 inches and are underlain by glacial till.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained, very slow to very rapid runoff; moderately rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: DelRio soils are mainly used for dryland crops with a small amount used for livestock grazing. Wheat and barley are the principal crops. Native vegetation is bluebunch wheatgrass, Idaho fescue, Sandberg bluegrass, arrowleaf balsamroot, lupine, Wyoming big sagebrush and threetip sagebrush.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: North Central Washington. DelRio series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Douglas County, Washington, 1998.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are an ochric epipedon. Mollic colors extend to a depth of 20 inches, but organic carbon is less than 0.6 below a depth of 6 inches, a cambic horizon from 13 to 45 inches, with 30 to 60 percent volcanic glass including 2 to 15 percent pumice (0.5 to 2.0mm in diameter) with acid-oxalate percent of less than 0.4. Secondary carbonate accumulation at 45 to 60 inches. Particle size control section is 10 to 40 inches. Mollic colors extend to a depth of 20 inches but organic matter is less than 1 percent throughout.
ADDITIONAL DATA: Classification based in part on NSSL Lincoln lab data pedon number 89P0204 and 93P0373. Type location lab data is 89P0204.