LOCATION DOMERIE WATentative Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Ashy-skeletal, amorphic Typic Vitricryands
TYPICAL PEDON: Domerie stony ashy sandy loam - under a coniferous forest on a 50 percent south-facing upper back slope at an elevation of 4,420 feet. The soil was dry when described. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated. All textures are apparent field textures.)
Oi--0 to 1 inch; needles, twigs and partially decomposed litter; very strongly acid (pH 5.0); abrupt smooth boundary. (1 to 2 inches thick)
A--1 to 4 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) stony ashy loamy sand, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; weakly smeary; common weak fine granular fine and medium roots; few very fine irregular pores; 25 percent pebbles; 5 percent surface stones; NaF pH 9.2; moderately acid (pH 5.6); abrupt smooth boundary. (2 to 3 inches thick)
Bw1--4 to 9 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) channery ashy sandy loam, brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; weakly smeary; many fine, medium and coarse roots; many very fine irregular pores; 25 percent channers and 5 percent pebbles; NaF pH 11.5; moderately acid (pH 6.0); clear wavy boundary. (5 to 7 inches thick)
Bw2--9 to 21 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) very channery ashy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; weakly smeary; few coarse and many fine and medium roots; many very fine irregular pores; 35 percent channers and 5 percent pebbles; NaF pH 11.0; moderately acid (pH 5.8) clear wavy boundary. (15 to 18 inches thick)
Bw3--21 to 34 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) very channery ashy sandy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; weakly smeary; many fine and medium roots; many very fine irrgular pores; 35 percent channers, 5 percent flagstones, 10 percent pebbles, and 5 percent cobbles; NaF pH 11.0; moderately acid (pH 5.6); clear wavy boundary. (5 to 14 inches thick)
Bw4--34 to 41 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) extremely channery ashy sandy loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; nonsticky and nonplastic; weakly smeary; common fine and medium roots; many very fine irrgular pores; 45 percent channers, 30 percent flagstones, 10 percent pebbles, and 5 percent cobbles; NaF pH 10.5; strongly acid (pH 5.4); clear wavy boundary. (5 to 13 inches thick)
2Bw5--41 to 56 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) extremely channery sandy loam, light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine, fine, and medium roots; many very fine irregular pores; 50 percent channers, 5 percent cobbles, and 10 percent flagstones; NaF pH 10.0; moderately acid (pH 5.2); abrupt irregular boundary. (8 to 17 inches thick)
3R--56 inches; fractured phyllite.
TYPE LOCATION: Kittitas County, Washington; approximately 3 miles west of Lake Cle Elum, 2,500 feet west and 800 feet south of the northeast corner, section 35 T. 22 N., R. 13 E.; USGS Kachess Lake quad; Latitude 47 degrees, 21 minutes, 32 seconds N., and Longitude 121 degrees, 10 minutes, 37 seconds S.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Depth to bedrock ranges from 40 to 60 inches. The average annual soil temperature ranges from 42 to 45 degrees F. The soils are usually moist and are dry in all parts of the moisture control section for 30 to 45 consecutive days during summer and fall. The particle-size control section has by volume 40 to 70 percent angular channers and flagstones. It has acid oxalate extractable aluminum plus one-half iron of 0.7 to 2.8 percent, volcanic glass content of 30 to 70 percent, 15-bar moisture of 5 to 12 percent, phosphate retention of 40 to 80 percent, and an estimated moist bulk density of 0.85 to 1.10 g/cc. Reaction is strongly acid or moderately acid throughout.
The A horizon has a value of 5 or 6 dry and chroma of 2 or 3 dry and 2 through 4 moist.
The Bw1 horizon has a hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 5 or 6 dry and chroma of 3 or 4 dry or moist. It is ashy loam or ashy sandy loam with 20 to 40 percent phyllite and schist fragment.
The Bw2, Bw3, and Bw4 horizons have value of 6 or 7, 4 or 5 moist and chroma of 4 to 6 dry or moist. It is ashy loam or ashy sandy loam with 40 to 65 percent phyllite and schist fragments.
The 2Bw5 horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, 6 or 7 dry and chroma 4 or 6 moist. It is loam or sandy loam with 45 to 85 percent phyllite and schist fragments.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Currier (T), Kabser (T), Kaner (T), Jimek (T), Nomlas (T), Stilgar (T), and Terence series. Currier soils are very deep to bedrock and lack channer size rock fragments. Kabser soils have umbric epipedons 20 to 35 inches thick and lack channer size rock fragments. Jimek soils are moderately deep to bedrock. Nomlas soils lack channer size rock fragments. Stilgar soils are very deep to bedrock and have umbric epipedons 15 to 20 inches thick. Terence soils are very deep to bedrock and lack channer size rock fragments.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Domerie soils are on mountain sides. Slopes are usually convex and range from 30 to 70 percent. Elevation ranges from 3,600 to 5,800 feet. These soils developed from residuum and colluvium from phyllite and schist with an admixture of volcanic ash. They are in a climate with cool moist summers and cool moderately wet winters. Average annual precipitation is 50 to 70 inches. The average January temperature is about 24 degrees F. and the average July temperature is about 62 degrees F. The average annual temperature is 41 to 43 degrees F. and frost-free season is 35 to 80 days The growing season (28 degrees F) is 130 to 170 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Howson and the Vabus soils. Howson soils on broad ridges and mountain sides and are 20 to 40 inches deep to sandstone and have a spodic horizon. Vabus soils are on mountain sides and valleys and have a spodic horizon and has dense glacial till at depths ranging from 20 to 40 inches.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained, medium to rapid runoff, moderately rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for woodland, wildlife habitat and watershed. Vegetation is Douglas-fir, subalpine fir, Pacific silver fir, mountain hemlock, western hemlock, rusty menziesia, and vaccinium species.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: East slopes of the Cascade Mountains in northwestern Kittitas County; MLRA 3. This series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES PROPOSED: Kittitas County, Washington, l979.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon include:
Ochric epipedon - from 1 to 4 inches (A horizon)
Cambic horizon - from 4 to 56 inches (Bw and 2Bw horizons)
Andic properties - from 1 to 41 inches
Particle-size control section - from 1 to 41 inches
Ultic feature - from 1 to 56 inches ranges from 2 to 9 percent base saturation (sum).
All depths to diagnostic horizons and features found in the range of characteristics are measured from the top of the first mineral horizon.
Pedon revisions reflect a new series type location with supporting lab data.
ADDITIONAL DATA: Laboratory data for the Domerie series is available. Sample # S92WA-037-008, pedon # 93P0194; NSSL, Lincoln, NE 6/95.