LOCATION DURTASH WAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Clayey-skeletal, smectitic, mesic, shallow Abruptic Argiduridic Durixerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Durtash loam - rangeland, on a 6 percent southwest-facing slope at 2,500 feet elevation. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated. All textures are apparent field textures.)
A1--0 to 4 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) loam, very dark gray brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many fine and few medium roots; many very fine irregular pores; 5 percent pebbles; neutral (pH 7.0); clear wavy boundary. (4 to 6 inches thick)
A2--4 to 7 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate fine platy structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common fine and few medium roots; common very fine irregular pores; 5 percent pebbles; neutral (pH 7.4); abrupt wavy boundary. (3 to 6 inches thick)
Bt1--7 to 10 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) very gravelly clay loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; strong medium subangular blocky; very hard, friable, sticky and plastic; common fine and few medium roots; many very fine and fine tubular pores, common distinct dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) clay films lining pores; 30 percent pebbles, 10 percent cobbles; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); clear wavy boundary. (3 to 5 inches thick)
Bt2--10 to 14 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) very gravelly clay loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; strong medium subangular blocky structure; very hard, very friable, sticky and plastic; common fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; common distinct dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) clay films lining pores; 45 percent pebbles, 10 percent cobbles; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); abrupt irregular boundary. (3 to 5 inches thick)
Bt3--14 to 19 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) extremely gravelly clay, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; strong medium subangular blocky structure; very hard, friable, sticky and plastic; few fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; many distinct dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) clay films on faces of peds; 50 percent pebbles, 20 percent cobbles; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); abrupt irregular boundary. (4 to 6 inches thick)
Bqkm--19 inches; indurated lime-silica duripan.
TYPE LOCATION: Kittitas County, Washington, about 9 miles south of Kittitas, Washington, about 900 feet south and 2,400 feet east of the northwest corner of section 31, T. 13 N, R. 21 E.; USGS topographic quadrangle; Lat. 46 degrees 39' 41" N. Long. 120 degrees 14' 42" W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature at the duripan contact is 47 to 54 degrees F. These soils are dry in the moisture control section more than half of the time when the soil temperature at the duripan is above 40 degrees F. Mollic epipedon thickness ranges from 7 to 12 inches. Organic matter is estimated to range from 1 to 2 percent. Depth to the duripan ranges from 10 to 20 inches.
The A horizon has a value of 4 or 5 dry, and chroma of 2 or 3 moist. It is neutral or slightly alkaline.
The Bt horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 4 or 5 dry, chroma of 3 through 5 dry or moist. It is extremely gravelly clay, very gravelly clay loam, very cobbly clay or very cobbly clay loam. It is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline.
The 2Bqkm horizon is indurated, has gravelly to extremely gravelly matrix, is 8 to 36 thick with 1 to 5 inch thick plates and is above a weakly cemented to weakly indurated alluvium.
COMPETING SERIES: This is the Vansickle series. Vansickle soils have hue of 5YR or 7.5YR and are 11 to 30 inches thick to a lithic contact.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Durtash soils are on alluvial fans and have slopes of 2 to 30 percent. These soils formed in loess and alluvium. Elevation is 1,800 to 2,900 feet. These soils are in a semiarid climate having warm dry summers and cold moist winters. The mean annual precipitation ranges from 9 to 12 inches. The mean January temperature is about 25 degrees F.; the mean July temperature is about 69 degrees F.; and the average annual temperature is about 48 to 50 degrees F. The frost-free season is 130 to 170 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Gorskel, Gorst, Manastash, Meloza, and Selah soils which occur on old alluvial fans. Gorskel soils are loamy-skeletal. Gorst soils are loamy. Meloza soils are very deep and fine-textured. Selah soils are loamy-skeletal and are 20 to 40 inches to a duripan.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained, medium runoff; slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Rangeland and wildlife habitat; Native vegetation is bluebunch wheatgrass, Sandberg bluegrass, cusick bluegrass, and Wyoming big sagebrush.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Yakima and Kittitas Counties, Washington. Series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Kittitas County, Washington, Yakima Training Center, 1994.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are a mollic epipedon from the surface to 7 inches, an argillic horizon from 7 to 19 inches, and an indurated duripan at 19 inches. The particle-size control section is the zone from 7 to 19 inches (argillic horizon).