LOCATION EBEYS WAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy, isotic, mesic Aquultic Haploxerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Ebeys loam, located in an area of Coupeville-Ebeys complex, 0 to 3 percent slopes, in cropland on a gently undulating glacial drift sand deposit at an elevation of 6 meters. When described on October 26, 2004 the soil was slightly moist to 86 cm and moist below. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
Ap--0 to 15 cm; very dark gray (10YR 3/1) loam, black (10YR 2/1) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure parting to weak coarse granular structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky, slightly plastic; many very fine to fine and few medium to coarse roots; many very fine to fine and common medium dendritic tubular pores; moderately acid (pH 6.0); abrupt wavy boundary.
A--15 to 38 cm; very dark gray (10YR 3/1) loam, black (10YR 2/1) moist; moderate coarse subangular blocky structure; moderately hard, friable, slightly sticky, moderately plastic; common very fine to fine and few medium to coarse roots; common very fine to fine and common medium dendritic tubular pores; slightly acid (pH 6.1); abrupt wavy boundary.
Bw--38 to 58 cm; dark gray (10YR 4/1) sandy loam, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; few very fine to fine and few medium to coarse roots; common very fine to fine irregular pores; 5 percent fine distinct irregular brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) dry, and yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) moist, masses of oxidized iron with clear boundaries in the matrix; slightly acid (pH 6.1); clear irregular boundary.
Bg--58 to 86 cm; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) loamy sand, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; few fine and few medium roots; common very fine to fine irregular pores; 15 percent medium distinct irregular brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) dry, and yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) moist, masses of oxidized iron with clear boundaries in the matrix and 15 percent fine faint irregular light gray (10YR 7/2) dry, and grayish brown (10YR 5/2) moist, iron depletions with clear boundaries in the matrix; slightly acid (pH 6.4); clear wavy boundary.
Cg1--86 to 127 cm; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) loamy sand, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; few fine and few medium roots; common very fine irregular pores; 15 percent medium faint irregular light gray (10YR 7/2) dry, and grayish brown (10YR 5/2) moist, iron depletions with clear boundaries in the matrix and 40 percent medium distinct irregular yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) moist, and brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) dry, masses of oxidized iron with clear boundaries in the matrix; slightly acid (pH 6.4); diffuse irregular boundary.
Cg2--127 to 152 cm; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) fine sand, dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) moist; single grain; loose, nonsticky, nonplastic; few fine roots; common very fine irregular pores; 10 percent medium distinct irregular light gray (2.5Y 7/2) dry, and grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) moist, iron depletions with clear boundaries in the matrix and 10 percent medium distinct irregular dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) moist, and yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) dry, masses of oxidized iron with clear boundaries infused into matrix adjacent to pores and 50 percent medium distinct irregular yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) dry, and dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) moist, masses of oxidized iron with clear boundaries in the matrix; slightly acid (pH 6.4).
TYPE LOCATION:
Whidbey Island, Island County, Washington; 280 meters south and 15 meters west of the northeast corner of section 15, T. 31 N., R. 1 E. Willamette Meridian; USGS Coupeville SE quarter quadrangle; latitude 48 degrees, 10 minutes, 43 seconds North and longitude 122 degrees, 39 minutes, 34 seconds West; UTM 525295 meters E, 5336230 meters N, zone 10 NAD83.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Depths to diagnostic horizons and features start from the mineral soil surface.
Mean annual soil temperature 11 to 12 degrees C.
Soil moisture control section dry 75 to 90 days following the summer solstice.
Thickness of mollic epipedon 25 to 60 cm
Base saturation by ammonium acetate - greater than 50 percent within the epipedon
Base saturation by sum of cations - less than 75 percent from 25 to 75 cm
Reaction Slightly acid to moderately acid.
Particle size control section:
Clay content 0 to 15 percent
A horizons
Value 2 to 3 moist, 3 to 4 dry
Chroma 1 to 2 moist, 2 to 3 dry
Texture L or SL
Clay content 5 to 15 percent
Bw horizon
Hue 10YR to 7.5YR
Value 3 to 4 moist, 4 to 5 dry
Chroma 1 to 3 moist and dry
Texture SL or LS
Clay content 2 to 10 percent
Bg horizon
Hue 10YR to 7.5YR
Value 4 to 5 moist, 5 to 6 dry
Chroma 2 to 4 moist, 3 to 4 dry
Texture LS or FS
Clay content 0 to 5 percent
Cg horizons
Hue 10YR to 2.5Y
Value 4 to 5 moist, 5 to 6 dry
Chroma 2 to 3 moist, 3 to 4 dry
Texture LS or FS
Clay content 0 to 5 percent
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series in this family.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Mean annual precipitation: 460 mm to 635 mm
Mean annual air temperature: 10 to 11 degrees C
Frost-free period: 200 to 240 days
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Bozarth, Coupeville, Coveland, and San Juan soils. Bozarth soils have redoximorphic features above 50 cm and a densic contact above 100 cm. Coupeville soils have redoximorphic features above 20 cm, an argillic horizon, and a densic contact above 150 cm. Coveland soils have an ochric epipedon, redoximorphic features above 50 cm, an argillic horizon, and a densic contact above 150 cm. San Juan soils formed in stratified glacial outwash and do not have redoximorphic features above 150 cm.
DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Moderately well drained. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately high to very high. Ebeys soils have an apparent water table as high as 112 cm from December to February. Ebeys soils are not subject to ponding.
USE AND VEGETATION: Ebeys soils are used for crop production, forage crop production, livestock grazing, and wildlife habitat. Wheat, oats, barley, alfalfa, and vegetables for produce and for seed are common crops. Potential natural vegetation may include an overstory of scattered Oregon white oak and Douglas-fir but is primarily prairie grass vegetation including Roemer's fescue, western brackenfern, chocolate lily, camas, baldhip rose, common snowberry, and trailing blackberry.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northwest Washington. MLRA 2, North. Series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Island County, Washington, 1950.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon 0 to 58 cm (Ap, A, and Bw horizons)
Cambic horizon 38 to 58 cm (Bw horizon)
Particle size control section 25 to 100 cm
The Ebeys series was mapped in the 1950 Island County, Washington Soil Survey but an official series description was never written. This series had an inactive status in the Soil Series Classification database before 12/2007.