LOCATION FERNOW WAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Medial over pumiceous or cindery, amorphic over glassy Andic Haplocryods
TYPICAL PEDON: Fernow medial loam, under a coniferous forest on 35 percent, north-facing, undulating slope at an elevation of 4,000 feet. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated. All textures are apparent field textures.)
Oi--0 to 1 inch; slightly decomposed forest litter. (2 to 4 inches thick).
Oe--1 to 2 inches; moderately decomposed organic matter. (1/2 to 2 inches thick).
E--2 to 3 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) ashy sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic and weakly smeary; common very fine and medium roots; few fine tubular pores; NaF pH 10.1; very strongly acid (pH 4.8); gradual wavy boundary. (1 to 5 inches thick).
Bhs--3 to 7 inches; reddish brown (5YR 4/4), medial loam, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/3) moist; 10 percent dark reddish brown (5YR 3/3) organic matter stains, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/2) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic and moderately smeary; common very fine and fine roots; few fine tubular pores; 5 percent pumice, 2mm to 10mm in diameter; NaF pH 12.0; strongly acid (pH 5.4) gradual irregular boundary. (2 to 5 inches thick).
Bs--7 to 12 inches; strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) medial loam, strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic and moderately smeary; common fine roots; few fine tubular pores; 10 percent pumice 2mm to 10mm in diameter; NaF pH 11.5; moderately acid (pH 5.6); gradual irregular boundary. (2 to 6 inches thick)
Bw--12 to 29 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/4) medial loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist, 40 percent yellow (10YR 7/6) iron stains, yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) moist; moderate medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic and weakly smeary; common very fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; NaF pH 11.5; moderately acid (pH 5.8); abrupt smooth boundary. (4 to 17 inches thick).
2C1--29 to 36 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) very paragravelly ashy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; single grain; loose and weakly smeary; few very fine roots; 60 percent pumice, 2mm to 25mm in diameter; NaF pH 11.0; moderately acid (pH 6.0); clear wavy boundary. (6 to 19 inches thick).
2C2--36 to 48 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/4) extremely paragravelly ashy sandy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist, 20 percent reddish yellow (7.5YR 7/6) iron stains, strong brown (7.5YR\5/6) moist; single grain; loose; 85 percent pumice, 2mm to 25mm in diameter; NaF pH 11.0; slightly acid (pH 6.4); abrupt wavy boundary. (9 to 12 inches thick)
3C3--48 to 62 inches; very pale brown and white (10YR 8/4 and 10YR 8/2) pumice, yellowish brown and grayish brown (10YR 5/4 and 10YR 5/2) moist, 10 percent yellow (10YR 7/6) iron stains, brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) moist; single grain; loose; 95 percent pumice 2mm to 25mm in diameter, voids not filled; slightly acid (pH 6.4).
TYPE LOCATION: Chelan County, Washington; about 2-1/2 miles south of Trinity, Washington on USFS Little Giant Pass Trail #1518; 1,050 feet west and 700 feet south of northeast corner, sec. 9, T. 29 N., R. 16 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature is 39 to 42 degrees F. The soils are usually moist, but are dry in all parts of the moisture control section for 30 to 45 consecutive days following the summer solstice. The upper part of the particle-size control section has an estimated moist bulk density of 0.60 to 0.85 g/cc, volcanic glass content of 30 to 60 percent, acid-oxalate extractable aluminum plus one-half of the acid-oxalate extractable iron of more than 2.0 percent, 15-bar water retention of 12 to 15 percent for air dried samples, and 0 to 25 percent pumice. The lower part of the particle-size control section has an estimated moist bulk density of 0.60 to 0.85 g/cc, 50 to 85 percent pumice. Depth to pumice range from 20 to 30 inches. The Bhs horizon is 3 to 6 percent organic carbon.
The E horizon has value of 6 or 7 dry, 4 or 5 moist and chroma of 1 through 3 dry, 2 or 3 moist. Pumice 2mm to 10mm in diameter range from 0 to 10 percent. Reaction is very strongly acid or strongly acid.
The Bhs horizon has value of 4 or 5 dry, 3 or 4 moist, and chroma of 2 through 4 moist or dry. Pumice 2mm to 10mm in diameter range from 0 to 10 percent. Reaction is strongly acid or moderately acid.
The Bs horizon has hue of 5 YR or 7.5YR, value of 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist, and chroma of 4 through 6 moist or dry. Texture is medial loam or medial sandy loam. Pumice 2mm to 10mm in diameter range from 0 to 10 percent. Reaction is moderately acid or slightly acid.
The Bw horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 5 through 7 dry, 3 through 5 moist, and chroma of 3 through 6 moist or dry. Texture is medial loam or medial sandy loam, modified by 0 to 20 percent pumice, 2mm to 10mm in diameter. Reaction is moderately acid or slightly acid.
The 2C horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 6 or 7 dry, 4 or 5 moist, and chroma of 4 through 6 moist or dry. Texture is ashy loam, ashy sandy loam, or ashy loamy sand modified by 60 to 85 percent pumice paragravel, 2mm to 25mm in diameter. Reaction is moderately acid or slightly acid.
The 3C horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 6 through 8 dry, 4 through 6 moist, and chroma of 2 through 6 moist or dry. Pumice paragravel 2mm to 25mm in diameter average 80 to 95 percent, voids are not filled. Reaction is moderately acid to slightly acid.
COMPETING SERIES: This is the Totem series. Totem soils are lack a Bhs horizon, and have less than 3 percent organic carbon in the upper part of the spodic horizon.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Fernow soils are in glaciated valleys, on mountainsides, benches, and valley bottoms. Slopes range from 3 to 65 percent. Elevations range from 3,000 to 6,000 feet. These soils formed in volcanic ash and pumice from a number of ash falls. Primary source for a majority of the volcanic ejecta is Glacier Peak. The climate is characterized by warm, dry summers and cool, moist winters. The average annual precipitation is 75 to 100 inches. The mean January temperature is about 22 degrees F and the July temperature is about 59 degrees F. The mean annual temperature is about 40 to 42 degrees F. The growing season at 28 degrees F is 100 to 130 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Almac, Altapeak, Nimue, Soda and the competing Totem soils. The Almac and Soda soils are medial over loamy-skeletal. Altapeak soils are sandy-skeletal. Nimue soils are medial-skeletal.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow to rapid runoff; moderate permeability in the upper portion of the profile, rapid in the lower portion.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used for woodland, wildlife habitat, watershed, and recreation. Native vegetation is western hemlock, Pacific silver fir, Douglas-fir and western white pine with an understory of Oregon-grape, queencup beadlily, pyrola, pachystima, western brackenfern, and mosses.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: East slopes of the Cascade Mountains in Chelan County, Washington. Series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Chelan County, Washington; Entiat Soil Survey, 1971.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are an albic horizon from the mineral surface to 1 inch, a spodic horizon from 1 to 10 inches. The particle size control section is medial from 12 to 29 inches and pumiceous or cindery from 27 to 40 inches.
ADDITIONAL DATA: Partial laboratory data are available. National Soil Survey Laboratory samples 827130 and 827131.