LOCATION GANIS WATentative Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy, isotic Lithic Haplocryolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Ganis ashy silt loam - under seeded range on a mountain plateau at an elevation of 5,480 feet. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated. When described the soil was moist)
A1--0 to 3 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) ashy silt loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; weak very fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; common very fine, fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; 5 percent gravel; NaF pH 8.4; strongly acid (pH 5.4); clear wavy boundary.
A2--3 to 10 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) ashy silt loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate very fine granular structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine, fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; 5 percent gravel; NaF pH 8.6; strongly acid (pH 5.4); clear wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the A horizon is 7 to 10 inches)
Bw--10 to 19 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) gravelly silt loam; dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots; many very fine tubular pores; 20 percent gravel and10 percent cobbles; NaF pH 9.0strongly acid (pH 5.4); abrupt wavy boundary. (9 to 20 inches thick)
R--19 inches; fractured basalt.
TYPE LOCATION: Kittitas County, Washington; about 1 mile northwest of Colockum Pass; 2,100 feet east and 1,100 feet north of southwest corner section 23, T. 20 N., R. 20 E., W.M.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Solum thickness and depth to a lithic contact ranges from 16 to 20 inches. The mollic epipedon is 7 to 10 inches thick. The upper 7 to 10 inches is assumed to be 5 to 20 percent volcanic glass, 0.4 to 1.0 percent acid oxalate extractable aluminum plus one-half iron, and moist bulk density of 1.10 to 1.30 g/cc. The mean annual soil temperature at bedrock ranges from 42 to 44 degrees F. The particle-size control section has by weight 15 to 50 percent fine sand or coarser and 10 to 18 percent clay. By volume the particle-size control section averages 10 to 30 percent rock fragments.
The A horizon has value of 3 or 4 dry, 2 or 3 moist. It averages 0 to 10 percent gravel.
The Bw horizon has chroma of 3 or 4 moist. Texture is gravelly silt loam or cobbly loam. It averages 20 to 30 percent gravel and cobbles.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing soils. Similar soils are the Duncom, Hanagita, Jenkinson, Paddy, Spliten, Splitro, and Udelope soils. Duncom soils have a Ck horizon and are mildly alkaline or moderately alkaline throughout. Hanagita soils have a mean annual soil temperature of 32 to 35 degrees F. and organic horizons. Jenkinson soils are moderately alkaline or strongly alkaline throughout. Paddy soils are dominated by shale and argillite rock fragments, have hue of 5YR to 2.5YR throughout, and have organic horizons. Spliten soils lack a Vitrandic feature. Splitro soils are slightly acid to mildly alkaline, have a base saturation of 80 to 100 percent and are sandy loam throughout. Udelope soils are neutral or mildly alkaline and lack a Bw horizon.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Ganis soils are on mountain plateaus and ridges. Slopes range from 7 to 25 percent. The soils formed in residuum and colluvium from Yakima basalt with an influence loess and volcanic ash. Elevation is 5,400 to 6,800 feet. These soils are in a continental climate with warm, dry summers and cool, moist winters, with a snow pack from December through April. The mean annual precipitation is 22 to 30 inches. The mean January temperature is about 22 degrees F and the mean July temperature is about 60 degrees F. The mean annual temperature is 40 to 42 degrees F. The frost-free season is 60 to 95 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Darland, Naxing, and Saydab soils. Darland soils are on southerly mountain side slopes, are loamy-skeletal and have a pachic mollic epipedon. Naxing soils are on mountain side slopes, are very deep, ashy-skeletal and have an umbric epipedon. Saydab soils are on mountain side slopes, have an umbric epipedon and a lithic contact with basalt at 20 to 40 inches.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow runoff. Permeability is moderate.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for wildlife habitat, summer range, recreation, and watershed. Vegetation is bluebunch wheatgrass, Sandburg bluegrass, Thurber needlegrass, and elk sedge.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Eastern slopes of the Cascade Mountains in Kittitas County, Washington; MLRA 3. This series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES PROPOSED: Kittitas County, Washington, 1976.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon:
Mollic epipedon - 0 to 10 inches (A1 and A2 horizons)
Cambic horizon - 10 to 19 inches (Bw horizon)
Vitrandic feature - 0 to 10 inches (assumed)
Particle-size control section - 10 to 19 inches