LOCATION GHORMLEY WAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, isotic, frigid Vitrandic Palexerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Ghormley ashy sandy loam - forestland, on a 44 percent north-facing slope at 2,680 feet elevation. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated. All textures are apparent field textures.)
Oi--0 to 1 inch; slightly decomposed forest litter mixed with a small amount of 1980 Mt. St. Helens volcanic ash; abrupt smooth boundary. (0.5 to 1 inch thick)
A1--1 to 3 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) ashy sandy loam, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) moist; single grain; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine, common fine and few medium roots; very many fine and fine irregular pores; 35 percent pumice less than 2 mm in size; NaF pH 9.2; slightly acid (pH 6.2); gradual smooth boundary.
A2--3 to 8 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) ashy loam, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly stick and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine, common medium, and few coarse roots; common very fine and fine irregular pores; 15 percent pumice less than 2 mm in size; NaF pH 9.6; slightly acid (pH 6.2); abrupt irregular boundary. (Combined thickness of the A horizon is 8 to 12 inches)
AB--8 to 13 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) ashy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine and common medium roots; common very fine and fine irregular and few very fine and fine tubular pores; 5 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.4); abrupt irregular boundary. (0 to 6 inches thick)
2BE--13 to 21 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) gravelly loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky parting to weak fine subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine irregular and few very fine and fine tubular pores; few distinct skeletans on faces of peds; 10 percent gravel and 5 percent cobbles; slightly acid (pH 6.1); abrupt wavy boundary. (0 to 10 inches thick)
2Bt1--21 to 27 inches; light olive brown (2.5Y 5/3) gravelly clay, olive brown (2.5Y 4/3) moist; very hard, very firm, very sticky and very plastic; strong coarse subangular blocky structure; few fine roots; few very fine and fine irregular and few very fine, fine and medium tubular pores; many distinct dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) clay films on faces of peds; 10 percent gravel and 5 percent cobbles; slightly acid (pH 6.4); gradual wavy boundary.
2Bt2--27 to 36 inches; light olive brown (2.5Y 5/3) gravelly clay, light olive brown (2.5Y 5/3) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; very hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few fine roots; few very fine and fine irregular, few very fine and fine tubular pores; common distinct brown (10YR 4/3) clay films on faces of peds; common distinct brownish yellow (10YR 6/8) redoximorphic concentrations; 10 percent gravel and 15 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 6.8); gradual wavy boundary.
2Bt3--36 to 63 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) cobbly clay, olive brown (2.5Y 4/3) moist; moderate coarse subangular blocky structure; very hard, firm, very sticky and very plastic; few fine roots matted on faces of peds; few very fine and fine irregular pores; many distinct brown (10YR 4/3) clay films on faces of peds; common distinct olive yellow (5Y 6/6) redoximorphic concentrations; 10 percent gravel, 15 percent cobbles and 5 percent stones; neutral (pH 7.2). (Combined thickness of 2Bt horizon is 12 to 50 inches.)
TYPE LOCATION: Wenatchee National Forest, Naches Ranger District, Yakima County, Washington; about 3 miles west of Tieton Dam, about 2,300 feet south and 1,200 east of the northwest corner of section 27, T. 14 N, R. 14 E., Latitude 46 degrees 40 minutes 20 seconds N. and Longitude 121 degrees 04 minutes 10 seconds W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature is 43 to 46 degrees F. These soils are usually moist but are dry for 60 to 75 consecutive days after the summer solstice. The mollic epipedon is 10 to 16 inches thick. Thickness of soil with vitrandic properties is 10 to 16 inches. The vitrandic material has estimated bulk density of 0.85 to 1.10 g/cc, glass content of 20 to 30 percent, acid-oxalate extractable aluminum plus one-half acid-oxalate extractable iron of 0.5 to 1.5 percent, phosphate retention of 15 to 30 percent and 15-bar water retention of 8 to 10 percent for air-dried samples. Rock fragments in the particle-size control section range from 10 to 30 percent and clay ranges from 40 to 60 percent. Depth to an abrupt textural boundary ranges from 16 to 25 inches.
The A horizons have value of 3 to 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist and chroma of 1 to 3 dry. Texture of the A2 horizon and AB horizon (when present) is gravelly ashy loam, cobbly ashy loam, or ashy loam. Reaction is slightly acid or neutral.
The 2BE horizon, when present, is gravelly loam or cobbly loam.
The 2Bt horizon has a hue of 5Y to 10YR, value of 3 to 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist and chroma of 2 to 4 dry, 1 to 4 moist. Texture is clay, gravelly clay or cobbly clay. Reaction is slightly acid or neutral.
Some pedons have a BC horizon below the argillic horizon.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series in this family.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Ghormley soils are on mountain side slopes, toe slopes and ridge tops with slopes of 3 to 60 percent. Topography is usually hummocky reflecting past landslides. These soils formed in colluvium from basalt mixed with layers of bentonite and small amounts of volcanic ash in the surface. Elevations are 2,500 to 4,500 feet. The climate is characterized by warm, dry summers and cool, moist winters. The mean annual precipitation is 25 to 50 inches. The average January temperature is about 26 degrees F. and the average July temperature is about 65 degrees F. The mean annual temperature is 42 to 45 degrees F. The frost-free season is 70 to 100 days. The growing season at 28 degrees F. is 145 to 170 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Bearrun and McDanielake soils. Bearrun soils are on mountain sides and have a mollic epipedon less than 10 inches thick. McDanielake soils are on mountain side slopes, have andic soil materials 7 to 14 inches thick and are loamy-skeletal.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Moderately well drained; moderate permeability in the surface and very slow permeability through the subsoil.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used mainly for timber production, wildlife habitat and recreation. Native vegetation is grand fir, Douglas fir, ponderosa pine with an understory of pinegrass, elksedge, heartleaf arnica, few flowered peavine, shiny-leaf spirea and silky lupine.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Wenatchee National Forest, Naches Ranger District, Yakima County, Washington; MLRA B6. The series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Wenatchee National Forest, Naches Ranger District, Yakima County, Washington, 2003. Name is from an early pioneers camp in the area.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - 1 to 13 inches (A1, A2 and AB horizons)
Argillic horizon - 21 to 63 inches (2Bt1, 2Bt2 and 2Bt3 horizons)
Abrupt textural change at 20 inches
Particle Size Control Section - 21 to 41 inches ( 2Bt1, 2Bt2, and part of the 2Bt3 horizons)
Depths to diagnostic horizons and features are measured from the top of the first mineral layer.