LOCATION GOOSEFLATS WAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy, mixed, mesic Aeric Halaquepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Gooseflats fine sandy loam on a 1 percent east facing slope under native grasses at an elevation of 1,150 feet. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated. When described, the soil was wet below 24 inches.)
Akzn1--0 to 4 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) fine sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine roots; violent effervescent; very strongly alkaline (pH 9.4); gradual smooth boundary.
Akzn2--4 to 7 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) fine sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and fine roots; strongly effervescent; very strongly alkaline (pH 9.2); clear smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the A horizon is 2 to 10 inches)
Bkzn1--7 to 20 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) loamy fine sand, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; massive; soft, very friable; nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine roots; violently effervescent; strongly alkaline (pH 9.0); gradual smooth boundary. (10 to 20 inches thick)
Bkzn2--20 to 30 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) loamy fine sand, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine roots; violently effervescent; strongly alkaline (pH 8.8); abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 12 inches thick)
Bkgz--30 to 41 inches; light gray (2.5Y 7/2) fine sand, grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; violently effervescent; strongly alkaline (pH 8.8); abrupt smooth boundary. (l1 to 24 inches thick)
Bkqmz--41 to 48 inches; light gray (2.5Y 7/2) lime-silica weakly cemented duripan which crushes to fine sand, olive (5Y 5/3) moist; massive; common fine and medium distinct olive yellow (2.5Y 6/6) mottles; massive; extremely hard; extremely firm, nonsticky and nonplastic; strongly cemented discontinuous and overlapping layers 1/4 to 1/2 inches thick; violently effervescent; strongly alkaline (pH 9.0); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 7 inches thick)
Cg--48 to 60 inches; light gray (5Y 7/2)) fine sand, olive (5Y 5/3) moist; massive; common fine and medium distinct olive yellow (2.5Y 6/6) mottles; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; strongly effervescent; very strongly alkaline (pH 9.4).
TYPE LOCATION: Colville Indian Reservation; Okanogan County, Washington; about 20 miles west of the town of Nespelem; 1,650 feet west, 1,900 feet north of the southeast corner of sec. 32, T. 31 N., R. 28 E., W.M.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature at a depth of 20 inches ranges from 49 to 51 degrees F. The particle-size control section contains less than 5 percent coarse fragments and ranges from loamy fine sand to fine sand. Sodium absorption ratio ranges from 15 to 35 in more than half of the upper 20 inches of the soil and decreases with depth below 20 inches. Depth to the duripan is 40 to more than 60 inches.
The Akzn horizon has hue of 7.5YR 10YR, or 2.5Y, value of 5 through 7 dry, 3 to 6 moist, and chroma of 1 through 3 dry or moist. The lower part is fine sandy loam or loamy fine sand and is 0 to 5 percent pebbles.
The Bkzn horizon has hue of 2.5Y or 10YR, value of 6 or 7 dry, 4 through 6 moist, and chroma of 2 through 4 dry or moist. Reaction is strongly alkaline or very strongly alkaline with strong or violent effervescence.
The Bkgz horizon has hue of 2.5Y or 5Y, value of 6 through 8 dry, 5 through 7 moist, and chroma of 0 through 3 dry or moist. Reaction is strongly alkaline or very strongly alkaline with strong or violent effervescence.
The Bkqmz horizon has hue of 2.5Y or 5Y, value of 6 through 8 dry, 5 or 6 moist, and chroma of 0 through 3 dry or moist. It is weakly to strongly cemented. Reaction is strongly alkaline or very strongly alkaline with strong or violent effervescence. Some pedons do not have a Bkqmz horizon.
The Cg horizon has hue of 2.5Y or 5Y, value of 6 through 8 dry, 5 or 6 moist, and chroma of 0 through 3 dry or moist. Structure may be massive or single grained. Reaction is strongly alkaline or very strongly alkaline with strong or violent effervescence. Some pedons do not have Cg horizons.
COMPETING SERIES: This is the Outlook series in another family. Outlook soils are coarse-silty.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Gooseflats soils are in draws and valley flats. Slopes are 0 to 2 percent. These soils formed in alluvium mainly from outwash material of mixed mineralogy. Elevations range from 800 to 2,400 feet. The climate is characterized by hot, dry summers and cool, moist winters. The average annual precipitation is 9 to 12 inches. The mean January temperature is about 24 degrees F, mean July temperature is about 73 degrees F, and the mean annual air temperature is about 50 degrees F. The frost-free season is 140 to 180 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Aeneas, Emdent, Farrell, Peshastin, Ratlake, and Quincy soils. Aeneas, Emdent, Farrell, Peshastin, and Quincy soils are very deep, nonsodic, lack surface accumulations of dispersed organic matter, and do not have duripans. Ratlake soils are less than 20 inches to a duripan and are poorly drained.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat poorly drained to moderately well drained, very slow runoff; moderately rapid permeability above the duripan.
USE AND VEGETATION: Principal uses are livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. The native vegetation is basin wildrye, inland saltgrass, alkali bluegrass, and alkali cordgrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northcentral Washington. This series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Colville Indian Reservation; Okanogan County, Washington, 1987.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this soil are an ochric epipedon from the surface to 20 inches, and an assumed sodium absorption ratio (SAR) of greater than 13 in half or more of the upper 20 inches that decreases with depth below 20 inches.