LOCATION GROVE WAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy-skeletal, mixed, mesic Dystric Xerorthents
TYPICAL PEDON: Grove very gravelly loamy sand - forested. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted.)
Oi--2 1/2 inches to 1 inch; needles, twigs, and leaves.
Oe--1 inch to 0; partially decomposed organic matter from needles, twigs, and leaves; strongly acid (pH 5.4); abrupt smooth boundary.
Bw1--0 to 12 inches; dark reddish brown (5YR 3/4) very gravelly
loamy sand, reddish brown (5YR 5/3) dry; weak very fine granular structure; soft, very friable; many fine and medium roots; 55 percent mixed gravel; moderately acid (pH 5.8); gradual wavy boundary. (6 to 12 inches thick)
Bw2--12 to 27 inches; reddish brown (5YR 4/4) very gravelly coarse sand, reddish brown (5YR 5/4) dry; single grained; loose; many fine and medium roots; 55 percent mixed gravel; moderately acid (pH 5.8); clear wavy boundary. (12 to 16 inches thick)
BC--27 to 40 inches; dark brown (7.5YR 4/4) very gravelly sand,
brown (7.5YR 5/4) dry; single grained; loose; common fine and medium roots; 60 percent mixed gravel; moderately acid (pH 6.0); clear irregular boundary. (10 to 15 inches thick)
C--40 to 60 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) very gravelly coarse sand, dark gray (10YR 4/1) dry; single grained; loose; few fine roots; 50 percent mixed gravel; moderately acid (pH 6.0)
TYPE LOCATION: Jefferson County, Washington; 0.5 mile northwest of Jackson Cove, 0.1 mile west of powerline, SW1/4 NE 1/4 NW 1/4 sec. 13, T. 26 N., R. 2W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: These soils are usually moist, but are dry for 45 to 60 consecutive days following summer solstice. The mean annual soil temperature is estimated to range from 47 degrees to about 53 degrees F. Coarse fragments, dominantly pebbles, in the particle- size control section range from 55 to 75 percent by volume. The soil ranges from strongly acid to moderately acid. Some pedons have a thin A horizon.
The Bw horizon has hue of 5YR or 7.5YR, value of 2 through 5 moist, 4 to 6 dry, and chroma of 2 through 4 moist and 3 through 6 dry. It is very gravelly loamy sand, very gravelly coarse sand or very gravelly sandy loam and subhorizons of sandy loam do not extend into the particle-size control section. It has weak granular or blocky structure or is single grained.
The BC horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR and value and chroma of 3 through 5. it is very gravelly or extremely gravelly loamy sand or sand.
The C horizon has hue of 10YR through 5Y, value of 3 through 5, and chroma of 1 through 3. it is extremely gravelly sand or very gravelly sand.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Neilton, Netrac, Snoqualmie and Wiseman series. Neilton soils are dry 60 to 75 consecutive days and have a solum less than 24 inches thick. Netrac soils have a volcanic ash surface layer that is neutral. Snoqualmie and Wiseman soils lack a Bw horizon. Wiseman soils are 40 to 80 percent phyllite channers in the particle-size control section.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Grove soils formed in glacial outwash on terraces and terrace escarpments at elevations of near sea level to about 500 feet. Slopes are 0 to 50 percent. Grove soils are in a mild marine climate; summer is cool and dry and the winter is mild and wet. mean July temperature is 60 degrees F.; mean January temperature is 39 degrees F.; mean annual temperature is 50 degrees F. The average annual precipitation ranges from 50 to 80 inches and fog is common especially from late summer through winter. The growing season about 28 degrees F. is 160 to 215 days and frost-free season about 32 degrees F. is 160 to 180 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Hoodsport, Lystair, and Shelton soils. Hoodsport and Shelton soils have duripans. Lystair soils are coarse loamy over sandy or sandy-skeletal.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat excessively drained; slow runoff; moderately rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: used mainly for woodland, some small areas used for hay and pasture. Natural vegetation is Douglas-fir, western hemlock, western redcedar, red alder and bigleaf maple with an understory of salal, rhododendron, evergreen huckleberry, western brackenfern, western swordfern, Oregon-grape, salmonberry, and creambush oceanspray.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Puget lowlands in western Washington. Series is of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Thurston County, Washington, 1949.