LOCATION HALLCREEK WAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy-skeletal, isotic, mesic Andic Haploxerepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Hallcreek ashy loam, under a coniferous forest on a 2 percent slope at 2,400 feet elevation. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted. All textures are apparent field texture.)
Oi--0 to 1 inch; needles, leaves, twigs.
A--1 to 4 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) ashy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine, fine, and medium roots; 10 percent pebbles; NaF pH 9.4; neutral (pH 7.0); clear wavy boundary. (3 to 6 inches thick)
Bw--4 to 12 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) ashy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine, fine, medium, and coarse roots; 10 percent pebbles; NaF pH 9.4; neutral (pH 6.8); clear wavy boundary. (6 to 15 inches thick)
2BC--12 to 18 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) gravelly sandy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine, fine, medium, and coarse roots; 20 percent pebbles and 5 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 6.8); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 9 inches thick)
2C--18 to 60 inches; light gray (10YR 7/2) extremely gravelly sand, grayish brown (10YR 5/2); single grained; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine and fine roots; 50 percent pebbles and 20 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 7.0)
TYPE LOCATION: Okanogan County, Washington; about 7 miles west of Nespelem; 1,500 feet north and 800 feet west of the southeast corner, sec. 2, T. 31 N., R. 29 E., W.M.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature at a depth of 20 inches ranges from 47 to 49 degrees F. These soils are usually moist but are dry between depths of 12 and 35 inches for 75 to 90 consecutive days following the summer solstice. The volcanic ash mantle is 7 to 14 inches thick and has an estimated moist bulk density of 0.75 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 1.0 to 2.0 percent, and 15-bar water retention of 5 to 12 percent for air dried samples. Thickness of the solum ranges from 10 to 24 inches. The particle-size control section is 35 to 70 percent rock fragments.
The A horizon has chroma of 2 or 3 dry or moist.
The Bw horizon has chroma of 3 or 4 dry or moist. It is 5 to 15 percent pebbles. Reaction is slightly acid or neutral.
The 2BC horizon has chroma of 3 or 4 dry or moist. It is gravely sandy loam, very gravelly sandy loam, or very gravelly coarse sandy loam. It is 20 to 35 percent pebbles and 5 to 10 percent cobbles. Reaction is slightly acid or neutral.
The 2C horizon has value of 6 or 7 dry, 4 or 5 moist, or is multicolored. It is extremely gravelly sand, extremely gravelly coarse sand, very gravelly coarse sand, extremely cobbly sand or extremely cobbly coarse sand. It is 40 to 60 percent pebbles and 15 to 30 percent cobbles. Reaction is moderately acid to neutral.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Hallcreek soils are on glacial outwash terraces. Elevation is 1,700 to 2,700 feet. Slopes are 0 to 10 percent. The soils formed in glacial outwash with a mantle of volcanic ash and loess. The climate is characterized by warm, dry summers and cool, moist winters. The average annual precipitation is 15 to 18 inches. The mean January temperature is about 26 degrees F, the mean July temperature is about 66 degrees F, and the mean annual air temperature is about 47 degrees F. The frost-free season is 100 to 130 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are Bisbee, Donavan, Garrison, Hudnut, Narcisse, Republic, Springdale, Spens, Spokane, and Vanbrunt soils. Bisbee soils are sandy. Donavan soils are coarse-loamy and have a mollic epipedon. Garrison soils are loamy-skeletal and have a mollic epipedon. Hudnut soils are coarse-loamy. Narcisse soils are coarse-loamy and have a mollic epipedon more than 20 inches thick. Republic soils are coarse-loamy, have a mollic epipedon and are frigid. Springdale and Spens soils lack a volcanic ash mantle. Spokane soils are coarse-loamy, have a mollic epipedon and have a paralithic contact at 20 to 40 inches. Vanbrunt soils are loamy-skeletal, have a mollic epipedon, and have a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow runoff; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Cropland, pasture, timber production, grazing, watershed and wildlife habitat. The native vegetation is ponderosa pine with an understory of common snowberry, white spiraea, bluebunch wheatgrass, Saskatoon serviceberry, blue wildrye, pinegrass, arrowleaf balsamroot, and creeping Oregon-grape.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northeastern Washington. The series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Colville Indian Reservation; Okanogan and Ferry Counties, Washington, 1987.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this soil are an ochric epipedon from the surface to 7 inches mixed, a cambic horizon from 4 to 18 inches. Rock fragments in the 10-to 40-inch control section averages 59 percent.