LOCATION KAALUALU HI

Established Series
Rev. MRK
05/2012

KAALUALU SERIES

The Kaalualu series consists of moderately deep, somewhat excessively drained soils that formed in basic volcanic ash over `a`a lava. Slopes range from 2 to 70 percent. The mean annual rainfall is about 640 millimeters (25 inches) and the mean annual temperature is about 23 degrees C (74 degrees F).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Medial-skeletal over fragmental or cindery, amorphic over mixed, isohyperthermic Typic Haplotorrands

TYPICAL PEDON: Kaalualu cobbly loamy sand, on a south facing, convex, 3 percent slope, under pasture, at an elevation of 140 meters (460 feet). (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted. All textures are apparent field textures. When described on 11/21/00, the soil was dry throughout.) The 2C parts of these horizons consist of unconsolidated `a`a lava fragments of variable size.

A1--0 to 5 centimeters (0 to 2 inches); dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) cobbly medial loamy sand, dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) moist; single grain; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine and fine roots; nonsmeary; many fine pores; 15 percent angular `a`a cobbles and 10 percent angular `a`a gravel; 25 percent olivine sand; neutral (pH 6.6); abrupt smooth boundary. (3 to 5 centimeters {1 to 2 inches} thick)

A2--5 to 13 centimeters (2 to 5 inches); dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) cobbly medial loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/3) moist; weak medium and fine granular structure; soft, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; nonsmeary; many very fine and fine roots; many fine pores; 20 percent angular `a`a cobbles and 10 percent angular `a`a gravel; neutral (pH 7.1); clear smooth boundary. (5 to 10 centimeters {2 to 4 inches} thick)

Bw/2C1--13 to 61 centimeters (5 to 24 inches); dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) very cobbly medial silt loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/3) moist; weak coarse prismatic structure; soft, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; nonsmeary; many very fine and fine roots; many fine pores; 50 percent angular `a`a cobbles and 10 percent angular `a`a gravel; slightly effervescent; neutral (pH 7.1); clear wavy boundary. (38 to 76 centimeters {15 to 30 inches} thick)

2C2--61 to 99 centimeters (24 to 39 inches); cobbles; fragmental, `a`a lava with very little soil material and patchy coatings of calcium carbonate that are slightly effervescent; 20 percent angular `a`a stones, 60 percent angular `a`a cobbles and 10 percent angular `a`a gravel; abrupt, irregular boundary. (35 to 40 centimeters {14 to 16 inches} thick).

2R--99 centimeters (39 inches); hard, massive `a`a bluerock.

TYPE LOCATION: Island of Hawaii, Hawaii County, Hawaii; about 1.4 miles northeast of the abandoned air force tracking station near South Point. Ka Lae Quadrangle; lat. 18 degrees 57 minutes 25 seconds N. and long. 155 degrees 40 minutes 9 seconds W. Old Hawaii Datum.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Depth to bedrock: 50 to 100 centimeters (20 to 40 inches).
Mean annual soil temperature: 22 to 24 degrees C (72 to 76 degrees F).
Rock fragments: 35 to 75 percent by volume of the pedon and range from gravel to cobble size lava rocks.

A horizon
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR.
Value: 3 or 4 moist or dry.
Chroma: 2 or 3 moist and 3 or 4 dry.
Texture: Cobbly to extremely cobbly loamy sand, sandy loam or loam.
Structure: Single grain or weak granular.

Bw/2C horizon
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR.
Value: 3 or 4 moist or dry.
Chroma: 2 or 3 moist and 3 or 4 dry.
Texture: Cobbly to extremely cobbly loamy sand, sandy loam, loam or silt loam.
Structure: Single grain or weak granular.

COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Kaalualu soils are on south and east slopes on the coastal upland of Mauna Loa Volcano at elevations from sea level to 305 meters (0 to 1,000 feet). The soils are on all hillslope positions of constructional landscapes consisting of undulating to very steep `a`a flows. Slope gradients are dominantly 2 to 20 percent and range to 70 percent. The soils formed in basic volcanic ash in `a`a lava and contain much olivine sand. The mean annual rainfall ranges from 380 to 760 millimeters (15 to 30 inches), with most of the rainfall occurring from October through April. The mean annual pan evaporation ranges from 2030 to 2290 meters (80 to 90 inches). The mean annual temperature ranges from 22 to 24 degrees C (72 to 76 degrees F). The mean summer soil temperature and the mean winter soil temperature differ by less than 6 degrees C (11 degrees F).

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Kanohina and Pakini series. Kanohina soils have a lithic contact at 5 to 25 centimeters (2 to 10 inches) and are over pahoehoe lava. Pakini soils are medial and are greater than 102 centimeters (40 inches) deep.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat excessively drained. Runoff is negligible to very low on gentle slopes and low to medium on steeper slopes. Permeability is rapid in the soil and very slow in the underlying bedrock.

USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for grazing and wildlife habitat. The natural vegetation is lantana (Lantana camara), bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon), indigo (Indigofera), and Japanese tea (Cassia leschenautiana).

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Kau District, Island of Hawaii; MLRA 157. The series is of small extent.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California.

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Island of Hawaii, Hawaii County, Hawaii, 1971.

REMARKS: Soil moisture - dry in all parts for more than half of the cumulative days per year and are moist in some or all parts for less than 90 consecutive days (Aridic/Torric moisture regime).
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Andic soil properties - 0 to 61 centimeters (0 to 24 inches) (A and Bw/2C1 horizons).
Lithic contact - 99 centimeters (39 inches) (2R horizon).
Cambic horizon - 13 to 61 centimeters (5 to 24 inches) (Bw/2C1 horizon).
Mollic epipedon - 0 to 61 centimeters (0 to 24 inches) (A and Bw/2C1 horizons).

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.