LOCATION KEALAKEKUA HI

Established Series
Rev. MRK-RTG
05/2012

KEALAKEKUA SERIES

The Kealakekua series consists of moderately deep, well drained soils that formed in basic volcanic ash over `a`a or pahoehoe lava. Slopes range from 2 to 40 percent. The mean annual rainfall is about 1650 millimeters (65 inches), and the mean annual temperature is about 19 degrees C (66 degrees F).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Hydrous, ferrihydritic, isothermic Typic Hydrudands

TYPICAL PEDON: Kealakekua hydrous silty clay loam, on a west facing, slightly convex, 9 percent slope in pasture at an elevation of 722 meters (2370 feet). (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted. All textures are "apparent field textures." pH measured with organic dyes.)

A--0 to 20 centimeters (0 to 8 inches); dark reddish brown (5YR 2/2) hydrous silty clay loam; moderate fine granular structure; friable, slightly sticky and moderately plastic; many roots; many fine pores; strongly acid (pH 5.3); abrupt smooth boundary. (18 to 23 centimeters {7 to 9 inches} thick)

BA--20 to 36 centimeters (8 to 14 inches); dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) hydrous silt clay loam; massive; friable, slightly sticky and moderately plastic; weakly smeary; many roots; many fine and very fine pores; nearly continuous gelatin-like coatings on ped faces; moderately acid (pH 5.9); clear smooth boundary. (15 to 20 centimeters {6 to 8 inches} thick)

Bw1--36 to 56 centimeters (14 to 22 inches); dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) hydrous silt clay loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable, slightly sticky and moderately plastic; weakly smeary; common roots; many fine and very fine pores; nearly continuous gelatin-like coatings on ped faces; moderately acid (pH 5.9); abrupt wavy boundary. (20 to 25 centimeters {8 to 10 inches} thick)

Bw2--56 to 79 centimeters (22 to 31 inches); dark brown (7.5YR 3/3) cobbly hydrous silty clay loam; weak fine subangular blocky structure; friable, slightly sticky and moderately plastic; moderately smeary; common roots; many fine pores; nearly continuous gelatin-like coatings on ped faces; 20 percent subangular cobbles; moderately acid (pH 6.0); abrupt wavy boundary. (23 to 31 {9 to 12 inches} thick)

2R--79 centimeters (31 inches); hard, massive pahoehoe lava.

TYPE LOCATION: Island of Hawaii, Hawaii County, Hawaii; about 1.5 miles east of Kainaliu town and 15 meters (50 feet) west of 4WD road; Kealakekua Quadrangle; lat. 19 degrees 32 minutes 20.4 seconds N. and long. 155 degrees 54 minutes 25.1 seconds W. (Old Hawaiian Datum)

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Depth to bedrock: 50 to 102 centimeters (20 to 40 inches).
Mean annual soil temperature: 17 to 22 degrees C (63 to 71 degrees F).
Rock fragments: 0 to 35 percent by volume and range in size from gravel to stones, but are primarily gravel and cobble size lava rocks.

A horizon
Hue: 5YR to 10YR.
Value: 2 or 3 moist or 3 to 5 dry.
Chroma: 1 or 2 moist or dry.
Texture: Hydrous silty clay loam or cobbly hydrous silty clay loam.
Soil reaction: Strongly acid or moderately acid (pH 5.1 to 6.0).

BA horizon
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR.
Value: 2 or 3 moist or 3 to 5 dry.
Chroma: 2 or 3 moist or 2 to 4 dry.
Texture: Hydrous silty clay loam or cobbly hydrous silty clay loam.
Smeariness: Nonsmeary or weakly smeary.
Soil reaction: Strongly acid or moderately acid (pH 5.1 to 6.0).

Bw horizon
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR.
Value: 2 or 3 moist or 3 to 5 dry.
Chroma: 2 to 4 moist or 3 to 5 dry.
Texture: hydrous silty clay loam or cobbly hydrous silty clay loam.
Smeariness: Weakly smeary or moderately smeary.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Alapai, Honaunau, Honuapo, Kailua, Kukaiau and Makaala series. Alapai soils have a lithic contact at a depth of 102 to 152 centimeters (40 to 60 inches). Honaunau soils are silt loam in the control section. Kukaiau and Honuapo soils are moist in the control section from October to May. Kailua soils have silty clay texture from the surface to 102 centimeters (40 inches). Makaala soils have a silt loam surface texture.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Kealakekua soils are on mid elevation, leeward slopes of Hualalai and Mauna Loa volcanoes at elevations from 305 to 1067 meters (1,000 to 3,500 feet). These soils occur on all hillslope positions of constructional landscapes consisting of nearly level to steep pahoehoe flows that are 5,000 to 10,000 years old. Slope gradients range from 2 to 40 percent. The soils formed in basic volcanic ash over `a`a or pahoehoe lava. The mean annual rainfall ranges from 1270 to 2030 millimeters (50 to 80 inches), with most of the rainfall occurring from April through October. The mean annual pan evaporation ranges from 640 to 1020 millimeters (25 to 40 inches). The mean annual temperature ranges from 16 to 22 degrees C (61 to 71 degrees F). 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 Honuaulu, Hookena, Hua, Kona, Napoopoo, Pawaina, and Puna series and the competing Honaunau series. Honuaulu and Napoopoo soils are hydrous-skeletal. Hookena soils are sandy-skeletal. Hua soils have a lithic contact at depths from 5 to 25 centimeters (2 to 10 inches). Kona soils are organic over pahoehoe lava. Puna soils are organic soils over `a`a lava.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. Runoff is very low to low. Permeability is moderately rapid in the soil and very slow in the underlying bedrock.

USE AND VEGETATION: Used primarily for grazing; some areas are used for orchard crops. The natural vegetation is ohia lehua (Metrosideros polymorpha), treefern (Cibotium chamissoi), kikuyugrass (Pennisetum clandestinum), and
wetland sedge (Cyperus sp.).

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: North and South Kona districts, Island of Hawaii; MLRA 161B. The series is of small extent.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Soil Survey, Territory of Hawaii, 1949.

REMARKS: Soil moisture - moist and not dry in any part for as long as 90 cumulative days in most years (Udic moisture regime).
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Umbric epipedon - from a depth of 0 to 79 centimeters (0 to 31 inches) (A and Bw horizons).
Andic properties - from a depth of 0 to 79 centimeters (0 to 31 inches) (A and Bw horizons).
Lithic contact - at a depth of 79 centimeters (31 inches) (2R horizon).

ADDITIONAL DATA: NASIS User Pedon ID 01HI601012. NSSL sample S62HI-001-003 and S62HI-001-004 (also listed in SSIR No. 29 as samples S62Ha-1-3 and S62Ha-1-4).

Edit Log: 11/3/99 Classification revised due to changes in Soil Taxonomy. Old Classification: Thixotropic, isothermic Typic Hydrandepts. Competing series have been updated. MRK

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.