LOCATION KEKAHA HI

Established Series
Rev. SN/MRK
09/2020

KEKAHA SERIES

The Kekaha series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in fine-textured alluvium from soils weathered in basic igneous rock. Kekaha soils are on alluvial fans and flood plains; and, low elevation mountain valleys; and, have slopes primarily of 2 to 6 percent but range from 0 to 35 percent. The mean annual rainfall is about 584 millimeters (23 inches) and the mean annual temperature is about 23 degrees C. (74 degrees F.)

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Very-fine, parasesquic, isohyperthermic Typic Haplocambids

TYPICAL PEDON: Kekaha silty clay - sugarcane. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted. All textures are "apparent field textures.")

Ap1--0 to 18 centimeters (0 to 7 inches); dark reddish brown (5YR 3/2) silty clay, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/3) dry; moderate fine and very fine and granular structure; very hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common fine roots; many fine and medium irregular pores; strong effervescence with hydrogen peroxide; slightly alkaline (pH 7.5); clear smooth boundary. (13 to 20 centimeters thick)

Ap2--18 to 36 centimeters (7 to 14 inches); dark reddish brown (5YR 3/3) silty clay, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/3) dry; weak and moderate fine and very fine subangular blocky structure; very hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common fine roots; many fine and medium irregular pores; slight effervescence with hydrogen peroxide; slightly alkaline (pH 7.5); clear smooth boundary. (15 to 20 centimeters thick)

Ab--36 to 52 centimeters (14 to 21 inches); dark reddish brown 5YR 3/3) silty clay, bands of dark reddish brown (5YR 2/2), reddish brown (5YR 4/4) dry; weak fine subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common fine roots; many fine and medium tubular pores; few, patchy, distinct clay films on surfaces along pores and on peds; slight effervescence with hydrogen peroxide; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); abrupt smooth boundary. (13 to 23 centimeters thick)

Bw1--52 to 71 centimeters (21 to 28 inches), dark reddish brown (5YR 3/3) silty clay, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/4) dry; massive, parting to weak medium subangular blocky structure; very hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few fine roots; many fine and medium tubular pores; slight effervescence with hydrogen peroxide; slightly alkaline (pH 7.5); gradual wavy boundary. (13 to 23 centimeters thick)

Bw2--71 to 112 centimeters (28 to 44 inches); dark reddish brown (2.5YR 3/4) clay, reddish brown (2.5YR 4/3) dry; weak medium and coarse prismatic structure; very hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few fine roots; many fine and medium tubular pores; slight effervescence with hydrogen peroxide; slightly alkaline (pH 7.5); gradual wavy boundary. (31 to 51 centimeters thick)

Bt--112 to 178 centimeters (44 to 70 inches); dark reddish brown (2.5YR 3/4) clay, weak red (2.5YR 4/2) dry; weak medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few roots; many fine tubular pores; common, patchy, distinct clay films along surfaces of pores and on peds; slight effervescence with hydrogen peroxide; neutral (pH 7.3).

TYPE LOCATION: Island of Kauai, Kauai County, Hawaii; Kekaha Quadrangle. Kekaha Plantation, 4430' N. 8.5 degrees W. of highways 50 and 55 in Kekaha town. 21 degrees 59' 0" north latitude, 159 degrees 43' 19" west longitude. (WGS84)

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Stoniness ranges from none to extremely stony. Mean annual soil temperature is about 23 degrees C. (74 degrees F.) Moist consistence is sticky or very sticky. The B horizon has hue of 2.5YR or 5YR.

COMPETING SERIES: These are no competing series.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Kekaha soils are on alluvial fans and flood plains; and, low elevation mountain valleys. Slopes range from 0 to 35 percent but are primarily 2 to 6 percent. Elevation ranges from near sea level to 305 meters (1000 feet). The soils formed in fine textured alluvium from soils weathered from igneous rock. Mean annual rainfall ranges from 508 to 635 millimeters (20 to 25 inches), over 75 percent of which falls from October through March. Average January air temperature is about 21 degrees C. (70 degrees F.); average July air temperature is 26 degrees C. (78 degrees F.) Mean annual air temperature is about 23 degrees C. (74 degrees F.)

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Lualualei and Nohili soils. Lualualei soils are very clayey throughout and have many slickensides. Nohili soils are calcareous throughout and are underlain by clay.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Well drained,very low to medium runoff; moderately high saturated hydraulic conductivity.

USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used mainly for irrigated sugarcane. Extremely stony areas are in brushy pasture. Natural vegetation is kiawe (Prosopis pallida), klu (Acacia farnesiana), koa-haole (Leucaena glauca), and fingergrass (Chloris spp.).

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Island of Kauai, Kauai County, Hawaii. This series is not extensive. It occurs in the southwestern and southern parts of the island. It is about 4,100 acres in extent.

SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California

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

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Aridic soil moisture regime
Ochric epipedon - 0 to 52 centimeters (A horizons)
Cambic horizon - 52 to 112 centimeters (Bw horizons)
Argillic horizon - 112 to 178 centimeters (Bt horizon)

OSED scanned by SSQA. Last revised by state on 8/2000.

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.