LOCATION KESTER WAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Ashy, glassy, mesic Vitritorrandic Haploxerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Kester ashy fine sandy loam - cropland, in a drainage bottom with a southeast aspect at 2,310 feet elevation. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated. All textures are apparent field textures.)
Ap--0 to 13 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) ashy fine sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak medium subangular blocky parting to moderate medium granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine and fine roots; common fine irregular and few fine tubular pores; 10 percent sand-size pumice, 0.5 to 2.0 mm. in diameter; neutral (pH 7.3); clear wavy boundary. (10 to 18 inches thick)
Bw1--13 to 25 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) ashy fine sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; few very fine and fine roots; common fine irregular pores; 15 percent sand-size pumice, 0.5 to 2.0 mm. in diameter; moderately alkaline (pH 7.9); clear wavy boundary.
Bw2--25 to 32 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) ashy sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; common fine irregular pores; 20 percent sand-size pumice, 0.5 to 2.0 mm. in diameter; strongly alkaline (pH 8.7 ); clear smooth boundary. (The combined thickness of the Bw horizon is 8 to 25 inches)
BC--32 to 35 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) ashy sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; single grain; loose, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many fine and few medium irregular pores; 30 percent sand-size pumice, 0.5 to 2.0 mm. in diameter; 5 percent gravel; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); abrupt wavy boundary. (2 to 6 inches thick).
2R--35 inches; basalt
TYPE LOCATION: Douglas County, Washington; about 12 miles east-southeast of Waterville; about 1,900 feet north and 75 feet west of the southeast corner of section 8, T. 24 N., R. 24 E. (Latitude 47 degrees 35 minutes 20 seconds N, Longitude 119 degrees 49 minutes 59 seconds W)
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature is 50 to 52 degrees. These soils are usually dry in all parts of the moisture control section for one-half to three-fourths of the time when the soil temperature is above 41 F. The mollic epipedon is 10 to 18 inches thick. The particle-size control section has moist bulk density of 1.10 to 1.35 g/cc, 30 to 60 percent volcanic glass content, including 10 to 30 percent sand-size pumice, 0.5 to 2.0 mm in diameter, acid-oxalate extractable aluminum plus one-half of the acid-oxalate extractable iron of 0.15 to 0.40 percent, 15-bar water retention of 5 to 10 percent, 15 percent or more fine sand or coarser, 0 to 5 percent pebbles, and an apparent field estimated clay content of 3 to 10 percent. Depth to basalt and thickness of the volcanic ash influence is 20 to 40 inches.
The Ap horizon has chroma of 2 or 3 dry or moist.
The Bw horizon has value of 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist and chroma of 2 or 3 dry or moist. Texture is ashy sandy loam or ashy fine sandy loam. Reaction is slightly alkaline to strongly alkaline.
The BC horizon has value of 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist and chroma of 2 or 3 moist. Reaction is slightly alkaline to strongly alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Bitner, Brays, Chelan, DelRio, Deskamp, Dryhollow, Emagert, Weezweed, Winblow and Yellowhills series. The DelRio, Chelan, Dryhollow, Emagert, Weezweed and Yellowhills soils are over 40 inches deep. Bitner soils have a paralithic contact at 20 to 40 inches. Brays soils are over granite and average 15 to 35 percent rock fragments in the particle-size control section. Deskamp soils lack a cambic horizon. Winblow soils are neutral to moderately alkaline.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Kester soils are in and along intermittent stream bottoms and in drainageways on hill slopes and toe slopes of uplands. These soils formed in alluvium from mixed loess, volcanic ash and pumice over basalt at elevations of 1,800 to 2,800 feet. Slopes are 0 to 30 percent. The climate is characterized by warm, dry summers and cool, moist winters. These soils occur in lower positions on the landscape and receive runoff from surrounding landscapes. Average annual precipitation is 9 to 12 inches. Average January temperature is about 27 degrees F.; average July temperature is about 71 degrees F., and average annual air temperature is 48 to 50 degrees F. Frost-free season is 130 to 180 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Alstown, Corbaley, and Renslow soils. Alstown soils are on uplands and have a duric horizon between 20 and 40 inches. Corbaley soils are found on similar landscape positions as Kester but are ashy-skeletal and shallow to a lithic contact. Renslow soils are on uplands and are very deep and deep.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; very slow to medium runoff; moderately rapid permeability. These soils are rarely or occasionally flooded for brief periods during spring runoff.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used primarily for dryland crop production. Wheat and barley are the principal crops. Some is used for livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. The potential native vegetation on 0 to 8 percent slopes is basin wildrye and Wyoming big sage while vegetation on 8 to 30 percent slopes is bluebunch wheatgrass and Wyoming big sagebrush.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Douglas County, Washington. The series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Douglas County, Washington, 1998.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are a mollic epipedon from the surface to 13 inches, a cambic horizon from 13 to 32 inches, 10 to 30 percent sand-size pumice, 0.5 to 2.0 mm in diameter from the surface to 35 inches with an estimated 30 to 60 percent volcanic glass, and a lithic contact at 35 inches. The particle size control section is the zone from 10 inches to the lithic contact and includes part of the mollic epipedon (Ap, Bw1, Bw2 and BC horizons).
ADDITIONAL DATA: Partial NSSL laboratory data is available for this pedon number 87P502.