LOCATION KETTLING                WA

Established Series
IRD. TMR/SBC
06/2011

KETTLING SERIES

The Kettling series consists of very deep, moderately well drained soils formed in alluvium from meandering rivers. Kettling soils are found on slopes of 0 to 5 percent on terraces and floodplains of river valley bottoms. The mean annual precipitation is about 760 millimeters and the mean annual air temperature is about 7 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, isotic, frigid Fluventic Humixerepts

TYPICAL PEDON: Kettling sandy loam, located on a forested northwest facing alluvial terrace with a slope of 2 percent and an elevation of 350 meters. When described on October 12, 2007 the soil was slightly moist throughout. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted)

Oi--0 to 2 cm; slightly decomposed leaves and twigs; abrupt smooth boundary.

Oe--2 to 5 cm; dark brown (7.5YR 3/3) moderately decomposed leaves and twigs, brown (7.5YR 5/3) dry; few very fine to fine and common medium roots; abrupt smooth boundary.

A--5 to 13 cm; black (10YR 2/1) sandy loam, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) dry; weak fine subangular blocky structure parting to moderate fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; few very fine to fine and coarse, common medium roots between peds; common fine to medium dendritic tubular pores; strongly acid (pH 5.4); abrupt wavy boundary. (5 to 20 cm. thick)

Bw1--13 to 25 cm; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) dry; moderate coarse granular structure; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; few very fine to coarse roots between peds; common fine to medium dendritic tubular pores; strongly acid (pH 5.5); clear wavy boundary. (10 to 20 cm. thick)

Bw2--25 to 60 cm; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) fine sandy loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) dry; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; few very fine to medium roots; common fine to medium irregular pores; moderately acid (pH 5.8); abrupt wavy boundary. (15 to 45 cm. thick)

C1--60 to 90 cm; dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) coarse sand, light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) dry; single grain; loose, nonsticky, nonplastic; few very fine to fine roots; common fine to medium interstitial pores; 5 percent gravel; moderately acid (pH 6.0); abrupt wavy boundary.

C2--90 to 152 cm; very dark grayish brown (2.5Y 3/2) sandy loam, grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) dry; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; few very fine to fine roots; common very fine to fine irregular pores; 5 percent medium faint irregular yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) masses of oxidized iron with diffuse boundaries throughout; 5 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.2).

TYPE LOCATION: Chelan County, Washington; near Devore Creek approximately 2 km northwest of the town of Stehekin; 320 m east and 650 m south of the northwest corner of section 36, T. 33 N., R. 17 E. Willamette Meridian; Stehekin, Washington USGS quadrangle; 48 degrees, 19 minutes, 3 seconds north latitude and 120 degrees, 41 minutes, 3 seconds west longitude; UTM 671680 meters E, 5354185 meters N, zone 10N NAD 83.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mean annual soil temperature 4 to 8 degrees C. Frigid soil temperature regime.
Moisture control section - dry 60 to 90 consecutive days. Xeric soil moisture regime.
Umbric epipedon - 18 to 30 cm
Thin (2 to 10 cm) C horizons of freshly deposited flood sediments (SL, FSL, LFS textures) may be present in some pedons.
Particle-size control section:
Clay content - 0 to 10 percent
Rock fragments - 0 to 35 percent fine to coarse gravel, 0 to 25 percent cobbles, 0 to 5 percent stones, 0 to 35 percent total

A horizon
Hue - 10YR or 7.5YR
Value - 2 to 3 moist, 3 to 5 dry
Chroma - 1 to 3 moist and dry
Fine earth texture - SL
Clay content - 0 to 8 percent
Rock fragments - 0 to 10 percent fine to coarse gravel, 0 to 5 percent cobbles, 0 to 10 percent total

Bw horizons
Hue - 10YR or 2.5Y
Value - 3 to 4 moist, 4 to 6 dry
Chroma - 2 to 4 moist and dry
Fine earth texture - L, SL, FSL
Clay content - 0 to 10 percent
Rock fragments - 0 to 30 percent fine to coarse gravel, 0 to 10 percent cobbles, 0 to 30 percent total

C1 horizon
Hue - 2.5Y or variegated colors
Value - 3 to 5 moist, 4 to 6 dry
Chroma - 2 to 4 moist and dry
Fine earth texture - COS, LCOS, LS
Clay content - 0 to 5 percent
Rock fragments - 5 to 50 percent fine to coarse gravel, 5 to 25 percent cobbles, 0 to 5 percent stones, 5 to 55 percent total
Thickness - 0 to 30 centimeters (horizon with this range of rock fragments may not always be present)

C2 horizon
Hue - 2.5Y or variegated colors
Value - 3 to 5 moist, 4 to 6 dry
Chroma - 2 to 4 moist and dry
Fine earth texture - SL, FSL, LFS, LCOS
Clay content - 0 to 8 percent
Rock fragments - 5 to 35 percent fine to coarse gravel, 0 to 15 percent cobbles, 0 to 5 percent stones, 5 to 35 percent total

COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Kettling soils are found on slopes of 0 to 5 percent on terraces and floodplains of river valley bottoms at elevations from 300 to 800 meters. They formed in alluvium from meandering rivers and are typically found where slower moving water deposited flood sediments. The climate is characterized by warm, dry summers and cold, wet winters. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 500 to 1780 millimeters. Mean annual air temperature ranges from 2 to 9 degrees C. Frost-free season is 60 to 90 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Sandalee and Torment soils. Sandalee soils have redoximorphic features within 20 to 50 cm of the mineral soil surface. Torment soils do not have a cambic horizon and have a seasonal water table that comes within 150 cm of the mineral soil surface for 30 or more cumulative days.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Moderately well drained; high saturated hydraulic conductivity.

USE AND VEGETATION: Kettling soils support wildlife habitat, recreation, and watershed drainage. Native vegetation includes Douglas-fir, bigleaf maple, grand fir, vine maple, Pacific dogwood, snowberry, thimbleberry, tall Oregon grape, bracken fern, and wild ginger.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: North Cascade Mountains, Washington. MLRA 3. Series is of small extent.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon.

SERIES ESTABLISHED: North Cascades National Park Service Complex, Chelan County, Washington, 2011.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon include:
Particle-size control section - 30 to 105 cm (25 to 100 cm from the mineral surface)
Umbric epipedon - 5 to 25 cm (A and Bw1 horizons)
Cambic horizon - 25 to 60 cm (Bw2 horizon)
Fluventic feature - An irregular decrease in organic carbon is assumed from the stratified alluvial parent material and periodic deposition of flood sediments. Organic carbon is also greater than 0.2 percent at a depth of 125 cm from the mineral surface.

These soils are not saturated within 100 cm of the mineral surface for 20 or more consecutive days or 30 or more cumulative days in normal years.

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.