LOCATION KIHOLO                  HI

Tentative Series
RTG-MRK
02/2012

KIHOLO SERIES

The Kiholo series consists of very shallow, well drained soils that formed in basic volcanic ash over pahoehoe lava. Slopes range from 2 to 20 percent. The mean annual rainfall is about 360 millimeters (14 inches), and the mean annual air temperature is about 28 degrees C. (82 degrees F.)

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Clayey, isotic, nonacid, isohyperthermic Lithic Torriorthents

TYPICAL PEDON: Kiholo silt loam, on a southwest facing, slightly concave, 4 percent slope in desert at an elevation of 40 meters (130 feet). (Colors are for moist soils unless otherwise noted. All textures are "apparent field textures". pH measured with electrode in 1:1 water. When described on August 30,1993, the soil was dry throughout.)

A--0 to 10 centimeters (0 to 4 inches); brown (10YR 4/3) silt loam, pale brown (10YR 6/3) dry; appears massive, but parts to weak very fine granular structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; nonsmeary; many very fine and fine roots; few very fine pores; 2 percent cobbles and 1 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.7); clear smooth boundary. (10 to 13 centimeters {4 to 5 inches} thick)

Bw--10 to 20 centimeters (4 to 8 inches); dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) silt loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) dry; appears massive, but parts to weak very fine granular structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; nonsmeary; many very fine and fine roots; common very fine pores; 3 percent cobbles and 2 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.8); abrupt wavy boundary. (10 to 13 centimeters {4 to 5 inches} thick)

2R--20 centimeters (8 inches); hard, massive pahoehoe lava.

TYPE LOCATION: Island of Hawaii, Hawaii County, Hawaii; from Highway 19 turn east on access road opposite Waikaloa Resort then drive south about 0.3 miles; at power substation drive 0.7 miles east along road that follows the three parallel powerlines; continue to the junction of these powerlines with the single powerline that comes from the south and the double powerline that continues east; soil pit located 34 meters (110 feet) southeast of the northeastern-most pole of the triple powerline, and 9 meters (30 feet) north of road that follows double powerline. Puu Hinai Quadrangle; lat. 19 degrees 54 minutes 34 seconds N. and long. 155 degrees 52 minutes 7 seconds W. (Old Hawaiian Datum)

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Depth to bedrock: 5 to 25 centimeters (2 to 10 inches).
Mean annual soil temperature: 24 to 31 degrees C. (76 to 87 degrees F.)
Rock fragments: 0 to 35 percent by volume of the pedon 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 to 4 moist or 3 to 6 dry.
Chroma: 1 to 3 moist or dry.
Texture: Silt loam or silty clay loam.

Bw horizon
Hue: 5YR to 10YR.
Value: 2 or 3 moist or 3 to 5 dry.
Chroma: 2 or 3 moist or 4 to 6 dry.
Texture: Silt loam or silty clay loam.

COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series. Similar soils include the Kahaumanu and Puuikaaka series. Kahaumanu soils are isothermic and medial. Puuikaaka soils are isothermic and medial-skeletal.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Kiholo soils are on low elevation, leeward slopes of Mauna Loa and Hualalai volcanoes at elevations from sea level to 305 meters (0 to 1000 feet). These soils are in depressions of constructional landscapes consisting of nearly level to moderately steep pahoehoe lava flows that are greater than 10,000 years old. Slope gradients range from 2 to 20 percent. The soils formed in basic volcanic ash over pahoehoe lava. The mean annual rainfall ranges from 180 to 510 millimeters (7 to 20 inches), with most of the rainfall occurring from December through April. The mean annual pan evaporation ranges from 2030 to 2540 millimeters (80 to 100 inches). The mean annual air temperature ranges from 24 to 30 degrees C. (76 to 86 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 Auwaiakeakua and Nanuku series. Auwaiakeakua and Nanuku soils are underlain with `a`a lava and have a lithic contact at 50 to 102 centimeters (20 to 40 inches).

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. Runoff is negligible in depressions on gentle slopes and high to very high on steeper slopes. Permeability is moderate in the soil and very slow in the underlying bedrock.

USE AND VEGETATION: Used for wildlife habitat. The natural vegetation is fountaingrass (Pennisetum setaceum) and kiawe (Prosopis pallida).

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: North Kona District, Island of Hawaii; MLRA 161. The series is of small extent.

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

SERIES PROPOSED: Island of Hawaii, Hawaii County, Hawaii 1993.

REMARKS: Soil moisture - dry, but moist in some or all parts for less than 90 cumulative days in most years (Aridic moisture regime).
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon include:
Ochric epipedon - from a depth of 0 to 8 inches (A and Bw horizons).
Lithic contact - at a depth of 8 inches (2R horizon).

ADDITIONAL DATA: ADDITIONAL DATA: NASIS Pedon User ID 93HI002019. NSSL sample S94HI-001-005.

---

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.