LOCATION KIMTAH                  WA

Established Series
Rev. PHR/TMR/MPR
06/2011

KIMTAH SERIES

The Kimtah series consists of very deep, moderately well drained soils formed in volcanic ash overlying glacial drift and colluvium. Kimtah soils are found on slopes of 5 to 45 percent on valley bottoms, debris aprons and valley walls of glaciated mountain landscapes. Mean annual precipitation is about 2,000 millimeters and the mean annual temperature is about 4 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Ashy over loamy, amorphic over isotic Aquandic Haplocryods

TYPICAL PEDON: Kimtah ashy fine sandy loam, with approximately 5 percent of the soil surface covered with subangular cobbles, located on a forested southwest facing valley wall with a slope of 35 percent and an elevation of 1065 meters. When described on August 9, 2007 the soil was slightly moist throughout. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted.)

Oi--0 to 2 cm; slightly decomposed plant material; abrupt wavy boundary.

Oe--2 to 7 cm; moderately decomposed plant material; few very fine to medium roots; common fine irregular pores; extremely acid (pH 4.0); abrupt wavy boundary.

E--7 to 12 cm; very dark gray (10YR 3/1) ashy fine sandy loam, gray (10YR 5/1) dry; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; common very fine to very coarse roots; common fine irregular pores; 10 percent gravel; extremely acid (pH 4.4); abrupt irregular boundary.

Bs1--12 to 33 cm; strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) ashy sandy loam, reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/6) dry; weak medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; common very fine to fine and few medium to coarse roots; common fine to medium irregular pores; 5 percent cobbles; strongly acid (pH 5.5); gradual irregular boundary.

Bs2--33 to 51 cm; dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) ashy sandy loam, light brown (7.5YR 6/4) dry; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; few very fine to fine roots; common fine to medium irregular pores; 5 percent cobbles; moderately acid (pH 5.6); abrupt irregular boundary.

2Bg--51 to 90 cm; very dark grayish brown (2.5Y 3/2) gravelly sandy loam, grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) dry; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; few very fine to fine roots; common medium interstitial pores; 40 percent brown (7.5YR 4/4) iron-manganese concretions and 60 percent very dark grayish brown (2.5Y 3/2) iron depletions; 25 percent gravel and 5 percent cobbles; moderately acid (pH 5.8); gradual wavy boundary.

2Cg--90 to 152 cm; very dark grayish brown (2.5Y 3/2) gravelly sandy loam, grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) dry; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; 40 percent strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) iron-manganese concretions and 60 percent very dark grayish brown (2.5Y 3/2) iron depletions; 25 percent gravel and 5 percent cobbles; moderately acid (pH 6.0).

TYPE LOCATION: Whatcom County, Washington; approximately 23 km north of the town of Newhalem, near Beaver Pass, North Cascades National Park Service Complex; 230 meters west and 640 meters north of the southeast corner of Section 19, T. 36 N., R. 14 E. Willamette Meridian; Mount Prophet, Washington USGS quadrangle; 48 degrees 35 minutes 24 seconds north latitude and 121 degrees 1 minute 40 seconds west longitude; UTM zone 10N 645426 meters E, 5383763 meters N.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mean annual soil temperature - 2 to 6 degrees C
Soil moisture control section - dry less than 30 consecutive days
The particle size control section in this soil is contrasting. Most characteristics are listed by horizon.
Clay content - 2 to 16 percent throughout both portions
Thickness of volcanic ash mantle (ashy textural modifier): 25 to 65 centimeters
Rock fragments, ashy portion - 5 to 30 percent total, 5 to 25 percent gravel, 0 to 10 percent cobbles
Rock fragments, loamy portion - 0 to 30 percent total, 0 to 30 percent gravel, 0 to 10 percent cobbles

E horizon:
Hue - 10YR or 7.5YR
Value - 3 to 5 moist, 4 to 7 dry
Chroma - 1 or 2 moist or dry
Fine earth texture - ashy FSL or ashy SL
Rock fragments - 0 to 30 percent total, 0 to 20 percent gravel, 0 to 10 percent cobbles
Clay content - 2 to 12 percent
Volcanic glass - 15 to 50 percent
Reaction - extremely acid to very strongly acid
Thickness - 3 to 13 centimeters

Bs horizons:
Hue - 7.5YR or 10YR
Value - 2 to 4 moist, 4 to 6 dry
Chroma - 2 or 6 moist or dry
Fine earth texture - ashy SL, ashy FSL, or ashy LS
Rock fragments - 5 to 25 percent total, 5 to 25 percent gravel, 0 to 10 percent cobbles
Clay content - 4 to 14 percent
Volcanic glass - 15 to 50 percent
Reaction - strongly acid to moderately acid
Thickness - 10 to 40 centimeters

2Bg horizon:
Hue - 2.5Y or 10YR
Value - 3 to 5 moist, 5 to 7 dry
Chroma - 2 or 4 moist or dry
Fine earth texture - SL, COSL, or LFS
Rock fragments - 0 to 30 percent total, 0 to 30 percent gravel, 0 to 10 percent cobbles
Clay content - 5 to 15 percent
Reaction - strongly acid to slightly acid
Thickness - 30 to 60 centimeters

2Cg horizon:
Hue - 2.5Y, 5Y or 10YR
Value - 3 or 4 moist, 5 or 6 dry
Chroma - 2 or 6 moist or dry
Fine earth texture - SL, COSL, or LFS
Rock fragments - 5 to 35 percent total, 5 to 30 percent gravel, 0 to 10 percent cobbles
Clay content - 2 to 15 percent
Reaction - strongly acid to slightly acid

COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series in this family.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Kimtah soils are found on slopes of 5 to 45 percent on valley bottoms, debris aprons and valley walls of glaciated mountain landscapes at elevations 900 to 1,600 meters. They formed in volcanic ash overlying glacial drift and colluvium from glacial drift. The climate is characterized by cool, dry summers and cold, wet winters. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 2,000 to 3,300 millimeters and mean annual air temperature ranges from 2 to 6 degrees C. Frost free season is 30 to 60 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Chilliwack, Spickard and Terror soils. Chilliwack soils are medial over sandy or sandy-skeletal. Spickard soils are ashy over sandy or sandy-skeletal and lack albic and spodic horizon morphology. Terror soils are found on more active landscape positions and lack albic and spodic horizon morphology. Chilliwack and Spickard soils do not have redoximorphic features within the soil profile.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Moderately well drained; high saturated hydraulic conductivity. Kimtah soils have a water table from endosaturation with an upper limit of 50 cm from November through May, ranging to below 150 cm from June through October.

USE AND VEGETATION: Kimtah soils support wildlife habitat, recreation, and watershed drainage. Native vegetation includes Pacific silver fir, western hemlock, Engelmann spruce, western redcedar, and at higher elevations subalpine fir. Understory species include black huckleberry, oak fern and five-leaf bramble.

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, Whatcom County, Washington, 2011.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon include:
Cryic soil temperature regime
Udic soil moisture regime
Particle size control section: 32 to 107 centimeters
Ochric epipedon
Albic horizon - 7 to 12 centimeters (E horizon)
Spodic horizon - 12 to 51 centimeters (Bs1 and Bs2 horizons)
Andic soil properties - 7 to 51 centimeters (E, Bs1, and Bs2 horizons)
Redox Concentrations - 51 to 150 centimeters (Bg and Cg horizons)
Redox Depletions with a chroma of 2 or less - 51 to 150 centimeters (Bg and Cg horizons)

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.