LOCATION KRAMERHILL              WA

Established Series
Rev. EMM/ RWL/RJS
10/2016

KRAMERHILL SERIES

The Kramerhill series consists of deep, well drained soils formed in residuum and colluvium weathered from saprolitic gneiss, quartzite, or Latah Formation, mixed with loess and volcanic ash in the upper part. Kramerhill soils are on convex footslopes and backslopes of mountains and foothills. Slope ranges from 3 to 55 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 20 inches and the mean annual temperature is about 46 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, isotic, mesic Vitrandic Haploxeralfs

TYPICAL PEDON: Kramerhill ashy loam, timbered; on a southwest-facing slope of 23 percent at 2,750 feet elevation. When described on September 2, 1998 the soil was dry. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated. All textures are apparent field textures.)

Oi--0 to 1 inch; slightly decomposed needles, twigs, and moss.

A1--1 to 5 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) ashy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and common fine and medium roots; many very fine and fine irregular and tubular pores; 10 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.5); clear wavy boundary.

A2--5 to 9 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) ashy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; 10 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.7); abrupt wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the A horizon is 7 to 9 inches)

BE--9 to 19 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) gravelly loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine roots and common very fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; 15 percent distinct clay films on faces of peds; 20 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.5); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 10 inches)

Bt1--19 to 30 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/4) gravelly sandy clay loam, brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine and fine roots; few fine and common very fine tubular pores; 50 percent distinct clay films on faces of peds; 5 percent fine mica flakes; 20 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.2); gradual wavy boundary.

Bt2--30 to 46 inches; strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) gravelly sandy clay loam, strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; moderately hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots; few fine and common very fine tubular pores; 50 percent distinct clay films on faces of peds; 5 percent fine mica flakes; 25 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.2); gradual wavy boundary. (The combined thickness of the 2Bt horizon is 25 to 45 inches)

Cr--46 to 60 inches; highly and moderately weathered saprolitic gneiss, 30 percent discontinuous clay films in cracks.

TYPE LOCATION: Spokane County, Washington; About 1.5 miles south of Liberty Lake, WA.; about 185 feet north and 2,275 feet east of the southwest corner of section 35, T. 25 N., R. 45 E.;W.M.; USGS Mica Peak, Wa. Topographic Quadrangle; Latitude - 47 degrees 36 minutes 49.25 seconds north; Longitude - 117 degrees 04 minutes 48.00 seconds west; NAD 83

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Depth to diagnostic horizons and features are measured from the first mineral layer
Mean annual soil temperature - 47 to 49 degrees F.
Moisture control section - dry in all parts between 4 and 12 inches, 60 to 90 days after the summer solstice, July through September, moist October through June.
Depth to weathered bedrock - 40 to 60 inches
Field estimated clay content - 20 to 34 percent in the particle-size control section
Volcanic ash influence - 7 to 14 inches thick
Estimated properties of the volcanic ash influenced layers:
Volcanic glass content in the 0.02 to 2 mm fraction - 5 to 20 percent
Acid-oxalate extractable Al + 1/2 Fe - 0.4 to 1.0 percent
Moist bulk density - 1.15 to 1.35 g/cc
15 bar water retention - 5 to 10 percent for air-dried samples

A horizon
Value - 4 to 6 dry, 2 to 4 moist
Chroma - 1 to 4, dry or moist
Gravel content - 0 to 10 percent
Cobble content - 0 to 5 percent
Rock fragment content - less than 15 percent total
Reaction - slightly acid or neutral

Bw horizon - present in some pedons

BE or BA horizons (when present)
Value - 4 or 5 moist, 6 or 7 dry
Chroma - 2 to 4 dry or moist
Texture - loam or silt loam
Gravel content - 5 to 20 percent
Cobble content - 0 to 5 percent
Rock fragment content - 5 to 25 percent total
Reaction - slightly acid or neutral

Bt horizon
Hue - 10YR or 7.5YR
Value - 4 to 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma - 3 to 6, dry or moist
Texture - sandy clay loam, loam, or clay loam averaging less than 35 percent
Gravel content - 10 to 30 percent
Cobble content - 0 to 5 percent
Rock fragment content - 10 to 35 percent total
Reaction - moderately acid to neutral

BC or C horizon - present in some pedons

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Bernhill, Underwood, Ulhalf, and Wilkeson soils. Bernhill soils are more than 60 inches deep and have subrounded rock fragments of glacial till origin. Underwood and Wilkeson soils are more than 60 inches deep and are dry 45 to 60 consecutive days in the moisture control section. Ulhalf soils have more than 15 percent rock fragments and a sandy loam texture in the surface horizon, Hues of 5YR, and have paralithic materials of basalt, andesite, or other metavolcanic origin.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Kramerhill soils are on convex footslopes and backslopes of mountains and foothills at elevations of 1,900 to 3,100 feet. Slopes are 3 to 55 percent. These soils formed in residuum and colluvium weathered from saprolitic gneiss, quartzite, or Latah Formation, mixed with loess and volcanic ash in the upper part. The climate is characterized by warm, dry summers and cool, moist winters. The mean annual precipitation is 15 to 25 inches. The average January temperature is about 26 degrees F. and the average July temperature is about 66 degrees F. The mean annual temperature is about 45 to 48 degrees F. The frost-free season is 100 to 130 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are Cedonia, Dearyton, Glenrose, Green Bluff, and Spokane soils. Cedonia soils are on lake terraces and terrace breaks and are fine-silty. Dearyton soils are on foothills and uplands and are fine and very deep. Glenrose soils are on foothills and outwash plains, are very deep, and have a mollic epipedon. Green Bluff soils are on outwash plains over basalt plateaus and are coarse-loamy. Spokane soils are on foothills, mountains, and ridgetops, are coarse-loamy, and are moderately deep to a paralithic contact.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Well drained; moderately high saturated hydraulic conductivity.

USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for timber production, livestock grazing, non-irrigated cropland, hay and pasture, home sites, and wildlife habitat. Potential natural vegetation is mainly ponderosa pine with scattered Douglas fir, with an understory of redstem ceanothus, mallow ninebark, common snowberry, Saskatoon serviceberry, creeping Oregon grape, baldhip rose, and bluebunch wheatgrass.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northeastern and possibly north-central Washington; MLRA 43A. Series is of moderate extent.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Spokane County, Washington, 2016.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - the zone from 1 to 9 inches (A1 and A2 horizons)
Argillic horizon - the zone from 19 to 46 inches (2Bt1 and 2Bt2 horizons)
Vitrandic feature - the zone from 1 to 9 inches (A1 and A2 horizons)
Paralithic contact - the zone beginning at 46 inches
Particle-size control section - the zone from 19 to 39 inches (2Bt1 and part of the 2Bt2 horizons)

Significant areas of this series were previously mapped as Bernhill in Spokane County. Investigation into further use of this series in Stevens, and the Colville Indian Reservation will be needed as these surveys are updated.

Kramerhill soils should be further investigated to determine typical mineralogy (isotic vs. mixed).

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.