LOCATION KUNAMAKST WAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy, isotic, isofrigid, shallow Typic Epiaquods
TYPICAL PEDON: Kunamakst loam-forestland, on a 12 percent south-southwesterly slope at an elevation of 1,275 feet in a Pacific silver fir/salal-deerfern plant association. (When described on August 14, 1997, the soil was moist throughout. Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated. All textures are apparent field textures.)
Oi--0 to 1 inch; slightly decomposed needles, leaves, and twigs; abrupt smooth boundary. (1 to 2 inches thick)
Oe--1 to 2 inches; moderately decomposed organic materials; abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 2 inches thick)
Oa--2 to 3 inches; highly decomposed organic materials; abrupt smooth boundary. (1 to 4 inches thick)
E1--3 to 6 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) loam, gray (10YR 6/1) dry; weak very fine, fine, and medium subangular blocky and weak very fine and fine granular structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine, fine, medium, and coarse roots; common very fine and fine tubular and irregular pores; extremely acid (pH 3.6); clear smooth boundary.
E2--6 to 9 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) loam, white (10YR 8/1) dry; weak fine, medium, and coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine, fine, and medium roots; few very fine and fine tubular and irregular pores; few fine distinct strong brown (7.5YR 5/6), reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/8) dry irregularly shaped masses of iron accumulation with clear boundaries in the matrix; 5 percent gravel; extremely acid (pH 4.0); clear smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the E horizon is 2 to 6 inches.)
Bhs--9 to 11 inches; 90 percent very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) silt loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) and 10 percent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6), reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/8) dry; weak very fine, fine, and medium subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; weakly smeary; few very fine and fine roots; few very fine and fine tubular and irregular pores; common fine distinct strong brown (7.5YR 4/6), reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/6) dry irregularly shaped masses of iron accumulation with clear boundaries in the matrix; 5 percent gravel; extremely acid (pH 4.0); clear wavy boundary. (2 to 4 inches thick)
Bs1--11 to 14 inches; strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) gravelly loam, reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/6) dry; weak very fine, fine, and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; weakly smeary; few very fine and fine tubular and irregular pores; common fine distinct olive brown (2.5Y 4/3), light gray (2.5Y 7/2) dry irregularly shaped iron depletions with clear boundaries in the matrix; 15 percent gravel; very strongly acid (pH 4.6); clear wavy boundary.
Bs2--14 to 15 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) gravelly loam, very pale brown (10YR 7/4) dry; weak very fine, fine, and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; weakly smeary; few very fine and fine tubular and irregular pores; common fine distinct dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2), light gray (2.5Y 7/2) dry irregularly shaped iron depletions with clear boundaries in the matrix; very strongly acid (pH 4.6); abrupt smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bs horizon is 3 to 10 inches.)
Cd--15 to 63 inches; olive brown (2.5Y 4/4) very gravelly sandy loam, pale yellow (2.5Y 7/3) dry; massive; very hard, brittle when moist, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; moderately acid (pH 6.0).
TYPE LOCATION: Jefferson County, Washington, about 4 3/4 miles south of Lake Dilly in Olympic National Park, about 740 feet west and 950 feet south of the northeast corner of Section 24, T. 24 N., R. 10 W. (Latitude 47 degrees, 33 minutes, 31 seconds North, Longitude 123 degrees, 53 minutes, 01 seconds West)
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature is 43 to 47 degrees F. The mean summer soil temperature is 47 to 50 degrees F and the mean winter soil temperature is 40 to 45 degrees F. The difference between the mean summer and mean winter soil temperature is 5 to 9 degrees F. These soils are usually moist, and are dry 0 to 30 consecutive days in the soil moisture control section. Depth to dense till (densic material) is 10 to 20 inches. The solum has an estimated moist bulk density of 0.70 to 0.90 grams per cubic centimeter, acid-oxalate extractable aluminum plus one half of the acid-oxalate extractable iron is 1 to 2 percent, phosphate retention of 40 to 85 percent, and 15-bar water retention of 15 to 35 percent for air dried samples. The particle-size control section has 15 to 27 percent field estimated clay and 30 to 50 percent sand and 10 to 35 percent rock fragments. Base saturation is less than 10 percent by ammonium acetate throughout the profile.
The E horizon has value of 3, 4, or 6 moist and 6 or 8 dry and chroma of 1 or 2 moist and dry. It has 5 to 15 meq/100g of extractable aluminum. It has 1 to 3 percent organic matter.
The Bhs horizon has hue of 10YR, 7.5YR, or 5YR moist and dry, value of 3 through 5 moist and 5 or 6 dry, and chroma of 2, 3, or 6 moist and 2, 3, or 8 dry. It is silt loam, loam, or gravelly loam. It has weak or moderate structure. It has 5 to 15 meq/100g of extractable aluminum. It has 3 to 6 percent organic matter.
The Bs horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR moist and dry, value of 4 or 5 moist and 6 or 7 dry, and chroma of 4 or 6 dry. It is gravelly loam or loam. It has 3 to 6 percent organic matter.
The Cd horizon has value of 3 or 4 moist and 6 or 7 dry and chroma of 3 or 4 moist and dry. It is very gravelly sandy loam or gravelly sandy loam. Moist bulk density is 1.50 to 2.00 g/cc.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Kunamakst soils are on ground moraines on till plains and mountains. Slopes are 0 to 50 percent, dominantly less than 15 percent. The soils are formed in alpine glacial till derived from sedimentary and metasedimentary rocks. Elevations are 500 to 2500 feet. Average annual precipitation is 110 to 170 inches. Fog drip contributes to the effective precipitation totals. Average annual temperature is 41 to 43 degrees F. The frost-free season is 120 to 140 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Haas, Kestner, Manorcreek, Salmonriver, and Thimblepeak soils. Haas and Thimblepeak soils are on ground moraines and are very deep. Kestner soils are on glacial valleys and are moderately deep. Manorcreek soils are in closed wet depressions and are organic soils. Salmonriver soils are on ground moraines and are moderately deep to cemented till.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Poorly drained; moderate over slow or very slow permeability. Kunamakst soils have a perched zone of saturation above the till from October through May.
USE AND VEGETATION: Timber production, wildlife habitat, recreation, and watershed. Native vegetation is western redcedar, Pacific silver fir, western hemlock, salal, deer fern, common beargrass, and Alaska huckleberry.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Jefferson County, Washington; MLRA 4A. This series is of limited extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Jefferson County, Washington, 2000; Olympic National Forest.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are the following:
Ochric epipedon
Albic horizon - 3 to 9 inches (El and E2 horizons)
Spodic horizon - 9 to 15 inches (Bhs, Bs1, and Bs2 horizons)
Densic material - 15 to 63 inches (Cd layer slakes in water)
PSCS - 13 to 15 inches (portion of Bs1 and all of Bs2 horizons)
Andic soil properties estimates are based on data from the similar Samsriver and Knorr series; S98WA-031-001 and 002.
All depths to diagnostic horizons and features are measured from the top of the first mineral horizon.