LOCATION LEAHY WAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, mixed, superactive, mesic Xeric Natrargids
TYPICAL PEDON: Leahy silt loam, on a 2 percent slope at 1,510 feet elevation under native range vegetation. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated)
Ez--0 to 3 inches; light gray (2.5Y 7/2) silt loam, grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine, fine and medium roots; violently effervescent; strongly alkaline (pH 8.7); abrupt smooth boundary (2 to 6 inches thick)
Btnz-3 to 10 inches; 70 percent brown (10YR 5/3) and 30 percent light gray (10YR 7/2) silty clay, 70 percent dark brown (10YR 3/3) and 30 percent brown (10YR 5/3) dry; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate coarse subangular blocky; hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine, fine and medium roots; common moderately thick clay films on ped faces; violently effervescent; very strongly alkaline (pH 9.8); clear smooth boundary. (5 to 10 inches thick)
Bknz--10 to 16 inches; light gray (10YR 7/2) silty clay loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine, fine, and medium roots; common fine soft masses and filaments of lime on ped faces; violently effervescent; very strongly alkaline (pH 10.0); abrupt smooth boundary. (4 to 12 inches thick)
Cknz1--16 to 28 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) silty clay loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; massive (varved); hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine, fine, and medium roots; few soft masses of lime between varves; violently effervescent; very strongly alkaline (pH 10.2) clear smooth boundary. (9 to 20 inches thick)
Cknz2--28 to 60 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) silty clay loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; massive (varved), hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine roots; few soft masses of lime between varves; strongly effervescent; very strongly alkaline (pH 9.8).
TYPE LOCATION: Colville Indian Reservation; Okanogan County, Washington; about 1-1/2 miles north of the town of Belvedere; 1,200 feet north, 1,900 feet east of the southwest corner sec. 25, T. 30 N., R. 30 E., W. M.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature is 50 to 53 degrees F. These soils are dry in all parts between depths of 4 and 12 inches for one-half to three-fourths of the time when the soil temperature is greater than 41 degrees F (about 105 to 115 days).
The Ez horizon has hue of 10YR, 2.5Y, or 5Y, value of 6 or 7 dry, 4 or 5 moist. Reaction is strongly alkaline or very strongly alkaline.
The Btnz horizon has hue of 10YR, 2.5Y, or 5Y, value of 5 through 7 dry, 3 through 5 moist, and chroma of 2 or 3 dry or moist. It is silty clay loam or silty clay. SAR is 13 or more throughout. It has 35 to 55 percent clay.
The Bknz and Ckn2 horizon has hue of 10YR, 2.5Y, or 5Y, value of 6 through 8 dry, 4 to 6 moist, and chroma of 1 or 3 dry or moist. It is silty clay loam or silty clay.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Leahy soils are on undulating lake terraces and have slopes of 0 to 15 percent. These soils formed in glaciolacustrine sediments. Elevations range from 1,100 to 2,300 feet. The climate is characterized by hot, dry summers and cool, moist winters. The average annual precipitation is 9 to 12 inches. The mean January temperature is about 25 degrees F, the mean July temperature is about 74 degrees F, and the mean annual air temperature is about 50 degrees F. The frost-free season is 130 to 180 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Cashmere, Cashmont, Ellisforde, Elvedere, Peshastin, Pogue, Quincy, Skaha, and Winchester soils. All of these soils lack a natric horizon. In addition, Cashmere and Cashmont soils have a mollic epipedon and are coarse-loamy. Ellisforde soils have a mollic epipedon and are coarse-silty. Elvedere soils have a nonsodic argillic horizon. Peshastin soils have a mollic epipedon and are loamy-skeletal. Pogue soils have a mollic epipedon and are coarse-loamy over sandy or sandy-skeletal. Quincy and Winchester soils are sandy. Skaha soils are sandy-skeletal.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Moderately well drained; very slow to medium runoff; very slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: The principal uses are rangeland and wildlife habitat. The native vegetation is basin wildrye, alkali bluegrass, black greasewood, and common yarrow.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northcentral Washington. The series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Colville Indian Reservation; Okanogan County, Washington, 1987.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this soil are an albic horizon from the surface to 3 inches, and a natric horizon from 3 to 10 inches with an SAR greater than 13 in all parts.
ADDITIONAL DATA: National Soil Survey Laboratory data are available for this soil (Sample No. 85P4800-4802).