LOCATION LEVNIK WAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Clayey, smectitic, mesic Lithic Xeric Haplargids
TYPICAL PEDON: Levnik very gravelly loam - rangeland, on an 8 percent south-facing slope at 1,610 feet elevation. (When described on August 13, 1993, the soil was dry throughout. Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
A--0 to 4 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) very gravelly loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak fine and medium medium granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine roots and few coarse roots; few very fine tubular pores; 40 percent pebbles; neutral (pH 7.2); clear wavy boundary. (3 to 5 inches thick)
Bt1--4 to 8 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) clay loam, very dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common medium and few very fine, fine and coarse roots; few fine and medium interstitial and tubular pores; common distinct clay films lining pores and on the faces of peds; 10 percent pebbles; neutral (pH 7.3); clear wavy boundary.
Bt2--8 to 13 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) gravelly clay, very dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; strong fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common medium and few fine roots; few fine and medium interstitial and tubular roots; common distinct clay films lining pores and on the faces of peds; 20 percent pebbles; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); abrupt wavy boundary. (Combined Bt horizon is 9 to 12 inches thick)
2Bt3--13 to 16 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) extremely gravelly clay, dark brown (10YR 4/3) moist; strong fine and medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, sticky and plastic; few very fine, fine and medium roots; few fine and medium interstitial and tubular pores; many prominent clay films lining pores and on the faces of peds; few faint lime coats on vertical and horizontal faces of peds; 45 percent pebbles and 25 percent cobbles; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); abrupt smooth boundary. (2 to 3 inches thick)
3R--16 inches; fractured basalt with silica coatings over 30 percent of total surface area.
TYPE LOCATION: Kittitas County, Washington, about 3 miles southwest of Vantage, WA, about 2,400 feet north and 400 feet west of the southeast corner of section 34, T. 17 N., R. 22 E.; USGS Ginkgo topographic quadrangle; lat. 46 degrees 55 minutes 04 seconds N. and long. 120 degrees 03 minutes 04 seconds W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Average annual soil temperature at the lithic contact ranges from 50 to 56 degrees F. These soils are dry in all parts above the lithic contact more than half of the time that the soil temperature is above 40 degrees F. The particle-size control section averages 35 to 44 percent clay in the fine earth fraction and 15 to 35 percent rock fragments by volume. Solum thickness and depth to a lithic contact ranges from 12 to 20 inches. Reaction is neutral or slightly alkaline.
The A horizon has a value of 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist and a chroma of 2 or 3 moist.
The Bt horizon has value of 4 or 5 dry. It is very gravelly or gravelly clay loam, very cobbly or cobbly clay loam or very gravelly clay. The Bt2 is gravelly clay loam, clay loam or gravelly clay.
The 2Bt horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 4 or 5 dry. It is extremely gravelly clay, very cobbly clay or very gravelly clay.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Ceejay and Dishner soils. Ceejay soils lack a 2Bt discontinuity with 35 to 80 percent rock fragments. Dishner soils lack a 2Bt discontinuity and have E horizons.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Levnik soils are on hillslopes and plateaus and have slopes of 3 to 30 percent. These soils formed in residuum weathered from basalt and slope alluvium with additions of loess. Elevations are 1,200 to 2,000 feet. These soils are in an arid climate with hot dry summers and cool moist winters. Average annual precipitation ranges from 6 to 9 inches. Average January temperature is about 29 degrees F.; average July temperature is about 71 degrees F.; and average annual temperature is 49 to 51 degrees F. Frost-free season is 135 to 195 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Drino, Fortyday, and Prosser soils. Drino soils are on hillslopes and are 20 to 40 inches to bedrock. Fortyday soils, on ridges, and Prosser soils, on hillslopes and ridgetops, and have less than 35 percent clay in the fine earth fraction.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained, medium runoff; slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used for livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. Native vegetation is mainly bluebunch wheatgrass, Sandberg bluegrass, Thurber needlegrass, narrowleaf goldenweed, rock eriogonum, and stiff sagebrush.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Kittitas County, Washington. Series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Kittitas County, Washington, Yakima
Training Center, 1994.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon include: Ochric epipedon - 0 to 4 inches (A horizon) Argillic horizon - 4 to 16 inches (Bt1, Bt2 and 2Bt3 horizons) Lithic Contact - from 12 to 20 inches PSCS - zone from 4 to 16 inches (Bt1, Bt2 and 2Bt3 horizons). This soil is reclassified based on amendment 17 of Soil Taxonomy.