LOCATION LITTLEBALD WAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Medial, mixed Humic Vitricryands
TYPICAL PEDON: Littlebald medial sandy loam - forestland, on a 7 percent southeast-facing slope at 6,300 feet elevation. (Colors are for moist soil unless stated. All textures are apparent field textures.)
Oi--0 to 1 inch; slightly decomposed forest litter; abrupt smooth boundary.
A1--1 to 4 inches; very dark brown (10YR 2/2) medial sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) dry; moderate medium granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine and fine roots; many very fine and fine irregular pores; 15 percent pumice less than 2 mm in size; 5 percent gravel; NaF pH 11.5; moderately acid (pH 5.7); clear smooth boundary.
A2--4 to 11 inches; very dark brown (10YR 2/2) medial sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) dry; weak fine subangular blocky structure parting to weak fine granular; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; weakly smeary; common very fine and fine, few medium and coarse roots; many very fine and fine irregular pores; 30 percent pumice less than 2 mm in size; 5 percent gravel; NaF pH 12.0; moderately acid (pH 6.0); gradual smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of A horizon is 10 to 14 inches)
Bw1--11 to 20 inches; very dark brown (10YR 2/2) medial sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) dry; moderate fine subangular blocky structure parting to moderate medium granular; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; weakly smeary; common very fine and fine, few medium roots; many very fine and fine irregular pores; 25 percent pumice less than 2 mm in size; 5 percent gravel; NaF 11.5; slightly acid (pH 6.4); gradual smooth boundary.
Bw2--20 to 34 inches; very dark brown (10YR 2/2) medial sandy loam, brown (10YR 5/3) dry; moderate fine subangular blocky structure parting to moderate medium granular; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; weakly smeary; common very fine and fine roots; many very fine and fine irregular pores; 25 percent pumice less than 2 mm in size; 5 percent gravel; NaF pH 11.5; slightly acid (pH 6.4); clear smooth boundary.
Bw3--34 to 47 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) cobbly medial loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) dry; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure parting to weak fine subangular blocky; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; weakly smeary; few very fine and fine roots; many very fine and fine irregular pores; 10 percent gravel and 10 percent cobbles; NaF 10.5; slightly acid (pH 6.5); gradual wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of Bw horizon is 30 to 42 inches)
2Cr1--47 to 54 inches; weathered tuff; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) crushes to loam, very pale brown (10YR 7/3) dry; massive; NaF 10.1; neutral (pH 6.6); gradual wavy boundary. (5 to 10 inches thick)
2Cr2--54 to 61 inches; weathered tuff; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) crushes to loam, very pale brown (10YR 7/3) dry; massive; NaF 10.1; neutral (pH 6.8).
TYPE LOCATION: Yakima County, Washington; about 16 miles west of Nile community, Washington, about 300 feet north and 1000 feet east of the southwest corner of Section 15, T. 16 N, R. 13 E; Latitude 46 degrees, 52 minutes, 20 seconds N. and Longitude 121 degrees, 11 minutes, 51 seconds W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature is 39 to 44 degrees F. The mean summer soil temperature is 42 to 45 degrees F. These soils are dry for 25 to 45 consecutive days following the summer solstice. Thickness of andic soil properties is 36 to 40 inches or more and have an estimated moist bulk density of 0.65 to 0.85 g/cc, glass content of 5 to 30 percent, acid-oxalate extractable aluminum plus one-half the acid-oxalate extractable iron of more than 1 percent, phosphorus retention greater than 50 percent and 15-bar water retention for air dried samples is 12 to 15 percent. The particle-size control section averages 5 to 10 percent rock fragments in the upper part and 10 to 25 percent in the lower part. Thickness of the umbric epipedon ranges from 13 to 36 inches. Depth to weathered tuff is 40 to 60 inches.
The A horizon has a value of 2 or 3 moist, 3 to 5 dry and chroma of 2 or 3 moist.
The upper Bw horizon has a value of 2 or 3 moist, 4 or 5 dry and chroma of 2 or 3 moist. Texture is medial sandy loam or medial loam. The lower Bw horizon has value of 3 or 4 moist, 5 or 6 dry, chroma of 3 or 4 moist or dry. Texture is medial sandy loam, gravelly medial sandy loam or cobbly medial loam.
COMPETING SERIES: This is the Island series. Island soils are 30 to 60 inches deep to a stratified sandy and silty substratum and have an A horizon 16 to 33 inches thick.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Littlebald soils are on plateaus, ridges, windswept ridges and mountain side slopes. Slopes are 0 to 40 percent. These soils formed in volcanic ash over weathered tuff. Elevations are 4,600 to 6,300 feet. The climate is characterized by warm, dry summers and cold, wet winters. The mean annual precipitation is 60 to 80 inches. The average January temperature is about 22 degrees F. and the average July temperature is about 60 degrees F. The mean annual temperature is 37 to 43 degrees F. The frost-free season is 30 to 75 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Millerpoint and Nomlas soils. Millerpoint soils are found on plateaus, ridges and mountain side slopes and have ochric epipedons. Nomlas soils are on mountain side slopes and are ashy-skeletal.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained, very slow to medium runoff; moderately rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: This soil is used mainly for timber production, wildlife habitat and recreation. Native vegetation is mountain hemlock, Pacific silver fir, subalpine fir, Engelmann spruce, Alaska yellow cedar and white bark pine with an understory of dwarf bramble, smooth woodrush, beargrass, big huckleberry, Cascade azalea, grouse huckleberry and sidebells pyrola.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Yakima County, WA. MLRA 3. The series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Wenatchee National Forest, Naches Ranger District, Yakima County, Washington, 2003.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Andic soil properties - 0 to 47 inches (A1, A2, Bw1, Bw2 and Bw3 horizons)
Umbric epipedon - 1 to 34 inches (A1, A2, Bw1 and Bw2 horizons)
Cambic horizon - 34 to 47 inches (Bw3 horizon)
Paralithic contact - 47 to 61 inches (2Cr1 and 2Cr2 horizons)
PSCS - zone from 1 to 41 inches (A1, A2, Bw1, Bw2 and Bw3 horizons)
Soil moisture regime - udic
The thickness range of the zone meeting andic soil properties was revised from 25 to 40 inches or more to 36 to 40 inches or more. Based on the definition of contrasting particle-size class, a contrasting layer 5 inches thick within the 40 inch particle-size control section, is the minimum requirement needed. Those Littlebald soils with an ash mantle less than 36 inches meeting andic soil properties, will be considered a taxadjunct to the series.
Depth to diagnostic horizons and features are measured from the top of the first mineral horizon.
ADDITIONAL DATA: Lab data is available for this pedon; sample number S94WA-077-004, NSSL, Lincoln, NE.