LOCATION MINKLER WAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Medial over loamy, amorphic over isotic, mesic Aquic Haploxerands
TYPICAL PEDON: Minkler silt loam - cropland (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted. All textures are apparent field textures.)
Ap--0 to 12 inches; dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) silt loam, light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2); weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots; few very fine discontinuous vesicular pores; NaF pH 11.0; slightly acid (pH 6.2); abrupt smooth boundary. (8 to 14 inches thick.)
B2--12 to 15 inches; olive gray (5Y 5/2) silt loam, light gray (5Y 7/2) dry; many medium prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6, 5/8) mottles; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots; common very fine discontinuous vesicular and tubular pores; NaF pH 10.7; slightly acid (pH 6.4); abrupt smooth boundary. (3 to 8 inches thick)
C1--15 to 20 inches; dark gray (5Y 4/1) stratified loamy fine sand and very fine sandy loam, light gray (5Y 6/1, 7,1) dry; many fine distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) mottles; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine discontinuous vesicular pores; NaF pH 11.0; neutral (pH 6.6); abrupt smooth boundary. (5 to 15 inches thick)
2C2--20 to 43 inches; gray (5Y 5/1) stratified loamy fine sand and very fine sandy loam, light gray (5Y 6/1, 7/1) dry; common medium and large yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) mottles; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; distinct stratification (1 to 4 mm thick); NaF pH < 9.0; neutral (pH 7.0); clear smooth boundary. (7 to 30 inches thick)
2C4--43 to 55 inches; gray (5Y 5/1) very fine sandy loam, light gray (5Y 7/1) dry; few medium distinct light olive brown mottles (7.5YR 5/6) massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; NaF pH < 9.0; neutral (pH 7.2); abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 14 inches thick)
2C5--55 to 60 inches; gray (5Y 5/1) loamy fine sand, light gray (5Y 7/1, 6/1) dry; many large prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) mottles; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; neutral (pH 7.0)
TYPE LOCATION: Skagit County, Washington, about 2 miles east of Sedro Woolley; 3,250 feet west and 1,350 feet south of northeast corner sec. 20, T. 35 N., R. 5 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: These soils are usually moist but are dry in the moisture control section for 45 to 60 consecutive days following summer solstice. The mean annual soil temperature is estimated to range from 48 to 53 degrees F. Thickness of the volcanic ash influence is 14 to 27 inches. The lower part of the control section averages 1 to 10 percent clay and has no coarse fragments. Reaction is moderately acid through neutral.
The Ap horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 3 or 4 moist, 6 or 7 dry, and chroma of 2 or 3 moist and dry.
The B horizon has hue of 10YR, 2.5Y, or 5Y, value of 4 or 5 moist, 6 or 7 dry, and chroma of 2 through 4 moist and dry. Texture is silt loam, loam, or very fine sandy loam.
The 2C horizon has hues of 2.5Y or 5Y, values of 4 through 6 moist, 6 or 7 dry, and chroma of 0, 1 or 2 moist or dry. it is stratified loamy fine sand, fine sand,and very fine sandy loam.
COMPETING SERIES: This is the Skipopa series in another family. Skipopa soils have more than 35 percent clay in the lower part of the control section.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Minkler soils are on terraces slightly above the normal flood plain at elevations of 50 to 80 feet. They formed in stratified medium and coarse textured alluvium and lacustrine material with a mantle of volcanic ash. Slopes are 0 to 2 percent. Average annual precipitation is 45 to 55 inches. The mean January temperature is about 36 degrees F., and the mean July temperature is about 64 degrees F., and the mean annual temperature is about 50 degrees F. The average frost-free season is 190 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Cokedale and Wickersham series. Cokedale soils are coarse-silty over sandy or sandy-skeletal. Wickersham soils are coarse-loamy over sandy or sandy-skeletal.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Moderately well drained; slow runoff; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used for pasture and cropland. Native vegetation is Douglas-fir, red alder and western redcedar with an understory of blackberry, red elderberry, vine maple, western swordfern, and lady fern.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northwestern Washington. This series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Skagit County, Washington, 1981.
REMARKS: Classification only changed 4/94 because of recent amendments to Soil Taxonomy.