LOCATION MOXEE WA

Established Series
Rev. CDL/JJR/RWL
01/2011

MOXEE SERIES

The Moxee series consists of shallow, well drained soils that formed in loess over a lime silica cemented duripan. Moxee soils are on uplands and have slopes of 0 to 30 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 10 inches and the mean annual temperature is about 49 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic, shallow Cambidic Durixerolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Moxee silt loam, range. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)

A1--0 to 3 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) silt loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak medium platy structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; many fine roots; 5 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.2); abrupt smooth boundary.

A2--3 to 7 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) silt loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; common fine roots; few fine tubular pores; 5 percent gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); abrupt wavy boundary. (combined thickness of the A horizon is 7 to 10 inches)

Bw--7 to 11 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) gravelly silt loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; massive soft, very friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; few fine roots; 20 percent gravel and 1 percent cobbles; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); abrupt wavy boundary. (2 to 6 inches thick)

2Bk--11 to 18 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) gravelly silt loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; few fine roots; 20 percent gravel and 1 percent cobbles; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); abrupt wavy boundary. (0 to 7 inches thick)

2Bkqm--18 inches; lime silica cemented duripan.

TYPE LOCATION: Yakima County, Washington; 100 feet north and 110 feet west of the S.E. corner section 34, T. 13 N., R. 20 E., W.M.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Depth to the strongly cemented duripan is 10 to 20 inches. The mollic epipedon is 7 to 10 inches thick and the depth to carbonates; when present is 10 to 13 inches thick. The particle size control section averages 10 to 35 percent coarse fragments and has 5 to 10 percent clay. Coarse fragments are lime silica cemented material and basalt and have been mixed with the loess. The mean annual soil temperature is 49 to 54 degrees F. The soil is usually dry in all parts between depths of 4 and 12 inches for 75 to 90 consecutive days following the summer solstice.

The A horizon has value of 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist and chroma of 2 to 4 dry, 2 or 3 moist. Texture is silt loam or very fine sandy loam. Reaction is neutral or slightly alkaline.

The Bw horizon has value of 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist and chroma of 3 or 4 moist or dry. Texture is silt loam or gravelly silt loam. Reaction is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline.
The 2Bk and 2Bkqm horizons have value 5 to 8 dry, 3 to 6 moist and chroma of 1 to 4 moist or dry. Texture is silt loam or gravelly silt loam. Reaction is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline.

COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Moxee soils are on upland terraces at elevations of 800 to 2,000 feet. Slopes are 0 to 30 percent. The soils formed in loess over a duripan mantling old alluvium or basalt. They are in a semiarid climate with warm, dry summers and cool, moist winters. The mean annual precipitation is 8 to 15 inches. The average January temperature is 29 degrees F. and the average July temperature of 71 degrees F. The mean annual temperature of 48 to 50 degrees F. The frost free season is 125 to 160 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Ritzville, Selah and Willis soils. Ritzville soils lack a duripan and are on uplands. Selah soils are 20 to 40 inches deep to the duripan and are on uplands and dissected terraces. Willis soils are 20 to 40 inches deep to a duripan and are on uplands, terraces and alluvial fans.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow to rapid runoff; moderate permeability above the duripan and very slow with the duripan.

USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for irrigated crops and livestock grazing. Native vegetation is mainly bluebunch wheatgrass, Sandberg bluegrass, and sagebrush.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: South central Washington. MLRA 7, 8. Series is extensive.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Yakima County, Washington, 1979.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features in this pedon include:
Mollic epipedon - from 0 to 7 inches (A1 and A2 horizons)
The Bw horizon is too thin to quailty for a cambic horizon.
Aridic soil moisture regime bordering on xeric.

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.