LOCATION MURHUT WAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Medial-skeletal, ferrihydritic, frigid Pachic Fulvudands
TYPICAL PEDON: Murhut extremely gravelly medial sandy loam - forestland, on an 82 percent slope with a northeasterly aspect at an elevation of 1,709 feet in a western hemlock/Alaska huckleberry plant association. (When described on September 28, 1992, the soil was moist throughout. Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated. All textures are apparent field textures.)
Oi--0 to 2 inches; slightly decomposed needles, leaves, and twigs; abrupt wavy boundary. (1 to 4 inches thick)
A--2 to 7 inches; dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) extremely gravelly medial sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) dry; weak very fine and fine granular and weak very fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; weakly smeary; many very fine, fine, medium, and coarse roots; many very fine and fine irregular pores; 40 percent gravel, 25 percent cobbles; very strongly acid (pH 4.8); clear wavy boundary. (5 to 10 inches thick)
Bw1--7 to 15 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) extremely gravelly medial sandy loam, brown (10YR 5/3) dry; weak very fine subangular blocky and weak very fine and fine granular structure; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; weakly smeary; many very fine, fine, and medium and common coarse roots; common very fine and fine irregular pores; 45 percent gravel, 25 percent cobbles; very strongly acid (pH 5.0); clear wavy boundary.
Bw2--15 to 21 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) extremely cobbly medial sandy loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) dry; weak very fine subangular blocky and weak very fine and fine granular structure; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; weakly smeary; many very fine, fine, medium and coarse roots; common very fine and fine irregular pores; 35 percent gravel, 40 percent cobbles; very strongly acid (pH 5.0); clear wavy boundary.
Bw3--21 to 35 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) extremely cobbly medial sandy loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) dry; weak very fine subangular blocky and weak very fine and fine granular structure; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; weakly smeary; common very fine, fine, medium, and coarse roots; common very fine and fine irregular pores; 35 percent gravel, 45 percent cobbles; strongly acid (pH 5.2); abrupt wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bw horizon is 15 to 30 inches.)
R--35 inches; marine basalt.
TYPE LOCATION: Mason County, Washington, about 3 miles east of the Satsop Work Center, about 800 feet east and 220 feet south of the northwest corner of Section 30, T. 22 N., R. 6 W. (Latitude 47 degrees, 22 minutes, 24 seconds N., Longitude 123 degrees, 29 minutes, 27 seconds W.)
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature is 42 to 47 degrees F. These soils are usually moist and have a surplus of available water on a monthly basis throughout the year (perudic). Depth to bedrock is 20 to 40 inches. The umbric epipedon is 15 to 40 inches thick. The particle size control section has andic soil properties from the mineral soil surface to the bedrock contact and 60 to 90 percent rock fragments by volume. The andic soil material has an estimated moist bulk density of 0.40 to 0.60 g/cc, acid-oxalate extractable aluminum plus one-half of the acid-oxalate extractable iron of 2 to 4 percent, phosphate retention of 85 to 100 and 15-bar water retention of 35 to 50 percent for air-dried samples. Acid oxalate iron is 2.0 to 3.5 percent. It has 20 to 40 percent organic matter throughout decreasing with depth. It has 2 to 6 cmol/kg of aluminum.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 2 or 3 moist and 3 or 4 dry, chroma of 2 or 3 moist.
The Bw horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 4 or 5 dry, and chroma of 3 or 4 moist and 3, 4, or 6 dry. It is extremely cobbly medial sandy loam, extremely gravelly medial sandy loam, or extremely gravelly medial loam. Reaction is strongly or very strongly acid.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Murhut soils are on mountain slopes. Slopes are 60 to 100 percent. The soils formed in colluvium from marine basalt and associated volcanic rocks. Elevations are 1,500 to 2,500 feet. Average annual precipitation 150 to 220 inches. Average annual temperature is 40 to 42 degrees F. The frost-free season is 120 to 150 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Fricaba, Quinault, and Waketickeh soils. Fricaba and Waketickeh soils are on mountain slopes and have a udic moisture regime. Quinault soils are on mountain slopes and are very shallow to bedrock.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; moderately rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Timber production, wildlife habitat, recreation, and watershed. Native vegetation is western hemlock, Douglas-fir, western redcedar, western swordfern, salal, threeleaf foamflower, common beargrass, Alaska huckleberry, red huckleberry, Oregon-grape, and northern twinflower.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Mason and Grays Harbor Counties, Washington; MLRA 1. Series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Mason County, Washington, 2000; Olympic National Forest.
ADDITIONAL DATA: Laboratory data is available for this soil; S93WA-027-001.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are an umbric epipedon from 2 to 21 inches that meets the depth, thickness, and organic carbon requirements of a melanic epipedon. A cambic horizon from 21 to 35 inches that meets the requirements for a melanic epipedon but not the color requirements for melanic or umbric epipedon. Andic soil properties from the mineral soil surface to 35 inches. The particle-size control section is 2 to 35 inches (A and Bw horizons). This soil has a perudic moisture regime. All depths to diagnostic horizons and features are measured from the top of the first mineral horizon.