LOCATION MYZEL WATentative Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, isotic, frigid Vitrandic Haploxerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Myzel ashy sandy clay loam - irrigated cropland, on a 2 percent south-facing slope at elevation of 1,900 feet. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated)
Ap--0 to 6 inches; very dark gray (10YR 3/1) ashy sandy clay loam, black (10YR 2/1) moist; moderate medium and coarse granular structure; slightly hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; many very fine roots; many very fine irregular pores; NaF pH 8.5; neutral (pH 6.6); abrupt smooth boundary. (5 to 7 inches thick)
A1--6 to 11 inches; very dark gray (10YR 3/1) ashy sandy clay loam, black (10YR 2/1) moist; moderate medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; many very fine roots; common very fine irregular pores; NaF pH 8.5; neutral (pH 6.8); clear wavy boundary.
A2--11 to 22 inches; dark gray (10YR 4/1) ashy sandy clay loam, black (10YR 2/1) moist; moderate medium and coarse subangular block structure; slightly hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; many very fine roots; common very fine irregular and tubular pores; NaF pH 8.5; neutral (pH 6.8); clear wavy boundary. (Combined A horizon is 13 to 18 inches thick)
AB--22 to 38 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) ashy sandy clay loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, moderately sticky and very plastic; common very fine roots; common very fine irregular and tubular pores; NaF pH 8.7; neutral (pH 6.8); clear wavy boundary. (14 to 20 inches thick)
2Bw1--38 to 57 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) sandy clay loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; common distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) iron redox concentrations on faces of peds; weak medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few medium and common very fine roots; few medium irregular and many very fine irregular and tubular pores; NaF pH 8.0; neutral (pH 6.8); clear wavy boundary. (10 to 22 inches thick)
2Bw2--57 to 60 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) sandy clay, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; common distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) iron redox concentrations on faces of peds; moderate medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; very hard, firm, very sticky and very plastic; few very fine roots; few very fine irregular pores; NaF pH 8.0; neutral (pH 6.8).
TYPE LOCATION: Kittitas County, Washington, about 2 3/4 miles east of Cle Elum, about 100 feet north and 1,100 feet east of the southwest corner of section 33, T. 20 N., R. 16 E.; USFS Teanaway, Wash. quad.; Latitude 47 degrees, 11 minutes, 24 seconds; and Longitude 120 degrees, 51 minutes, 04 seconds W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature at a depth of 20 inches is 45 to 46 degrees F. These soils are usually moist but are dry in all parts if the moisture control section for 60 to 75 consecutive days following the summer solstice. Depth to seasonal high water table and aquic conditions with redox features ranges from 30 to 48 inches. Thickness of the mollic epipedon is 25 to 60 inches. The upper 10 to 40 inches has an estimated bulk density of 1.15 to 1.40 g/cc, volcanic glass content of 10 to 20 percent and acid oxalate extractable aluminum plus one-half extractable iron of 0.3 to 0.5 percent. The particle-size control section has 27 to 35 percent clay and more than 15 percent fine sand and coarser. It has 0 to 10 percent rock fragments by volume. Organic matter is estimated to range from 2 to 4 percent in Ap horizon and decrease irregularly below. Reaction is slightly acid or neutral throughout.
The Ap or A horizons have value of 3 or 4 dry, and chroma of 1 or 2 dry or moist. Texture is ashy clay loam or ashy sandy clay loam.
The AB horizon has value of 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist and chroma of 1 to 3 dry or moist. Texture is ashy sandy clay loam, ashy sandy clay loam, or ashy clay loam.
The 2Bw horizon has value of 4 to 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist and chroma of 2 or 3 dry or moist. The upper part is sandy clay loam or clay loam and the lower part is sandy clay, sandy clay loam, clay loam, gravelly clay loam, gravelly sandy clay loam or very gravelly sandy clay loam.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Buford, Derr (T), Hall Ranch, Highvalley, Kahler, McGarr and Minam soils.
Buford soils - 40 to 60 inches to a lithic contact (basalt); lack aquic conditions and redox features
Derr and McGarr soils - 20 to 40 inches to a lithic contact; lack aquic conditions and redox features
Hall Ranch soils - 20 to 40 inches to a paralithic contact (andesite or rhyolite); lack aquic conditions and redox features
Highvalley soils - pscs has 17 to 27 percent clay; lack aquic conditions and redox features
Kahler soils - 40 to greater than 60 inches to bedrock; lack an irregular decrease in organic carbon; lack aquic conditions and redox features
Minam soils - 30 to 40 inches to a skeletal substratum; lack aquic conditions and redox features
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Myzel soils are on flood plains and alluvial fans and have slopes of 0 to 3 percent. These soils formed in alluvium with an influence of volcanic ash in the surface. Elevation is 1,800 to 2,500 feet. These soils are in a climate with warm moderately dry summers and cool moist winter. The mean annual precipitation is 18 to 40 inches. The average January temperature is about 24 degrees F. and the average July temperature is about 64 degrees F. The mean annual temperature is 43 to 45 degrees F. The frost-free season is 80 to 110 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Hardmauk, Indatea, Meirmick, Patnish and Teanaway soils. Hardmauk soils are on foothills and are 25 to 40 inches to a 2Btb horizon, 45 to 60 inches to a 2Cdt horizon and have a glossic horizon. Indatea soils are on terraces and terrace escarpments and are 25 to 40 inches to a 2Btb horizon and have a glossic horizon. Meirmick soils are on flood plains and have a particle-size control section averaging 46 to 80 percent rock fragments by volume. Patnish soils are on flood plains and are 25 to 35 inches to contrasting a 3C horizon. Teanaway soils are on terraces, terrace escarpments and foothills and are 40 to 60 to a 2Btb horizon and have a glossic horizon.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Moderately well drained; slow runoff; moderately slow permeability. This soil has an apparent high water table from January to mid-October and most of acres have an irrigation-induced water table at 30 to 48 inches during mid-May to mid-October growing season. This soil ranges from having no flood hazard when found on alluvial fans, to occasional, brief periods of flooding when found on flood plains.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for irrigated cropland, livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. Native vegetation is black cottonwood, ponderosa pine and Douglas-fir with understory of common snowberry, sedges, wood rose, tufted hairgrass and creambush oceanspray.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Kittitas County, Washington; MLRA 6. The series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES PROPOSED: Kittitas County, Washington, 1999.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon include:
Mollic epipedon (pachic) - the zone from 0 to 57 inches (Ap, A1, A2, Bw1 and 2Bw2 horizons)
Vitrandic feature - the zone from 0 to 38 inches (Ap, A1, A2, Bw1 and 2Bw2 horizons)
Ultic feature - base saturation throughout upper 30 inches is 55 to 75 percent.
Cumulic feature - irregular decrease in organic carbon assumed.