LOCATION NANAMKIN WAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy-skeletal, isotic, frigid Typic Xerorthents
TYPICAL PEDON: Nanamkin gravelly sandy loam, forested. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
0i--0 to 1 inch; slightly decomposed mat of leaves, twigs, and needles.
A--1 to 6 inches; light gray (10YR 7/2) gravelly sandy loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; very weak coarse granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; many fine roots; 2 percent cobbles and 25 percent gravel; strongly acid (pH 5.4); clear smooth boundary. (1 to 6 inches thick)
Bw1--6 to 13 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/4) very gravelly loamy sand, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; massive; slightly compact, slightly hard, friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; many fine roots; 10 percent cobbles and 45 percent gravel; moderately acid (pH 5.6); clear wavy boundary. (6 to 10 inches thick)
Bw2--13 to 22 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) very gravelly loamy coarse sand, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; single grained; loose; 10 percent cobbles and 45 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.5); abrupt smooth boundary. (8 to 12 inches thick)
C1--22 to 30 inches; very pale brown (10YR 8/2) very gravelly loamy coarse sand, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; 10 percent cobbles and 40 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.1); clear irregular boundary. (5 to 10 inches thick)
2C2--30 to 38 inches; light gray (10YR 7/2) extremely gravelly loamy sand, pale brown (10YR 6/3) moist; massive; slightly compact; 10 percent stones, 10 percent cobbles and 50 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.4); abrupt wavy boundary. (6 to 10 inches thick)
3C3--38 to 40 inches; very pale brown (10YR 8/2) extremely paragravelly sand, very pale brown (10YR 8/3) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; mat of roots in horizon; 65 percent paragravel; moderately acid (pH 6.0); abrupt wavy boundary. (2 to 4 inches thick)
Bwb--40 to 47 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/4) gravelly loamy coarse sand, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; massive; slightly hard, firm, slightly sticky, nonplastic; many fine roots; several brown stains and textural bands; 5 percent stones, 5 percent cobbles and 20 percent gravel; moderately acid (pH 6.0); clear wavy boundary. (5 to 8 inches thick)
5C--47 to 61 inches; light gray extremely stony sand; slightly compact; 15 percent stones, 20 percent cobbles and 35 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.3).
TYPE LOCATION: Ferry County, Washington; 15 yards north and 150 yards west of O'Brien Creek, Inchelium Road junction, South Fork O'Brien Creek; NW1/4 SW1/4 section 32, T.36N., R.34E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature is 42 to 45 degrees F. These soils are usually moist, but are dry in all parts between depths of 12 and 35 inches for 60 to 90 consecutive days. The particle-size control section averages more than 50 percent rock fragments.
The A horizon has value of 6 to 8 dry. This horizon is moderately or strongly acid. It has weak granular structure or is massive.
The Bw horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 6 or 7 dry, and chroma of 3 or 4 dry. It is loamy sand or loamy coarse sand and is very or extremely gravelly. This horizon is slightly to strongly acid in the upper part and moderately to slightly acid in the lower part. It is massive or single grained.
The C1 and 2C horizon has value of 7 or 8 dry. It is loamy sand or loamy coarse sand and is very gravelly, extremely gravelly or very cobbly. It is slightly to strongly acid. It is massive or single grained.
The 4Bwb horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, dry value of 6 or 7, and dry chroma of 3 or 4. It is loamy sand or loamy coarse sand and is gravelly, extremely gravelly or very cobbly. It is slightly to strongly acid.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series. The Railcity and Wellie series are similar. These series have mixed mineralogy.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Nanamkin soils are on gently sloping to undulating floodplains and outwash terraces at elevations of 2,500 to 3,500 feet. These soils formed in glacial outwash. They occur in a cold subhumid climate. The mean annual temperature is 40 to 44 degrees F.; the mean annual precipitation is 20 to 25 inches; and the mean annual frost free season is 90 to 120 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Goddard, Karamin, Merkel, Nevine, and Torboy soils. None of these soils are coarse textured in the entire control section.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat excessively drained; slow runoff; rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Woodland and grazing. Douglas fir, lodgepole pine, western larch, Engelmann spruce, kinnikinnick, wild strawberry, pinegrass, sedges, huckleberry, princess pine, moss, and twin flower are the principal plants.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northeastern Washington. Series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Ferry County, Washington, 1971.
REMARKS: This description represents a change in mineralogy from mixed to isotic.