LOCATION NEILTON WAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy-skeletal, mixed, mesic Dystric Xerorthents
TYPICAL PEDON: Neilton very gravelly loamy sand, forested. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted.)
Oi--0 to 1 inch; slightly decomposed organic matter with the lower 1/8 inch being highly decomposed; abrupt smooth boundary. (.5 to 2 inches thick)
A--1 to 7 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) very gravelly loamy sand, brown (10YR 5/3) dry; single grained; loose; many roots; 40 percent gravel; strongly acid (pH 5.4); clear smooth boundary. (2 to 8 inches thick)
Bw--7 to 19 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) very gravelly loamy sand, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) dry; single grained; loose; common roots; 45 percent gravel; moderately acid (pH 5.8); abrupt wavy boundary. (9 to 17 inches thick)
C--19 to 61 inches; dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) very gravelly sand, light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) dry; single grained; loose; few roots; 55 percent gravel; moderately acid (pH 5.6).
TYPE LOCATION: King County, Washington; 1,100 feet east and 150 feet north of the southwest corner section 28, T.21N., R.5E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The solum is 15 to 25 inches thick. The mean annual soil temperature is 50 to 54 degrees F. These soils are dry in the moisture control section for 60 to 75 consecutive following summer solstice. The particle size control section is 35 to 70 percent rock fragments. Base saturation by ammonium acetate is less than 60 percent throughout the profile.
The A horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 2 through 4 moist, 3 through 6 dry, and chroma of 2 through 4 moist and dry. This horizon has granular or subangular blocky structure or it is massive or single grained. It is moderately acid or strongly acid.
The Bw horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 3 through 5 moist, 5 through 7 dry, and chroma of 3 through 6 moist and dry. It is very gravelly sand, very gravelly loamy sand, extremely gravelly sand, extremely gravelly loamy sand, extremely cobbly sand, or extremely cobbly loamy sand. This horizon has granular or subangular blocky structure or it is single grained. It is moderately acid or strongly acid. Some pedons have a BC horizon.
The C horizon has hue of 7.5YR, 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 3 through 5 moist, 5 through 7 dry, and chroma of 2 through 6 moist and dry. This horizon is very gravelly sand, very gravelly loamy sand, extremely gravelly sand, extremely loamy sand, extremely cobbly sand, or extremely cobbly loamy sand. It is slightly acid to strongly acid.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Grove, Janile, Snoqualmie, and Wiseman series. Grove soils are dry for 45 to 60 consecutive days and have a solum 28 to 40 inches thick. Janile soils have granitic bedrock at 20 to 40 inches. Snoqualmie and Wiseman soils are dry for 45 to 60 consecutive days and lack a color B horizon. In addition, Wiseman soils are more than 35 percent phyllite channers in the particle-size control section from 10 to 40 inches that averages 52 percent coarse fragments.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Neilton soils are on glacial outwash terraces and terrace escarpments. Slopes range from 0 to 70 percent. The soils formed in glacial outwash materials derived from granite, quartzite, shale, sandstone, schist, basalt, and andesite. Neilton soils are at elevations ranging from sea level to 1,600 feet. They have a mild climate with an average annual precipitation of 30 to 60 inches; cool, dry summers and mild, wet winters. The average January temperature is 36 degrees F.; the average July temperature is 63 degrees F.; and the mean annual temperature is about 50 degrees F. The frost free season ranges from 140 to 220 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Alderwood, Bellingham, Caraco, Elwha, Everett, Harstine, Indianola, and McKenna soils. Alderwood, Elwha, Harstine and McKenna soils have dense glacial till at depths of 20 to 40 inches. Bellingham soils are fine and have an aquic moisture regime. Caraco soils are fine-loamy. Casey soils are fine and have an argillic horizon. Everett soils have a spodic horizon. Indianola soils are sandy.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Excessively drained; slow runoff; rapid to very rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Timber production is the principal use. Some areas are used for pasture. Native vegetation is predominantly Douglas fir, grand fir, western hemlock and western red cedar. Understory species include Oregon grape, western brackenfern, salal, western swordfern, trailing blackberry, red huckleberry, oceanspray, longtube, twinflower, and princess pine.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northwestern Washington. The series is of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: King County, Washington, 1971.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and other features:
Xeric moisture regime
Dystric subgroup - assume low base saturation based on pH and precipitation.