LOCATION NEMIRE WAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Ashy, glassy, mesic Vitrandic Haploxerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Nemire ashy fine sandy loam - cropland, on a 1 percent slope at an elevation of 3,015 feet. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted. All textures are apparent field textures.)
Ap--0 to 9 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) ashy fine sandy loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; weak coarse granular structure; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine and fine roots; many fine irregular pores; 5 percent sand-size ash, 0.5 to 2.0 mm. in diameter; neutral (pH 6.6); abrupt smooth boundary. (5 to 10 inches thick)
A--9 to 16 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) ashy fine sandy loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine roots; many fine and very fine irregular pores; 5 percent sand-size ash, 0.5 to 2.0 mm. in diameter; neutral (pH 6.8); clear smooth boundary. (5 to 10 inches thick)
AB--16 to 23 inches; gray (10YR 5/1) ashy fine sandy loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine irregular pores; 5 percent sand-size ash, 0.5 to 2.0 mm. in diameter; neutral (pH 6.6); clear smooth boundary. (6 to 8 inches thick)
BA--23 to 37 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) ashy fine sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine roots; many very fine and fine irregular pores; 10 percent sand-size ash, 0.5 to 2.0 mm. in diameter; neutral (pH 6.8); clear wavy boundary. (12 to 15 inches thick)
Bw--37 to 47 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) ashy fine sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine roots; many very fine and fine irregular pores; 30 percent sand-size ash, 0.5 to 2.0 mm. in size; neutral (pH 7.2); abrupt wavy boundary. (8 to 12 inches thick)
2BC--47 to 60 inches; light gray (10YR 7/2) silt loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; few fine distinct yellowish red (5YR 5/6) moist, redox concentrations; strong medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots; common fine and very fine tubular pores; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6).
TYPE LOCATION: Douglas County, Washington; about 6 miles north of Waterville; 100 feet south and 150 feet west of the northeast corner section 28, T.26 N. R.22 E. (Latitude 47 degrees 43' 45"N, Longitude 120 degrees 04' 12'W).
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature is 49 to 52 degrees F. These soils are usually moist but are dry for 90 to 105 consecutive days following the summer solstice. The mollic epipedon has an irregular decrease in organic matter and is 20 to 55 inches thick. The particle-size control section has moist bulk density of 1.10 to 1.35 g/cc, 30 to 60 percent volcanic glass content, including 5 to 30 percent sand-size ash, 0.5 to 2.0 mm. in diameter, acid-oxalate extractable aluminum plus one-half of the acid-oxalate extractable iron of 0.15 to 0.40 percent, 15-bar water retention of 5 to 10 percent, 25 percent or more fine sand or coarser, 0 to 5 percent rock fragments, and an apparent field estimated clay content of 5 to 12 percent. Thickness of volcanic ash influence is 40 to 60 inches.
Reaction is moderately acid to slightly alkaline in the particle-size control section. Depth to high chroma redox concentrations is more than 40 inches.
The A horizon has value of 2 or 3 moist and chroma is 2 or 3 dry or moist.
The AB horizon has chroma of 1 through 3 dry and 2 or 3 moist. Texture is ashy fine sandy loam or ashy sandy loam.
The BA and Bw horizons have value of 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist and chroma of 3 or 4 dry and 2 or 3 moist. Texture is ashy fine sandy loam, ashy sandy loam, ashy silt loam or ashy loam.
The 2BC horizon has a hue of 10YR, 2.5Y and 5Y. Value is 6 or 7 dry, 3 through 5 moist and chroma of 1 through 4 dry and 3 or 4 moist. Texture is silt loam, loam, fine sandy loam, loamy sand or fine sand. Reaction is neutral or slightly alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Achelake, Mansonia (T), Shiva (T), Watco, and Zark series. The Achelake series has 15 to 25 percent fine sand or coarser in the particle-size control section. The Mansonia series has moist bulk density of 0.55 to 0.85 g/cc and 5 to 35 percent pumice, 2 to 5 mm. in diameter in the particle-size control section. The Shiva series has a mollic epipedon 10 to 20 inches thick. The Zark series is moderately deep. The Watco series has 75 to 90 consecutive dry days in the moisture control section following the summer solstice.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Nemire soils are in drainageways and depressions and on nonglaciated plateaus at elevations of 1,200 to 3,200 feet. These soils formed in loess and volcanic ash over older alluvium, glacial outwash or glaciolacustrine sediments. Slopes are 0 to 15 percent. Climate is characterized by warm dry summers and cool moist winters. Average annual precipitation is 12 to 15 inches. Average January temperature is 26 degrees F.; average July temperature is 70 degrees F., and average annual temperature is 47 to 50 degrees F. Frost-free season is 110 to 180 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Dougville, Dutchenry, Farmer, and Norax soils, all on uplands. The Norax, Dougville, and Farmer soils have an argillic horizon. Dutchenry soils are moderately deep to thick indurated duripan.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained, very slow to slow runoff; moderately rapid permeability. The soils have rare or occasional flooding for brief periods during spring runoff.
USE AND VEGETATION: Nemire soils are used mainly for dryland grain production but some areas are used for livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. Potential native vegetation on side slopes is bluebunch wheatgrass, Idaho fescue, lupine, Wyoming big sagebrush, and threetip sagebrush. Vegetation in drainageways and low areas is basin wildrye, Wyoming big sagebrush and threetip sagebrush.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Douglas County, Washington, 1990. The series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Douglas County Washington, 1998.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are a mollic epipedon from the surface to 47 inches and a cambic horizon from 37 to 47 inches. There is 5 to 30 percent sand-size pumice, 0.5 to 2.0 mm. in diameter with an estimated 30 to 60 percent volcanic glass from 0 to 47 inches. The particle-size control section is the zone from 10 to 40 inches. (Part of the A, the AB, BA and part of the Bw horizon).