LOCATION NIBEN WAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Calcic Pachic Argixerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Niben loam under a cover of grasses on a 18 percent south-facing slope at an elevation of 2,300 feet. (When the soil was described on October 27, 1993, it was dry throughout. Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
A--0 to 4 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak medium granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine, common fine and few coarse roots; many very fine and fine tubular pores; 10 percent pebbles; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); clear wavy boundary. (3 to 6 inches thick)
Bt1--4 to 13 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) clay loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak medium prismatic structure parting to fine subangular blocky; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine, fine and few coarse roots; common fine and medium tubular pores; few faint clay films lining pores and on faces of peds; 5 percent pebbles; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear wavy boundary.
Bt2--13 to 18 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) clay loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak medium prismatic structure parting to fine subangular blocky; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine, fine and few coarse roots; many very fine and fine interstitial and tubular pores; common distinct clay films lining pores and on faces of peds; 10 percent pebbles; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); abrupt wavy boundary. (Combined Bt horizon is 12 to 18 inches thick)
2Bt3--18 to 26 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) clay, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; strong fine and medium prismatic structure; hard, friable, sticky and plastic; common very fine, few fine and coarse roots; many fine and medium interstitial and tubular pores; common distinct clay films lining pores and on faces of peds; 5 percent pebbles and 5 percent cobbles; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear wavy boundary.
2Btk1--26 to 42 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) clay, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; strong fine and medium prismatic structure; hard, friable, sticky and plastic; few very fine, medium and coarse roots; common fine and medium interstitial and tubular pores; many prominent clay films lining pores and on faces of peds; few faint lime coats lining pores; 5 percent pebbles; slight effervescence in pores, slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); clear wavy boundary. (Combined 2Bt horizon is 18 to 28 inches thick)
3Btk2--42 to 51 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) clay, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; strong fine and medium prismatic structure parting to strong fine angular blocky; very hard, friable, sticky and plastic; few very fine, medium and coarse roots; few fine and medium interstitial and tubular pores; many prominent clay films lining pores and on faces of peds; many prominent lime coats on faces of peds; 5 percent pebbles; slight effervescence, moderately alkaline (pH 7.9); abrupt wavy boundary. (6 to 10 inches thick)
4Btk3--51 to 60 inches; brown (7.5YR 4/3) clay loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots; common fine and medium interstitial and tubular pores; few distinct clay films lining pores and on faces of peds; few distinct lime coats lining pores, on faces of peds and rock fragments; 5 percent pebbles; slight effervescence, moderately alkaline (pH 8.0).
TYPE LOCATION: Kittitas County, Washington; about 9 miles west of Vantage, WA, about 1,800 feet west, 2,000 feet north of the southeast corner of section 3, T. 16 N., R. 21 E.; USGS Boyleston topographic quadrangle; lat. 46 degrees 54 minutes 09 seconds N. and long. 120 degrees 11 minutes 01 seconds W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature ranges from 47 to 54 degrees F. These soils are usually dry in the moisture control section for 100 to 120 days after the summer solstice. The particle-size control section averages 30 to 35 percent clay in the fine earth fraction and 5 to 15 percent rock fragments by volume. The mollic epipedon is more than 25 inches thick. Depth to the 2Bt discontinuity ranges from 12 to 20 inches. Depth to the secondary lime ranges from 24 to 40 inches.
The A horizon has value of 3 or 4 dry and chroma of 2 or 3 dry or moist.
The Bt horizon has value of 3 or 4 dry, chroma of 2 or 3 dry or moist. It is neutral or slightly alkaline.
The 2Bt horizon has value of 4 or 5 dry, chroma of 2 or 3 dry or moist. It is a clay or clay loam. It is neutral or slightly alkaline.
The 3Btk horizon has value of 3 or 4 dry, 3 or 4 moist, and chroma of 2 or 3 dry or moist. It is a clay or clay loam. It is slightly or moderately alkaline.
The 4Btk horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 4 or 5 dry, 3 or 4 moist, and chroma of 2 or 3 dry or moist. It is a clay, clay loam or gravelly clay loam. It is slightly or moderately alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Crookston, Newell, Peola, Raldridge (T), Ralock (T), Roystone and Slickpoo (T) series. Crookston soils have a fine sandy loam Bk horizon and are dry 60 to 80 consecutive days following the summer solstice. Newell soils lack a lithologic discontinuity in the argillic horizon and are dry for 60 to 80 consecutive days following the summer solstice. Peola soils are moderately deep to a lithic contact. Raldridge soils have 15 to 40 percent rock fragments and do not have a lithologic discontinuity. Ralock soils have more than 15 percent rock fragments and lack a lithologic discontinuity in the argillic horizon. Roystone soils are dry for 45 to 70 consecutive days following the summer solstice. Slickpoo soils have a lithic contact at 40 to 55 inches and are dry for less than 100 days after the summer solstice.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Niben soils are on hillslopes, shoulders, footslopes and plateaus and have slopes of 3 to 30 percent. They formed in interbedded sediments and slope alluvium with additions of loess. Elevations are 1,800 to 2,900 feet. These soils are in a semiarid climate with warm, dry summers and cold, moist winters. The average annual precipitation ranges from 12 to 15 inches. These soils receive extra moisture as runoff from shallow soils above and from moisture moving through the interbeds in the basalt. The average January temperature is about 25 degrees F, the average July temperature is about 69 degrees F, and the average annual temperature is about 48 to 50 degrees F. The frost-free season is about 130 to 170 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Benwy, Clerf, Vantage and Zen soils. Benwy soils are on north-facing hillslopes and footslopes and have no secondary lime. Clerf soils are on hillslopes and ridgetops and have more than 35 percent rock fragments in the particle-size control section. Vantage soils are on hillslopes and plateaus and are 10 to 20 inches to a lithic contact. Zen soils are on hillslopes and ridgetops, have less than 35 percent clay in the fine earth fraction, and are 20 to 40 inches to a lithic contact.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; medium to rapid runoff; slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used for livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. Native vegetation is bluebunch wheatgrass, Sandberg bluegrass, Thurber needlegrass and Wyoming big sagebrush.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Eastern Kittitas County, Washington. Series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Kittitas County, Washington, Yakima Training Center, 1994.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon include: Mollic epipedon - 0 to 42 inches (A, Bt, 2Bt, 3Btk and 4Btk horizons) Argillic horizon - 4 to 60 inches (Bt, 2Bt, 3Btk and 4Btk horizons) PSCS - zone from 4 to 24 inches (Bt1, Bt2 and part of the 2Bt3 horizon)