LOCATION NORDBY                  WA

Established Series
Rev. CJM/LDG/RJE
06/2011

NORDBY SERIES

The Nordby series consists of very deep, somewhat excessively drained soils that formed in glacial outwash on benches and terraces. Slopes are 0 to 65 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 110 inches and the mean annual temperature is about 50 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, isotic, mesic Andic Humudepts

TYPICAL PEDON: Nordby very gravelly ashy loam, forested. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted.)

Oi--0 to 1 inch; slightly decomposed needles, twigs, bark, and wood fragments.

Oe--1 to 2 inches; moderately decomposed needles, twigs, bark, leaves, and wood fragments.

A--2 to 18 inches; dark reddish brown (5YR 3/2) very gravelly medial loam, brown (7.5YR 4/2) dry; weak fine granular structure; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; many coarse, medium and fine roots; about 55 percent rounded, stained, gravel; very strongly acid (pH 4.8); clear smooth boundary. (12 to 18 inches thick)

Bw--18 to 28 inches; brown (7.5YR 4/4) extremely gravelly medial sandy loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) dry; weak fine granular structure; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; common medium and fine roots; about 70 percent rounded, stained, gravel; very strongly acid (pH 4.6); clear smooth boundary. (8 to 14 inches thick)

2C--28 to 62 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) extremely gravelly sand, pale brown (10YR 6/3) dry; single grained; loose; 85 percent gravel; few fine roots to 38 inches; extremely acid (pH 4.4).

TYPE LOCATION: Mason County, Washington; 2 miles west of Matlock; 150 feet north and 50 feet east of intersection; SW1/4 of section 9, T.20N., R.6W.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The solum is 20 to 32 inches thick. The solum is loam or sandy loam and has 50 to 75 percent gravel. The mean annual temperature is 47 to 52 degrees F. The umbric epipedon is 12 to 18 inches thick.

The A horizon has hue of 5YR moist, 5YR or 7.5YR dry, and chroma of 2 or 3 moist or dry. It has 40 to 70 percent gravel. This horizon is very strongly acid or strongly acid.

The Bw horizon has hue of 5YR or 7.5YR moist, 7.5YR or 10YR dry, value of 3 or 4 moist, 5 or 6 dry, and chroma of 3 or 4 moist or dry. It is loam or sandy loam and gravel range from 50 to 75 percent. This horizon is strongly acid to extremely acid.

The 2C horizon is sand or loamy sand and has 60 to 95 percent gravel. It is very strongly acid or extremely acid.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Brightwood, Klickitat, Millicoma, Solleks, Spivey, Summers, and Wauld series. Brightwood, Millicoma, Summers, and Wauld soils have a lithic contact at a depth of 20 to 40 inches. Klickitat soils have a B horizon of heavy loam to silty clay loam. Solleks soils are channery. Spivey soils lack an extremely gravelly sand C horizon at a depth of less than 40 inches.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: These soils occur at elevations of 300 to 900 feet on benches or terraces. Slopes are 0 to 65 percent. The soils formed in mixed continental and valley glacial outwash. The mean annual precipitation of 80 to 130 inches. The mean January temperature is about 38 degrees F.; the mean July temperature is about 63 degrees F. and the mean annual temperature is about 48 degrees F. The growing season (28 degrees F.) is 200 to 240 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Grove and LeBar soils. Grove soils are sandy-skeletal. LeBar soils are medial.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat excessively drained; medium runoff; rapid permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for timber production. Vegetation is mainly Douglas-fir and western hemlock with an understory of salal, western swordfern, deer fern, vine maple, and Oregon grape.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Western Washington; MLRA 1. Series is of small extent.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Mason County, Washington, 1976.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and other features:

Umbric epipedon - 2 to 18 inches
Cambic horizon - 18 to 28 inches

All depth to diagnostic horizons and features are measured from the top of the first mineral horizon.

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.