LOCATION ORCAS WAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Dysic, mesic Typic Sphagnofibrists
TYPICAL PEDON: Orcas peat, abandoned pasture. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
Oi1--0 to 3 inches; dark reddish brown (5YR 2/2) (broken face) peat (fibric material), dark reddish brown (5YR 3/4) pressed and rubbed; about 90 percent fibers, 80 percent rubbed; weak thick platy structure; very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; many very fine and fine roots; extremely acid (pH 4.4); clear smooth boundary. (3 to 10 inches thick)
Oi2--3 to 12 inches; dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) (broken face, pressed and rubbed) peat (fibric material); about 95 percent fibers, 90 percent rubbed; weak thick platy structure; nonsticky, nonplastic; few fine roots; extremely acid (pH 4.4); abrupt smooth boundary. (6 to 14 inches thick)
Oi3--12 to 60 inches; brown (7.5YR 4/4) (broken face) peat (fibric material), reddish yellow (7.5YR 7/6) pressed and rubbed; about 95 percent fibers, 90 percent rubbed; massive; nonsticky and nonplastic; extremely acid (pH 4.4).
TYPE LOCATION: Snohomish County, Washington; 2,190 feet north and 2,125 feet east of the SW corner of section 18, T.30N., R.7E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mean annual soil temperature - 47 to 50 degrees F
Oi1 horizon
Hue - 2.5 YR through 10YR
Value - 2 to 4 moist, 4 or 5 dry
Chroma - 2 to 4 moist and dry
Oi2 and Oi3 horizons
Hue - 5YR through 10YR
Value - 3 to 7 moist, 4 to 6 dry
Chroma - 3 to 8 moist and dry
Fiber content - 70 to 95 unrubbed and 50 to 90 percent rubbed
Reaction - extremely acid or very strongly acid
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series in this family.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Orcas soils are in depressions on glacial outwash plains at elevations of 0 to 1,000 feet. Slopes are 0 to 2 percent. The soils formed in sphagnum moss with some herbaceous plants. The water table is near the surface most of the year. The soils are in humid climates that have cool, dry summers and mild, wet winters. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 18 to 90 inches, most of which falls between October and April. Some snow falls in winter. Mean January temperature is 38 degrees F; the mean July temperature is 60 degrees F; and the mean annual temperature is about 50 degrees F. The frost free season is 160 to 240 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Alderwood, Everett, Harstine, Norma, Bellingham, Mukilteo, and Shalcar soils. Alderwood, Everett, and Harstine soils are moderately well and somewhat excessively drained mineral soils. Norma and Bellingham soils are poorly drained mineral soils. Mukilteo soils are dominantly hemic soil material. Shalcar soils have 16 to 50 inches of sapric material over mineral soil.
DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Very poorly drained; very high saturated hydraulic conductivity.
USE AND VEGETATION: Orcas soils are used for wildlife habitat and when drained are used for cranberries and pasture. The native vegetation is living sphagnum moss, Labrador tea, wild cranberry, and hardhack
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Western Washington. The series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Mason County, Washington, 1958.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon include a surface and subsurface tier of fibric sphagnum from the surface to 60 inches averaging about 90 percent fiber rubbed.