LOCATION PALAPALAI HI

Established Series
Rev. HHS/MRK
06/2012

PALAPALAI SERIES

The Palapalai series consists of deep and very deep, well drained soils that formed from basic volcanic ash over basaltic lava. Palapalai soils are on ash fields and have slopes of 6 to 50 percent. Mean annual rainfall is about 1650 millimeters (65 inches) and mean annual temperature is about 17 degrees C. (63 degrees F.)

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Hydrous, ferrihydritic, isothermic Eutric Hydrudands

TYPICAL PEDON: Palapalai hydrous silt loam, on a southwest facing, 11 percent slope, under grasses, at an elevation of 1,304 meters (4,280 feet). (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted. All textures are "apparent field textures.")

Ap1--0 to 13 centimeters (0 to 5 inches); very dark brown (7.5YR 2.5/2) hydrous silt loam; moderate fine granular structure; friable, slightly sticky and moderately plastic, slightly smeary; many very fine to medium roots; common fine irregular pores; slightly acid (pH 6.1); clear smooth boundary. (13 to 18 centimeters {5 to 7 inches} thick)

Ap2--13 to 29 centimeters (6 to 11 inches); very dark brown (7.5YR 2.5/2) hydrous silt loam; weak medium subangular blocky parting to moderate fine granular structure; very friable, slightly sticky and moderately plastic, slightly smeary; many very fine and fine and common medium roots; common fine irregular pores; 5 percent paragravel; slightly acid (pH 6.1); abrupt wavy boundary. (13 to 18 centimeters {5 to 7 inches} thick)

Bw1--29 to 62 centimeters (11 to 24 inches); very dark brown (7.5YR 2.5/3) hydrous silt loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic, slightly smeary; many very fine and fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; slightly acid (pH 6.3); clear smooth boundary. (33 to 41 centimeters {13 to 16 inches} thick)

Bw2--62 to 99 centimeters (24 to 39 inches); very dark brown (7.5YR 2.5/3) hydrous silt loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable, slightly sticky and moderately plastic, moderately smeary; common very fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; slightly acid (pH 6.2); clear smooth boundary. (38 to 51 centimeters {15 to 20 inches} thick)

Bw3--99 to 148 centimeters (39 to 58 inches); dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) hydrous silty clay loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable, slightly sticky and moderately plastic, moderately smeary; common very fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; 10 percent paragravel; slightly acid (pH 6.5); abrupt wavy boundary. (38 to 51 centimeters {15 to 20 inches} thick)

2R--148 centimeters (58 inches); hard pahoehoe bedrock.

TYPE LOCATION: Island of Hawaii, Hawaii County, Hawaii; From Waimea, drive northwest on Kohala Mountain Road to the Koaia Forest enclosure. Drive upslope on 4WD road to an elevation of 1,304 meters (4,280 feet). Pedon is located 6 meters (20 feet) west of 4WD road; Kamuela Quadrangle; lat. 20 degrees 03 minutes 58.1 seconds north and long. 155 degrees 43 minutes 48.6 seconds west. (Old Hawaiian Datum)

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Depth to bedrock: 102 to greater than 152 centimeters (40 to greater than 60 inches).
Mean annual soil temperature: 17 to 21 degrees C. (62 to 69 degrees F.)

Ap horizon
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR.
Value:2 or 3 moist.
Chroma: 2 or 3 moist.
Texture: medial or hydrous, silt loam or silty clay loam.
Structure: weak to strong granular or subangular blocky.
Smeariness: weakly to moderately smeary.
Reaction: slightly acid to neutral (pH 5.6 to 6.2).
Some Ap horizons are slightly hydrophobic when dry.

Bw horizon
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR.
Value:2 or 3 moist.
Chroma: 3 or 4 moist.
Texture: medial or hydrous, silt loam or silty clay loam
Structure: weak or moderate subangular blocky.
Smeariness: weakly to moderately smeary.
Reaction: slightly acid to neutral (pH 6.1 to 6.8).

COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Palapalai soils are on southwest, middle elevation, leeward slopes of Kohala Mountain at elevations from 760 to 1220 meters (2,500 to 4,000 feet). These soils are on all hillslope positions of gently sloping to moderately steep ash fields on lava flows that are 750,000 to 250,000 years old and very steep cinder cones. Slope gradients range from 0 to 50 percent. The soils formed in basic volcanic ash over basaltic lava. The mean annual rainfall ranges from 1,000 to 2,300 millimeters (40 to 90 inches), with most of the rainfall occurring from October through April. The mean annual pan evaporation ranges from 1,020 to 1,780 meters (40 to 70 inches). The mean annual temperature ranges from 16 to 19 degrees C. (60 to 67 degrees F.) The mean summer soil temperature and the mean winter soil temperature differ by less than 6 degrees C. (11 degrees F.)

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Kahua, Kehena, and Waimea soils. Kahua soils have an aquic soil moisture regime. Kehena soils have a mottled horizon and are 51 to 102 centimeters (20 to 40 inches) deep over bedrock.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; medium to high runoff; moderately rapid permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used principally for liestock grazing. The natural vegetation is kikuyugrass (Pennisetum clandestinum), rattailgrass (Sporobulus indicus), bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon) and white clover (Trifolium repens).

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: This series occurs on the leeward slopes of Kohala mountain. It is approximately 8,900 acres in extent. MLRA 160.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California

SERIES ESTABLISHED: County of Hawaii, Hawaii, 1971.

OSED scanned by SSQA. Last revised by state on 5/78.

REMARKS:

Edit Log: 9/11 MRK. Edits to horizon designations, range in characteristics, geographic setting, geographically associated soils, and distribution and extent. Type location moved and classification changed from Medial, ferrihydritic, isothermic Humic Haplustands due to changes in series concepts.

ADDITIONAL DATA: Lab pedon ID: S03HI-001-004

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.