LOCATION PATNISH WATentative Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy over sandy or sandy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, frigid Vitrandic Haploxerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Patnish ashy loam - irrigated cropland, on a 2 percent south-facing slope at an elevation of 1,950 feet. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated)
Ap--0 to 7 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) ashy loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine, common fine and few coarse roots; many very fine irregular pores; 5 percent gravel; NaF pH 8.5; slightly acid (pH 6.4); abrupt smooth boundary. (5 to 7 inches thick)
A1--7 to 14 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) ashy loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine, common fine and few coarse roots; many very fine irregular pores; 5 percent gravel; NaF pH 8.5; slightly acid (pH 6.4); clear wavy boundary. (3 to 8 inches thick)
A2--14 to 23 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine roots; many very fine irregular pores; 5 percent gravel; NaF pH 7.8; slightly acid (pH 6.4); clear wavy boundary.
AB--23 to 27 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) sandy clay loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and few fine roots; many very fine irregular pores; 5 percent gravel; NaF pH 7.8; slightly acid (pH 6.4); abrupt smooth boundary. (Combined A and AB horizon is 6 to 14 inches thick)
Bw--27 to 35 inches: brown (10YR 4/3) very gravelly sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine roots; many very fine irregular pores; 35 percent gravel and 5 percent cobbles; NaF pH 7.8; slightly acid (pH 6.5); abrupt wavy boundary. (4 to 13 inches thick)
2C--35 to 60 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) extremely cobbly loamy sand, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) moist; single grain; loose; few very fine roots; 35 percent gravel and 45 percent cobbles; NaF pH 7.8; neutral (pH 6.6).
TYPE LOCATION: Kittitas County, Washington, about 5 1/4 miles east of Cle Elum; about 1,400 feet east and 2,500 feet south of the northwest corner of section 25, T. 20 N., R. 16 E.; USGS Teanaway, Wash. topographic quadrangle; Latitude 47 degrees, 11 minutes, 48 seconds N. and Longitude 120 degrees, 47 minutes, 12 seconds W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature at a depth of 20 inches is 45 to 46 degrees F. These soils are usually moist but are dry in all parts of the moisture control section for 60 to 75 consecutive days following the summer solstice. Depth to aquic conditions ranges from 40 to 60 inches. Thickness of the mollic epipedon is 20 to 40 inches. The upper 8 to 15 inches has an estimated moist bulk density of 1.15 to 1.40 g/cc, volcanic glass content of 5 to 20 percent, acid oxalate extractable aluminum plus one-half of the acid oxalate extractable iron of 0.4 to 0.7 percent, and 15-bar water retention of 5 to 10 percent for air dried samples. The upper part of the particle-size control section averages 18 to 25 percent clay and 5 to 35 percent rock fragments and the lower part has 8 to 14 percent clay and more than 65 percent rock fragments. Base saturation throughout the upper 30 inches is 55 to 75 percent. Reaction is slightly acid or neutral throughout. Depth to contrasting extremely gravelly or extremely cobbly sand or loamy sand 3C horizons is 25 to 35 inches.
The Ap and A1 horizons have value of 3 or 4 dry, and chroma of 1 or 2 dry or moist. Texture is ashy loam, ashy sandy loam or ashy sandy clay loam.
The A2 and AB horizons have value of 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist and chroma of 2 or 3 dry. Texture is loam, sandy loam or sandy clay loam with 18 to 27 percent clay.
The Bw horizon has value of 4 through 6 dry, 3 or 4 dry and chroma of 3 or 4 dry or moist. Texture is very gravelly sandy loam, gravelly sandy loam, or gravelly sandy clay loam with 14 to 22 percent clay.
The 2C horizon has value of 4 through 6 dry, 2 through 4 moist and chroma of 1 through 4 dry or moist. Texture is extremely gravelly sand, extremely cobbly sand or extremely cobbly loamy sand with 8 to 14 percent clay.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series. A similar soil is Yakima which has 5 to 10 percent clay in particle-size control section and have mean annual soil temperature of 49 to 56 degrees F.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Patnish soils are on flood plains and have slopes of 0 to 3 percent. These soils formed in alluvium mixed with volcanic ash in the surface. Elevation is 1,800 to 2,200 feet. These soils are in a semiarid climate with warm dry summers and cool moist winter. The mean annual precipitation is 25 to 40 inches. The average January temperature is about 24 degrees F. The mean annual temperature is 43 to 45 degrees F. The frost-free season is 80 to 110 days and growing season at 28 degrees F. ranges from 145 to 175 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Hardmauk, Indatea, and Meirmick soils. Hardmauk soils are on foothills and are 25 to 40 inches to a 2Btb horizon. Indatea soils are on terraces and terrace escarpments and are loamy-skeletal. Meirmick soils are on flood plains and are sandy-skeletal.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Moderately well drained; slow runoff; moderate permeability to a depth 27 inches, moderately rapid to a depth of 39 and rapid below. This soil has a seasonal high water table with its uppermost level occuring from January through April. It has occasional flooding for brief duration from January through April.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for irrigated cropland, grazed woodland and wildlife habitat. Native vegetation is black cottonwood, ponderosa pine and Douglas-fir with an understory of common snowberry, oregongrape, woods rose, pinegrass and elk sedge.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Kittitas County, Washington; MLRA 6. The series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES PROPOSED: Kittitas County, Washington, 1999. The name is coined.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon include:
Mollic epipedon (pachic) the zone from 0 to 35 inches (Ap, A1, A2, and Bw horizons). The zone from 35 to 60 inches meet the color requirements for a mollic epipedon but lack the organic matter content needed.
Vitrandic feature the zone from 0 to 14 inches (Ap and A1 horizons)
Ultic feature - base saturation throughout upper 30 inches is 55 to 75 percent.
Cumulic feature - irregular decrease in organic carbon assumed.
Pscs the zone from 10 to 27 inches with weighted average meeting fine-loamy family and the zone from 27 to 40 inches meeting sandy-skeletal family.