LOCATION PELICAN WAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, frigid Vitrandic Haploxerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Pelican gravelly ashy loam - rangeland, on a 30 percent south-facing slope at an elevation of 4,500 feet. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted. All textures are apparent field textures.)
A--0 to 11 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) gravelly ashy loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; moderate fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine and fine, and few medium roots; many fine and medium tubular pores; 10 percent gravel and 3 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 6.8); clear wavy boundary. ( 10 to 25 inches thick)
2Bw1--11 to 18 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) gravelly sandy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine and fine roots; many fine and medium tubular pores; 20 percent gravel and 5 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 6.8); clear wavy boundary.
2Bw2--18 to 28 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) very gravelly sandy loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; many very fine and fine roots; common fine and medium tubular pores; 35 percent gravel and 10 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 6.6); gradual wavy boundary. (Combined Bw horizon is 10 to 25 inches thick.)
3C1--28 to 37 inches; light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) very gravelly sandy loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; common very fine and fine roots; few fine irregular pores; 40 percent gravel and 10 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 6.6); gradual wavy boundary.
3C2--37 to 46 inches; light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) very gravelly sandy loam, light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; few very fine and fine roots; few fine irregular pores; common fine and medium dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) moist stains; 40 percent gravel and 5 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 6.6); clear smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the 3C horizon is 15 to 25 inches.)
3Cd--46 to 60 inches; light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) very gravelly sandy loam, olive brown (2.5Y 4/4) moist; massive; hard, firm, slightly sticky and nonplastic; very few fine irregular pores; 45 percent gravel and 5 percent cobbles with 10 percent paragravel and 10 percent paracobbles; slightly acid (pH 6.4).
TYPE LOCATION: Okanogan County, Washington; about 7.5 miles northwest of the town of Conconully, WA, about 400 feet north and 500 feet west of the southeast corner of section 33, T. 37 N., R. 24 E. (Latitude 48 degrees, 39 minutes, 19 seconds N. and longitude 119 degrees, 49 minutes, 17 seconds W.)
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature is 41 to 46 degrees F. These soils are usually moist but are dry in all parts of the moisture control section for 75 to 90 days following the summer solstice. Thickness of the volcanic ash influence and the mollic epipedon is 10 to 25 inches, and has an estimated moist bulk density of 1.10 to 1.30 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 1.0 percent, and 15-bar water retention of 5 to 12 percent for air dried sampled. The particle-size control section averages 35 to 55 percent rock fragments and 10 to 18 percent clay. Depth to the densic material is 35 to 50 inches.
The A horizon has value of 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist, and chroma of 2 or 3 dry or moist.
The 2Bw1 horizon has value of 5 or 6 dry, 3 to 5 moist, and chroma of 3 or 4 dry or moist. It is gravelly sandy loam or very gravelly sandy loam, It has 15 to 35 percent gravel and 0 to 10 percent cobbles. Reaction is slightly acid or neutral. This horizon has a minor amount of ash but does not qualify as Vitrandic.
The 2Bw2 horizon has value of 5 or 6 dry, 3 to 5 moist, and chroma of 3 or 4 dry or moist. It averages 30 to 45 percent gravel and 0 to 10 percent cobbles. Reaction is slightly acid or neutral.
The 3C1 and 3C2 horizons have chroma of 4 or 6 dry or moist. It is very gravelly sandy loam or very cobbly sandy loam. It has 35 to 45 percent gravel and 0 to 25 percent cobbles. Reaction is moderately acid to neutral.
The 3Cd horizon has chroma of 4 or 6 dry or moist. It is dense glacial till that crushes to very gravelly sandy loam or very cobbly sandy loam. It has 35 to 45 percent gravel and 0 to 25 percent cobbles. Reaction is moderately acid to neutral.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Dogtown, Egyptcreek, Frint, Hogranch, and Wellscreek soils. Dogtown soils have a C horizon that is loamy sand or sandy. Frint and Egyptcreek soils are 20 to 40 inches to a lithic contact. Hogranch soils are 40 to 60 inches to a lithic contact. Wellscreek soils have 18 to 30 percent clay in the particle-size control section.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Pelican soils are on southerly facing backslopes of mountains at elevations of 3,900 to 5,500 feet. Slopes are 15 to 65 percent. These soils are formed in till with minor amount of colluvium from metasedimentary rock with and a component of volcanic ash in the upper part. The climate is characterized by warm, dry summers and cool, moist winters. The average annual precipitation ranges from 18 to 22 inches. The average January temperature ranges from 20 to 24 degrees F.; average July temperature ranges from 64 to 69 degrees F.; and the average annual air temperature ranges from 39 to 44 degrees F. The frost-free season is 90 to 120 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Coxit, Finney, Nahahum, and Republic soils. Coxit soils are on backslopes of mountains and have an ochric epipedon. Finney soils are on upper backslopes or shoulders of mountains and are andic and cryic. Nahahum soils are on backslopes of mountains and are fine-loamy. Republic soils are on backslopes and are coarse-loamy.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained, medium to rapid runoff; moderately rapid over slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: This soil is used for wildlife habitat, recreation, watershed, and livestock grazing. Native vegetation is Idaho fescue, silky lupine, pinegrass, mountain big sagebrush, bluebunch wheatgrass, eriogonum, common yarrow and raceme pussytoes.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northcentral Washington. This series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Okanogan National Forest, Okanogan County, Washington, 2005.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon include:
Mollic epipedon - 0 to 11 inches (A horizon)
Cambic horizon - 11 to 28 inches (2Bw1 and 2Bw2 horizons)
PSCS - zone from 10 to 40 inches (part of A, 2Bw1, 2Bw2, 3C1, and 3C2 horizons)
The A horizon has Vitrandic properties.