LOCATION PITXANUK                WA

Established Series
IRD JMB/KDPL/SBC
09/2019

PITXANUK SERIES


Landscape--mountains
Landform--mountain slopes
Slope--0 to 60 percent
Parent material--volcanic ash over weathered volcanic ash and colluvium derived from basalt
Mean annual precipitation--about 890 mm
Mean annual air temperature--about 5 degrees C
Depth class--very deep
Drainage class--well drained
Soil moisture regime--xeric
Soil temperature regime--cryic
Soil moisture subclass--typic

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Ashy over medial-skeletal, mixed Humic Xeric Vitricryands

TYPICAL PEDON: Pitxanuk ashy sandy loam in an area of forestland, on a 25-percent, north-facing side slope at an elevation of 1550 m (All textures are apparent field textures.)

Oi--0 to 8 cm; forest litter consisting of cones, twigs, and needles

A--8 to 30 cm; ashy sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) dry, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; weakly smeary; many very fine, fine, and medium and few coarse roots; few fine irregular pores; 5 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.3), NaF pH 10.0; clear wavy boundary

Bw1--30 to 51 cm; gravelly ashy sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) dry, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure parting to weak fine granular; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; weakly smeary; many medium and coarse and few fine roots; common fine irregular pores; 10 percent gravel and 5 percent cobbles; slightly acid (pH 6.5); NaF pH 10.2; clear wavy boundary

2Bw2--51 to 71 cm; gravelly medial loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) dry, dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; moderately smeary; common medium and few coarse roots; common fine and few medium irregular pores; 20 percent gravel, 5 percent cobbles, and 5 percent stones; moderately acid (pH 5.8), NaF pH 10.5; clear wavy boundary

2Bw3--71 to 94 cm; extremely cobbly medial loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) dry, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; moderately smeary; common medium and coarse roots; common fine and medium irregular pores; 10 percent gravel, 35 percent cobbles, and 15 percent stones; strongly acid (pH 5.5), NaF pH 11.5; clear smooth boundary

2BC--94 to 165 cm; extremely cobbly medial loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) dry, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist; weak medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; moderately smeary; few medium and coarse roots; few fine and medium irregular pores; 10 percent gravel, 30 percent cobbles, and 20 percent stones; strongly acid (pH 5.5), NaF pH 10.0

TYPE LOCATION: Yakama Nation, Yakima County, Washington, about 1.5 km north of Simcoe Mountain; in the SE1/4SE1/4SW1/4 of section 10, T. 6 N., R. 16 E.; latitude 46.0133821, longitude -120.7927946, datum WGS 84 (coordinates estimated from section, township, and range)

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mean annual soil temperature at a depth of 50 cm--4 to 7 degrees C
Mean summer soil temperature--6 to 8 degrees C
Soil moisture control section--usually moist, but dry 45 to 60 consecutive days following summer solstice
Depth to discontinuity--35 to 65 cm

Upper part of particle-size control (above discontinuity)
*Moist bulk density--0.75 to 0.85 g/cm3
*Glass content--5 to 30 percent
*Acid oxalate aluminum plus one-half iron--2 to 3 percent
*15-bar water retention (air-dried samples)--5 to 12 percent

Lower part of particle-size control (below discontinuity)
*Moist bulk density--0.80 to 1.0 g/cm3
*15-bar water retention (air-dried samples)--12 to 15 percent
*Rock fragment content--35 to 65 percent

Oi horizon
Thickness--0 to 8 cm

A horizon
Hue--7.5YR, 10YR
Value--3 to 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma--2 to 4 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Thickness--15 to 23 cm

Bw horizon
Hue--7.5YR, 10YR
Value--3 to 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma--2 to 4 dry or moist
Texture of fine-earth fraction--ashy sandy loam, ashy loam
Rock fragment content--5 to 20 percent
Reaction--5.6 to 6.5
Thickness--20 to 41 cm

2Bw horizon
Hue--7.5YR, 10YR
Value--4 or 5 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma--2 to 4 dry or moist
Rock fragment content--30 to 65 percent
Reaction--5.1 to 6.0
Combined thickness--41 to 86 cm

2BC horizon
Hue--5YR, 7.5YR, 10YR
Value--4 to 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma--3 or 4 dry or moist
Rock fragment content--40 to 65 percent
Reaction--5.1 to 6.0

COMPETING SERIES: None

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Elevation--1200 to 1825 m
Mean annual precipitation--760 to 1000 mm
Mean annual air temperature--3 to 6 degrees C
Frost-free season--50 to 80 days

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS:
Grandpon--on side slopes; frigid soil temperature regime
Wakshum--on ridges and side slopes; argillic horizon
Pird, Terence--on mountains; ashy-skeletal particle-size class

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY:
Drainage class--well drained
Saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ksat)--high

USE AND VEGETATION:
Use--timber production, wildlife habitat, watershed
Vegetation--subalpine fir, lodgepole pine, elk sedge, wood rush

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northern slopes of Simcoe Mountains in Yakama Nation, Yakima County, Washington; MLRA 6; small extent

SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Yakama Nation, Yakima County, Washington; 2014

REMARKS:
Diagnostic horizons and other features recognized in this pedon
*Umbric epipedon--8 to 51 cm
*Cambic horizon--51 to 165 cm
*Andic soil properties--8 to 165 cm
*Particle-size control section--zone from 8 to 109 cm

Pitxanuk is the Yakama word for mountain. The Pitxanuk series is on benches and side slopes of mountains. The series originally was named the Elit series.


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.