LOCATION QUICKSELL WAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, mixed, superactive, mesic Xeric Argialbolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Quicksell loam, in a pasture on a 2 percent slope at 1,860 feet elevation. The soil was moist when described. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated).
A1--0 to 5 inches; gray (10YR 5/1) loam, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) moist; weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and few coarse roots; many fine irregular pores, 5 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.6); abrupt smooth boundary. (4 to 7 inches thick)
A2--5 to 15 inches; gray (10YR 5/1) clay loam, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common medium and coarse roots; common very fine tubular pores; 5 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.4); clear smooth boundary. (7 to 11 inches thick)
E--15 to 20 inches; light gray (10YR 7/1) clay loam, dark gray (10YR 4/1) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and moderately plastic; few medium roots; common very fine tubular pores; 5 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.4); abrupt smooth boundary. (3 to 8 inches thick)
Bt1--20 to 25 inches; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) clay, grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) moist; strong medium subangular blocky structure; hard firm, moderately sticky and very plastic; few fine roots; few medium and common very fine tubular pores; common distinct dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) clay films on faces of peds; 5 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.2); abrupt smooth boundary. (5 to 12 inches thick)
Bt2--25 to 36 inches; light gray (2.5Y 7/2) clay, light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) moist; strong coarse subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few fine roots; few medium and common fine tubular pores; common, distinct dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) clay films on faces of peds; 10 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.6); abrupt smooth boundary. (7 to 12 inches thick)
Bt3--36 to 43 inches; light gray (2.5Y 7/2) clay, light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) moist; strong very coarse subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, slightly sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; common thick dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) clay films on faces of peds; 5 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.4); clear smooth boundary. (7 to 8 inches thick)
C--43 to 60 inches; light gray (2.5Y 7/2) clay loam, light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) moist; common fine prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) redox concentrations, yellowish red (5YR 4/6) moist; massive; hard, firm, slightly sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine tubular pores; 5 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.6).
TYPE LOCATION: Kittitas County, Washington; about 2 miles southeast of Cle Elum; 1,800 feet west and 800 feet south of the northeast corner of section 6, T. 19 N., R. 16 E.; USGS Cle Elum, Washington topographic quadrangle; Latitude - 47 degrees, 10 minutes, 22 seconds N. and Longitude - 120 degrees, 53 minutes, 07 seconds W. (NAD83).
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The average annual soil temperature is 48 to 50 degrees F. These soils are usually moist but are dry in all parts in the moisture control section for 75 to 90 consecutive days during summer and fall. Depth [SW2]to the Bt2 horizon ranges from 14 to 25 inches. Depth to aquic conditions is 12 to 24 inches. The mollic epipedon is 10 to 16 inches thick. The particle size control section averages 45 to 55 percent clay and 20 to 40 percent sand by weight in the fine earth fraction. Base saturation (by NH4 OAC) is estimated to range from 60 to 75 percent throughout the upper 43 inches of the profile.
The A horizons have value of 2 or 3 moist and chroma of 1 to 3 dry, 1 or 2 moist. It averages 0 to 5 percent gravel. Reaction is moderately acid to neutral.
The E horizon has value of 6 or 7 dry and chroma of 1 or 2, dry or moist. Texture is clay loam or l[SW3]oam and averages 0 to 5 percent gravel.
The Bt horizons have hue of 2.5Y or 10YR, value of 5 to 7 dry, 4 to 6 moist and chroma of 2 to 4 moist. It averages 0 to 10 percent gravel. Reaction is slightly acid or neutral.
The C horizon has hue of 2.5Y or 10YR, value of 5 to 7 dry, 3 to 6 moist and chroma of 2 to 4 moist. It averages 0 to 20 percent gravel. Texture is clay, clay loam, [SW4]or gravelly clay.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Latah, Setnum and Tilma series. Latah soils lack gravel throughout the profile, have an albic horizon that averages 12 to 18 inches in thickness and are dry for 45 to 60 consecutive days. Setnum soils are moderately deep to bedrock. Tilma soils have a mollic epipedon 16 to 20 inches thick and have less than 15 percent particles coarser than very fine sand in the particle-size control section.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Quicksell soils are in depressions on stream terraces on the east slopes of the Cascade Mountains and have slopes of 0 to 5 percent. These soils formed in old alluvium from mixed sources with minor influence from glacial drift. [SW5]Elevations are 1,800 to 2,300 [SW6]feet. These soils are in a continental climate with warm, dry summers and cool, moist winters. The mean annual precipitation is 25 to 40 inches. The average January temperature is about 26 degrees F. and the average July temperature is about 67 degrees F. The mean annual temperature is 46 to 48 degrees F. The frost-free season is 90 to 120 [SW7]days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Roslyn, Swauk, and Teanaway soils. Roslyn soils are coarse-loamy, lack a mollic epipedon and are frigid. Swauk soils are fine-loamy, and lack an albic horizon. Teanaway soils are fine-loamy and lack a mollic epipedon.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat poorly drained. Runoff is medium. Permeability is very slow. A perched water table is at its uppermost level during February through April.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for pasture, cropland and some grazable woodland. In most areas these soils have been cleared. Vegetation is Douglas-fir and ponderosa pine, with an understory of elksedge, pinegrass, common snowberry, Oregon-grape, creambush oceanspray, and rose.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Valleys on the east slopes of the Cascade Mountains in western Kittitas County, Washington, MLRA 6. This series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Kittitas County, Washington, 1936.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - the zone from the surface to 15 inches
Albic horizon - the zone from 15 to 20 inches
Argillic horizon - the zone from 20 to 43 inches