LOCATION QUINAULT WAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Medial-skeletal, ferrihydritic, frigid Lithic Hapludands
TYPICAL PEDON: Quinault extremely gravelly medial sandy loam - forestland, on a 72 percent east-facing slope at an elevation of 2,250 feet in a western hemlock/Alaska huckleberry plant association. (When described on August 22, 1991 the soil was moist throughout. Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated. All textures are apparent field textures.)
Oi--0 to 3 inches; slightly decomposed needles, leaves, twigs, and bark fragments; abrupt wavy boundary. (1/2 to 3 inches thick)
A--3 to 5 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) extremely gravelly medial sandy loam, brown (10YR 5/3) dry; weak very fine and fine granular structure; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; weakly smeary; many very fine and common fine, medium, and coarse roots; common very fine and fine irregular pores; 40 percent gravel, 25 percent cobbles; very strongly acid (pH 4.6); clear wavy boundary. (2 to 6 inches thick)
Bw--5 to 8 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) extremely cobbly medial sandy loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) dry; weak very fine subangular blocky and weak very fine and fine granular structure; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; weakly smeary; common very fine, fine, medium, and coarse roots; common very fine and fine irregular pores; 35 percent gravel, 35 percent cobbles; very strongly acid (pH 4.8); abrupt wavy boundary. (2 to 8 inches thick)
R--8 inches; hard marine basalt.
TYPE LOCATION: Grays Harbor County, Washington, about 2.5 miles east of Satsop Station, about 990 feet west and 1250 feet south of the northeast corner of section 25, T. 22 N., R. 7 W. (Latitude 47 degrees, 22 minutes. 11 seconds N., Longitude 123 degrees, 30 minutes. 31 seconds W.)
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Mean annual soil temperature is 41 to 47 degrees F. These soils are usually moist and have a surplus of available water on a monthly basis throughout the year; perudic soil moisture regime. Depth to bedrock is 4 to 10 inches. The particle-size control section from the mineral soil surface to the bedrock contact has andic soil properties with an estimated moist bulk density of 0.40 to 0.60 g/cc, acid-oxalate extractable aluminum plus one-half of the acid-oxalate extractable iron of 2 to 4 percent, phosphate retention of 85 to 100 percent, 15-bar water retention of 35 to 50 percent for air-dried samples, acid oxalate iron is 2.0 to 3.5, and 60 to 90 percent rock fragments by volume. It has 2 to 6 cmol/kg of aluminum. It has 20 to 30 percent organic matter.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 3 or 4 moist and 5 or 6 dry, and chroma of 2 through 4 moist and 3, 4, or 6 dry.
The Bw horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 3 or 4 moist and 5 or 6 dry, and chroma of 3, 4, or 6 moist and 4 or 6 dry. It is extremely cobbly medial sandy loam, extremely gravelly medial sandy loam, or extremely cobbly medial loam.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Romanose, Station, Waketickeh and Walkinshaw series. Romanose, Station, Waketickeh and Walkinshaw soils have a udic moisture regime. Romanose soils have an umbric epipedon. Station and Walkinshaw have less than 2 cmol/kg of aluminum (non-alic).
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Quinault soils are on mid-slopes of mountains. Slopes are 60 to 100 percent. The soils are formed in colluvium from marine basalt and associated volcanic rocks. Elevations are 1,500 to 2,500 feet. Average annual precipitation is 150 to 220 inches. Average annual temperature is 40 to 42 degrees F. Frost-free season is 120 to 150 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Fricaba, Murhut, and Waketickeh soils. Fricaba and Murhut soils are on mountain slopes and are moderately deep to bedrock. Waketickeh soils are on mountain slopes and have a udic moisture regime.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; moderately rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Wildlife habitat, recreation, and watershed. Native vegetation is western hemlock, western redcedar, Douglas-fir, vine maple, Oregon-grape, salal, red huckleberry, deerfoot vanillaleaf, deer fern, northern twinflower, bunchberry dogwood, fool's huckleberry, mosses, and common beargrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Mason and Grays Harbor Counties, Washington; MLRA 1. Series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Grays Harbor County, Washington, 2000; Olympic National Forest.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are an ochric epipedon, andic soil properties from 3 to 8 inches, and a lithic contact at 8 inches (A and Bw horizons). This soil has a perudic moisture regime. The series meets the aluminum requirements for alic subgroup. All depths to diagnostic horizons and other features are measured from the top of the first mineral horizon.