LOCATION QUALLA WATentative Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Aquic Argixerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Qualla loam - cropland, on a 7 percent northeast-facing slope at an elevation of 2,390 feet. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 7 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) 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 roots; common very fine irregular pores; moderately acid (pH 5.9); abrupt smooth boundary. (5 to 9 inches thick)
AB--7 to 15 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) 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 roots; many very fine irregular, common very fine tubular and few fine tubular pores; common faint pressure faces on peds; slightly acid (pH 6.2); clear wavy boundary. (7 to 9 inches thick)
Bw--15 to 28 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to moderate fine and medium subangular blocky; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine roots; many very fine irregular, common very fine tubular and few fine tubular pores; common faint pressure faces on peds; 10 percent very coarse cylindrical cicada cast; neutral (pH 6.8); clear wavy boundary. (6 to 13 inches thick)
B/E--28 to 34 inches; about 60 percent yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate fine and medium subangular blocky; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine roots; many very fine irregular, common very fine tubular and fine tubular pores; common faint pressure faces and common faint clay bridging in pores; 10 percent very coarse cylindrical cicada cast; about 40 percent light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots; many very fine irregular, few fine and medium vesicular, and common fine tubular pores; neutral (pH 7.0); clear wavy boundary. (4 to 8 inches thick)
E--34 to 38 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine roots; common very fine irregular, common fine and few medium vesicular, and common fine tubular pores; neutral (pH 6.9); abrupt irregular boundary. (3 to 6 inches thick)
2Btb1--38 to 42 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist; moderate very coarse prismatic structure parting to fine and medium subangular blocky; very hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine roots between peds; many very fine irregular and fine tubular inped pores, and very few very fine irregular and tubular exped pores in very coarse prisms; many prominent dark brown (7.5YR 3/3) clay films on vertical faces of very coarse prisms and in tubular pores; common prominent light gray (10YR 7/2) patches of skeletans on vertical faces of very coarse prisms; few very fine iron-manganese concretions; neutral (pH 6.7); gradual wavy boundary. (3 to 9 inches thick)
2Btb2--42 to 60 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) clay loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate very coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate fine and medium subangular blocky; very hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; very few very fine roots between peds; common very fine tubular inped pores and very few very fine tubular exped pores; many prominent clay films on faces of peds and in tubular pores; few distinct iron-manganese stains on faces of peds and very few very fine iron-manganese concretions; neutral (pH 7.2).
TYPE LOCATION: Kittitas County, Washington; about 10 miles east of Cle Elum, about 300 feet west and 300 feet south of the northeast corner of section 29, T. 20 N, R. 17 E.; USGS Swauk Prairie, Wash. topographic quadrangle; Latitude 47 degrees, 12 minutes, 12 seconds N. and Longitude 120 degrees, 43 minutes, 49 seconds W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature at a depth of 20 inches is 47 to 50 degrees F. These soils are usually moist but are dry in all parts of the moisture control section for 75 to 90 consecutive days following the summer solstice. Depth to the aquic conditions and redox depletions with chroma of 2 ranges from 18 to 30 inches. Thickness of the mollic epipedon is 19 to 30 inches. The particle-size control section averages 28 to 35 percent clay and more than 15 percent fine sand or coarser. It has 0 to 15 percent rock fragments by volume. Organic matter is estimated to range from 1 to 2 percent in the Ap, A and Bw horizons. Depth to 2Btb horizon ranges from 25 to 40 inches.
The Ap or A horizon (when present) has value of 4 or 5 dry, and chroma of 2 or 3 dry and moist. Reaction is moderately acid to neutral.
The AB horizon has value of 4 or 5 dry, and chroma of 2 or 3 dry and moist. It is loam or silt loam. Reaction is slightly acid or neutral.
The Bw and the B part of the B/E horizons have value of 4 or 5 dry and chroma of 3 or 4 dry or moist. It is a loam or silt loam. Reaction is slightly acid or neutral.
The E and the E part of the E/B horizons have value of 6 or 7 dry and 4 or 5 moist. It is loam or silt loam. Reaction is slightly acid or neutral.
The 2Btb1 and 2Btb2 horizons have value of 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist, and chroma of 2 or 3 dry or moist. The 2Btb horizon is clay loam, gravelly clay loam, gravelly sandy clay loam or very gravelly sandy clay loam.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series. A similar soil is Thatuna. Thatuna soils have less than 15 percent fine sand or coarser in the particle-size control section.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Qualla soils are on plane to concave hillslopes of moraines and have slopes of 0 to 30 percent. They formed in loess and some glacial till. Elevation is 1,800 to 2,500 feet. These soils are in a semiarid climate with warm dry summers and cool moist winters. Average annual precipitation is 15 to 18 inches. Average January temperature is about 25 degrees F. and average July temperature is about 67 degrees F. Average annual temperature is 46 to 48 degrees F. The frost-free season is about 90 to 120 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Amabilis, Swauk, Teanaway and Nard soils. Amabilis and Swauk soils are on moraines, and have more than 35 percent clay in the particle-size control section and Swauk soils lack an albic horizon. Teanaway soils are on terraces and terrace escarpments, have ochric epipedon and have average annual soil temperatures that range from 44 to 47 degrees F. Nard soils are on hillslopes, dipslopes and terraces, and have ochric epipedon and mean annual soil temperatures is 45 to 46 degrees F.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Moderately well drained, slow to rapid runoff; slow permeability. A perched water table is at its upper most limit from January through May.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used for cropland, livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. Native vegetation is Idaho fescue, bluebunch wheatgrass, bitterbrush, lupine, and arrowleaf balsamroot.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Kittitas County, Washington. The series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon.
SERIES PROPOSED: Kittitas County, Washington, l997. The name is coined.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon include:
Mollic epipedon (pachic) - 0 to 28 inches (Ap, AB, and Bw horizons)
Argillic horizon - 38 to 60 inches (2Btb horizon)
Albic horizon - 28 to 38 inches (E part of the B/E and E horizons)
PSCS - the zone from 38 to 58 inches (part of the 2Btb horizon)