LOCATION RONSEL             WA
Tentative Series
Rev. TJJ/JTK/RJE
01/2001

RONSEL SERIES


The Ronsel series consists of deep, well drained soils formed in glacial till high in serpentinized basalt with an admixture of volcanic ash. Ronsel soils are on mountain sides and valley floors at elevations of 3,000 to 5,200 feet. Slope is 5 to 65 percent. The average annual precipitation is about 70 inches and the mean annual air temperature is about 43 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Ashy-skeletal, amorphic Andic Haplocryods

TYPICAL PEDON: Ronsel sandy loam-under a coniferous forest on a 60 percent north facing back slope at an elevation of 3,500 feet. The soil was dry when described. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated. All textures are apparent field textures)

0e--l to 0 inches; partially decayed forest litter (l to 3 inches thick)

E--0 to 3 inches; gray (l0YR 6/l) loamy sand, (volcanic ash) dark grayish brown, gray (l0YR 4/2, 6/l) moist; single grain; loose, few fine roots; strongly acid (pH 5.2); abrupt wavy boundary. (2 to 4 inches thick)

Bs--3 to 8 inches; strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) gravelly sandy loam, (dominated by volcanic ash) dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) moist; weak very fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic, weakly smeary; few fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; 20 percent pebbles; (NaF pH l0.6); strongly acid (pH 5.2); clear smooth boundary. (3 to 9 inches thick)

2BC--8 to l7 inches; light olive brown (2.5YR 5/4) very gravelly sandy loam, dark yellowish brown (l0YR 4/4) moist; moderate very fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic, weakly smeary; few medium, common fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; 30 percent pebbles, l0 percent cobbles; (NaF pH l0.l); strongly acid (pH 5.4); clear smooth boundary. (3 to l3 inches)

2C--l7 to 60 inches; olive yellow (2.5Y 6/6) very gravelly sandy loam, olive brown (2.5Y 4/4) moist; weak very fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; weakly smeary; common fine, medium roots; few very fine tubular pores; 40 percent pebbles, l0 percent cobbles; (NaF pH 9.8); medium acid (pH 5.6).

TYPE LOCATION: Kittitas County, Washington; about l2 miles north of Cle Elum Lake Dam; l,l00 feet north and l,300 feet west of the southeast corner of sec. l0, T. 22 N., R. l4 E., W.M.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Solum thickness ranges from 8 to 26 inches. The mean annual soil temperature ranges from 44 to 46 degrees F. The soils are usually moist but are dry in all parts in the moisture control section for 30 to 45 consecutive days during summer and fall. The

exchange complex is dominated by amorphous material in the family control section. Thickness of spodic horizon ranges from 4 to 8 inches.

The E horizon has a value of 5 through 7 dry, 3, 4, 6 moist, chroma of l, 2, or 3 dry and moist. Reaction is strongly acid or medium acid.

The Bs horizon has a hue of 7.5YR or l0YR, value of 5 or 6 dry, and chroma of 4 or 6 dry and moist. Reaction is strongly acid or medium acid.

The 2BC horizon has a hue of l0YR or 2.5Y, value of 3 or 4 moist, and chroma of 3 or 4 moist. It is a very gravelly sandy loam or very cobbly sandy loam. It averages 25 to 35 percent pebbles and 5 to 25 percent cobbles. Reaction is strongly acid or medium acid.

The 2C horizon has a value of 4 or 5 dry and moist, chroma of 4 or 6 dry. It is very gravelly sandy loam, very cobbly sandy loam, or extremely stony sandy loam. It averages 25 to 40 percent pebbles, l0 to 35 percent cobbles and 0 to 25 percent stones. Reaction is medium acid or slightly acid.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Crinker, Esmeralda, Gilpar, Hatchet, Howson, Jackman, Kachess, Kindy, Klawattu, Lemah, Ohana, Playco, Polallie, Springsteen, Thetis, Waptus and Vabus. Crinker, Hatchet, Howson, Klawatti, Polallie and Springsteen soils have a lithic contact at 20 to 40 inches. Esmeralda soils have a solum more than 30 inches thick and a mean annual soil temperature of 40 to 42oF. Gilpar soils have a solum 26 to 40 inches thick and have a hue of 10YR in the 2C horizon. Jackman soils have 40 to 60 percent dunite fragments in the particle-size control section. Kachess soils have a solum 26 to 38 inches thick and a spodic horizon 6 to 11 inches thick. Kindy, Ohana, Waptus and Vabus soils have a paralithic contact at 20 to 40 inches. Lemah soils have a solum 26 to 40 inches thick and a spodic horizon 1 to 3 inches thick. Playco soils have the upper part of the spodic horizon formed in volcanic ash and pumice. Thetis soils have a solum 28 to 50 inches thick and the soils are dry for 15 to 30 consecutive days in the moisture control section.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Ronsel soils are on glaciated mountain sides and valley floors. Slopes are 5 to 65 percent. Ronsel soils formed in glacial till high in serpentinized basalt. Elevation is 3,000 to 5,200 feet. The soils are in a marine climate with relatively cool dry summers and cool wet winters. Average annual precipitation is 60 to 80 inches. The mean January temperature is about 26 degrees F. and the mean July temperature is about 61 degrees F. The growing season at 28 degrees F. is 130 to 170 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Madrak, Vanepps and competing Esmeralda and Waptus soils. Madrak soils have hard sandstone at 20 to 40 inches. Vanepps soils have a umbric epipedon and formed in serpentine on southerly exposed mountainsides.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow to rapid runoff; permeability is moderately rapid.

USE AND VEGETATION: Woodland, wildlife habitat and watershed. Vegetation is Douglas-fir, Pacific silver fir, western hemlock, subalpine fir and western white pine with an understory of huckleberry, pachystima, and Oregon-grape.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: East slopes of the Cascade Mountains in northwestern Kittitas County. This series is of small extent.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon

SERIES PROPOSED: Kittitas County, Washington, 1981. The name is coined.


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.