LOCATION SALCREEK           WA
Established Series
Rev. BJD/TLA
03/2008

SALCREEK SERIES


The Salcreek series consists of very deep, well drained soils formed in glacial till and some colluvium from metasedimentary rock with a component of volcanic ash in the upper part. These soils are on backslopes and footslopes of mountains. Slopes are 15 to 65 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 22 inches and the mean annual temperature is about 42 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, isotic, frigid Vitrandic Argixerolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Salcreek ashy loam, on a east facing 48 percent slope at an elevation of 4,400 feet in a Douglas-fir and ponderosa pine forest. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated. All textures are apparent field textures.)

Oe--0 to 1 inch; moderately decomposed needles, leaves and twigs; abrupt smooth boundary.

A--1 to 7 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) ashy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine and fine and few medium roots; common fine and very fine tubular pores; 5 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.6); clear wavy boundary. (6 to 8 inches thick)

AB--7 to 14 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) ashy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine and fine and few medium roots; few fine irregular pores; 10 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.6); clear smooth boundary. (4 to 10 inches thick)

Bw--14 to 21 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) gravelly ashy sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and fine and few medium roots; few very fine and fine pores; 15 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.6); clear wavy boundary. (3 to 7 inches thick)

2Bt1--21 to 29 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) gravelly sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; common very fine and fine roots; few fine irregular pores; few discontinuous faint clay films on faces of peds; 25 percent gravel and 3 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 6.8); clear wavy boundary.

2Bt2--29 to 36 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) gravelly clay loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; strong medium angular blocky structure; hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine and fine roots; few fine irregular pores; few discontinuous faint clay films on faces of peds; 20 percent gravel and 3 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 6.8); clear wavy boundary.

2Bt3--36 to 45 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) gravelly clay loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; strong medium and coarse angular blocky structure; very hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine roots; few fine irregular pores; few discontinuous faint clay films on faces of peds; 20 percent gravel and 3 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 6.8); gradual wavy boundary.

2Bt4--45 to 61 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) gravelly clay loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; strong fine and medium angular blocky structure; very hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine roots; few fine irregular pores; few discontinuous faint clay films on faces of peds; 20 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.8).

TYPE LOCATION: Okanogan County, Washington; about 3 miles northwest of Conconully, Washington; 2,550 feet west and 2,000 feet south of the northeast corner of section 27, T. 36 N., R. 24 E. (Latitude 48 degrees, 35 minutes, 28 seconds N., Longitude 119 degrees, 48 minutes, 33 seconds W.)

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature is 42 to 45 degrees F. These soils are usually moist but are dry in all parts of the moisture control section for 60 to 75 days following the summer solstice. The mollic epipedon is 10 to 18 inches thick. The upper 14 to 20 inches has an estimated moist bulk density of 1.10 to 1.40 g/cc, volcanic glass content of 5 to 20 percent, acid-oxalate extractable aluminum plus one-half of the acid-oxalate extractable iron of 0.4 to 1.0 percent, and 15-bar water retention of 5 to 10 percent for air dried samples. The particle-size control section averages 15 to 30 percent rock fragments and 20 to 35 percent clay.

The A horizon has values of 3 or 4 dry, 2 or 3 moist.

The AB horizon has values of 4 or 5 dry, 3 or 4 moist, and chroma of 2 or 3 dry or moist. It is ashy sandy loam, ashy loam or gravelly ashy loam. It has 5 to 15 percent gravel.

The Bw horizon has values of 4 or 5 dry, 3 or 4 moist, and chroma of 3 or 4 dry. It is gravelly ashy sandy loam or gravelly ashy loam. It has 15 to 25 percent gravel.

The 2Bt horizon has values of 5 or 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist, and chroma of 3 or 4 dry. It is gravelly clay loam, gravelly sandy clay loam, or gravelly sandy loam. It has 15 to 30 percent gravel and 0 to 3 percent cobbles. Reaction ranges from slightly acid to neutral.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Hess, Lidos, Melhorn, Pinney and Said series. Said soils are 40 to 60 inches to paralithic contact. Hess soils are deep to a lithic contact. Lidos soils have buried genetic horiozn. Pinney soils have 20 to 40 inch thick mollic epipedon. Melhorn soils have a ashy silt loam surface 10 to 20 inches thick.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Salcreek soils are on backslopes and footslopes of mountains. Elevation ranges from 3,600 to 4,900 feet. These soils formed in glacial till and some colluvium from metasedimentary rock with a component of volcanic ash in the upper part. Slopes range from 15 to 65 percent. The climate is characterized by warm, dry summers and cool, moist winters. The mean annual precipitation is 20 to 24 inches. The mean January temperature is 22 to 26 degrees F.; the mean July temperature is 62 to 67 degrees F.; and the mean annual air temperature is 40 to 43 degrees F. The frost-free season is 90 to 120 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Buckhill, Coxit, Oxerine, and Nevine soils. Buckhill soils are on backslopes, lack a mollic epipedon and have a 7 to 14 inch thick volcanic ash mantle. Coxit soils are on southerly aspects, lack a mollic epipedon and argillic horizon. Oxerine soils are on shoulders and upper backslopes and are 20 to 40 inches to bedrock. Nevine soils are on backslopes and foot slopes and have a 14 to 22 inch thick volcanic ash mantle.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained, moderate to very rapid runoff; moderate to moderately slow permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: Used for timber production, wildlife habitat, recreation, watershed, and livestock grazing. Native vegetation is Douglas-fir and ponderosa pine with an understory of pinegrass, strawberry, common yarrow, wax currant, common snowberry, beardless wheatgrass, and shinyleaf spirea.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northcentral Washington. The series is of small extent.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Okanogan National Forest, Okanogan County, Washington; 2005.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - 1 to 14 inches (A and AB horizon)
Cambic horizon - 14 to 21 inches (Bw horizon)
Argillic horizon - 21 to 61 inches (2Bt horizon)
PSCS - zone from 21 to 41 inches (2Bt1, 2Bt2, and part of 2Bt3 horizon)


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.