LOCATION SCHAFER WAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, isotic, shallow Oxyaquic Haplocryods
TYPICAL PEDON: Schafer very gravelly loam - forestland, in a mountain hemlock/Alaska huckleberry plant association, on a 30 percent northwest-facing slope at an elevation of 2,700 feet. (When described on August 13, 1991 the soil was moist throughout. Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated. All textures are apparent field textures.)
Oi--0 to 1 inch; slightly decomposed needles, leaves, and twigs; abrupt smooth boundary. (1 to 3 inches thick)
Oa--1 to 3 inches; highly decomposed log; common very fine, fine, medium, and coarse roots; acid (pH <3.8); abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 2 inches thick)
E--3 to 6 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) cobbly fine sandy loam, light gray (10YR 7/2) dry; weak very fine, fine, and medium subangular blocky and weak very fine granular structure; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine, fine, and medium roots; few very fine and fine irregular pores; 5 percent gravel, 25 percent cobbles; extremely acid (pH 4.2); abrupt smooth boundary. (1 to 4 inches thick)
Bs1--6 to 9 inches; strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) very gravelly loam, brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) dry; weak very fine, fine, and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine, fine, medium, and coarse roots; common very fine and fine tubular and irregular pores; 30 percent gravel, 25 percent cobbles; extremely acid (pH 4.2); clear smooth boundary. (2 to 5 inches thick)
Bs2--9 to 13 inches; strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) extremely gravelly loam, yellow (10YR 7/6) dry; weak very fine and fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; weakly smeary; common very fine, fine, and medium roots; common very fine and fine tubular and irregular pores; 35 percent gravel, 30 percent cobbles; very strongly acid (pH 4.6); clear wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bs horizon is 2 to 8 inches)
Bw--13 to 19 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) extremely gravelly sandy loam, yellow (2.5Y 7/6) dry; weak very fine and fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; weakly smeary; few very fine, fine, and medium roots; few very fine and fine irregular pores; 45 percent gravel, 25 percent cobbles; strongly acid (pH 5.4); abrupt wavy boundary. (5 to 10 inches)
Cd--19 to 63 inches; very dark gray (5Y 3/1) extremely gravelly sandy loam, light gray (5Y 7/1) dry; massive; very hard; brittle; slightly sticky and slightly plastic; 35 percent gravel, 25 percent cobbles; very strongly acid (pH 4.8).
TYPE LOCATION: Grays Harbor County, Washington, about 4.5 miles north of the Coho Campground, about 1250 feet east and 800 feet south of the northwest corner of section 29, T. 23N., R. 7 W. (Latitude 47 degrees, 27 minutes, 30 seconds N., Longitude 123 degrees, 36 minutes, 23 seconds W.)
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Mean annual soil temperature is 38 to 40 degrees F. Average summer soil temperature is 40 to 42 degrees F. These soils are usually moist and have a surplus of available water on a monthly basis throughout the year; perudic moisture regime. Depth to dense till is 10 to 20 inches. The particle-size control section 60 to 85 percent rock fragments by volume and field estimated clay content is 10 to 25 percent. The solum has a moist bulk density of 0.70 to 0.90 g/cc., acid oxalate extractable aluminum plus one-half the iron is 1 to 2 percent, phosphate retention is 40 to 85 percent and 15 bar water on air dried samples is 10 to 20 percent. Base saturation by ammonium acetate is less than 10 percent throughout the profile.
The E horizon (albic materials) has a value of 4 through 6 moist and 7 or 8 dry, and chroma of 2 or 3 moist and 1 or 2 dry. It has 5 to 15 meq/100g of extractable aluminum and 1 to 3 percent organic matter. NaF pH is 7.0 to 8.5.
The Bs horizon has hue of 7.5YR moist, 7.5YR or 10YR dry, and value of 3 or 4 moist, 6 or 7 dry and chroma of 4 or 6 moist and dry.. It is very gravelly loam, very gravelly sandy loam, or extremely cobbly loam. It has 3 to 6 percent organic matter. It has 5 to 15 meq/100g of extractable aluminum. NaF pH is 8.5 to 10.0.
The Bw horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 6 or 7 dry, and chroma of 4 or 6 moist and dry. It is extremely gravelly sandy loam, or extremely cobbly sandy loam. It has 3 to 6 percent organic matter. NaF pH is 8.5 to 10.0.
The Cd horizon has hue of 2.5Y or 5Y, value of 3 or 4 moist and 6 or 7 dry, and chroma of 1 through 3 moist and 1 or 2 dry. It is extremely gravelly sandy loam, extremely cobbly sandy loam, or extremely gravelly loam. Moist bulk density is 1.50 to 2.00 g/cc.
COMPETING SERIES: This is the similar Vabus series. Vabus soils are 20 to 40 inches to dense till and have a udic moisture regime.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Schafer soils are on glacial cirques. Slopes are 30 to 60 percent. The soils are formed in residuum and colluvium over dense glacial till derived from metasedimentary rock. Elevations are 2,500 to 3,600 feet. Average annual precipitation is 170 to 230 inches. Average annual temperature is 37 to 39 degrees F. Frost-free season is 100 to 120 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Constance, Discovery, Gamm, Quitter, Skinwood, Stonybrook, and Weatherwax soils. Constance, Discovery, Skinwood, and Stonybrook soils have udic moisture regimes. Gamm and Weatherwax soils are very shallow to bedrock. Quitter soils are moderately deep to bedrock.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; moderate permeability to the dense till, and slow permeability below. The water table is perched on the dense till from November through April.
USE AND VEGETATION: Timber production, wildlife habitat, recreation, and watershed. Native vegetation is mountain hemlock, Pacific silver fir, Alaska yellowcedar, western hemlock, oval-leaf huckleberry, Alaska huckleberry, fool's huckleberry, five-leaved bramble, avalanche lily, big huckleberry, and blueleaf huckleberry.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Grays Harbor County, Washington, MLRA 3. 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 albic horizon from 3 to 6 inches, a spodic horizon from 6 to 13 inches, and a cambic horizon from 13 to 19 inches. The particle-size control section is 13 to 19 inches (Bw subhorizons). This soil has a perudic moisture regime.
Oxyaquic subgroup
Chemical data for andic soil properties is from the similar Samsriver and Knorr series; S98WA-031-001 and 002.
All depths to diagnostic horizons and other features are measured from the top of the first mineral horizon.