LOCATION SCHUELKE WA+OREstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, mesic Calcic Argixerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Schuelke very stony silt loam - rangeland on a 64 percent southeast-facing slope at an elevation of 940 feet. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted).
A1--0 to 4 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) very stony silt loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; moderate fine and medium granular structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine roots; many very fine irregular pores; 30 percent gravel, 15 percent cobbles and 5 percent stones; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear wavy boundary. (2 to 5 inches thick)
A2--4 to 9 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) very cobbly silt loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium granular structure blocky; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine roots; many very fine irregular pores; 30 percent gravel and 20 percent cobbles; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 8 inches thick)
2Btk1--9 to 13 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) very cobbly clay loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine roots; many very fine irregular pores; common faint pressure cutans on ped faces and clay films in pores; many aggregates of secondary lime and common lime coatings lime on the undersides of basalt fragments; 30 percent gravel and 25 percent cobbles; slightly effervescence; moderately alkaline (pH 8.3) clear wavy boundary. (3 to 16 inches thick)
2Btk2--13 to 22 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) extremely cobbly clay loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; massive; hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine roots; many very fine irregular pores; common faint pressure cutans on ped faces and clay films in pores; many fine spheroidal aggregates of secondary lime and common coatings of lime on the underside of basalt fragments; 35 percent gravel and 30 percent cobbles; moderately alkaline (pH 8.3); violently effervescence; abrupt irregular boundary. (3 to 18 inches thick)
3R--22 inches; basalt
TYPE LOCATION: Asotin County, Washington; about 3 miles south of Asotin, 400 feet north and 800 feet west of southeast corner, sec. 35, T. 10 N., R. 46 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Depth to lime is 7 to 13 inches. Depth to calcic horizon is 12 to 30 inches. Depth to lithic contact is 20 to 40 inches. The mean annual soil temperature is about 53 degrees F. These soils are usually moist but are dry in all parts between 4 and 12 inches for 90 to 105 consecutive days during summer and fall. The particle-size control section averages 35 to 70 percent angular basalt fragments and 23 to 35 percent clay in the fine earth fraction. The mollic epipedon is 7 to 20 inches thick.
The A horizon has value of 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist, and chroma of 2 or 3 dry or moist. The A2 horizon is very cobbly silt loam, very cobbly loam, very gravelly silt loam, and silt loam.
The Bt horizon, when present, has color value and chroma similar to the Btk1 horizon. It is very cobbly clay loam, very cobbly loam, or very cobbly silty clay loam.
The Btk1 horizon has value of 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist and chroma of 2 or 3 dry or moist. It is very cobbly clay loam, very cobbly loam, very cobbly silty clay loam, extremely cobbly loam, extremely cobbly clay loam, or extremely gravelly loam. Reaction is moderately alkaline or strongly alkaline.
The Btk2 horizon has value of 5 to 8 dry, 3 to 7 moist and chroma of 1 to 3 dry or moist. It is very cobbly clay loam, extremely cobbly clay loam, very cobbly loam, extremely cobbly loam or extremely gravelly loam. Reaction is moderately alkaline or strongly alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Butterfield, Kapod, Red Butte and Tannahill series. Butterfield soils lack a calcic horizon. Kapod, Red Butte, and Tannahill soils are more than 40 inches deep.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Schuelke soils are on canyon walls, plateaus and structural benches. Slopes are 2 to 90 percent. These soils formed in loess, and colluvium and slope alluvium from basalt. Elevations range from 800 to 2,800 feet. The average annual precipitation ranges from 12 to 15 inches. Mean annual air temperature is 47 to 55 degrees F. Frost-free season is 120 to 160 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Asotin, Bolicker, Nims and Walla Walla soils. All of these soils are less than 35 percent rock fragments in the particle-size control section. In addition, Bolicker and Walla Walla soils are more than 40 inches deep to a lithic contact.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained, medium to rapid runoff; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used for grazing and wildlife habitat. Vegetation is mainly bluebunch wheatgrass, Idaho fescue, Sandberg bluegrass, yarrow, lupine, and balsamroot.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southeastern Washington, and northeastern Oregon; MLRA 9. The series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Asotin County, Washington, 1984.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
mollic epipedon - from the surface to 13 inches
argillic horizon - from 9 to 22 inches
calcic horizon - from 13 to 22 inches
lithic contact - at 22 inches.