LOCATION SHALROCK WAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, isotic, frigid Vitrandic Haploxerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Shalrock very stony ashy sandy loam, on a southeast facing 36 percent slope at an elevation of 4,700 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.
A1--1 to 8 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) very stony ashy sandy loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine and fine and common medium and coarse roots; common fine irregular pores; 20 percent gravel, 5 percent cobbles, and 15 percent stones; neutral (pH 6.6); clear smooth boundary.
A2--8 to 11 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) gravelly ashy sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine and fine and common medium and coarse roots; common fine irregular pores; 20 percent gravel and 5 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 6.6); clear wavy boundary. (combined A horizon is 7 to 12 inches thick)
Bw--11 to 16 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) very cobbly ashy sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine and fine and few medium and coarse roots; few fine irregular pores; 25 percent gravel, 10 percent cobbles, and 3 percent stones; neutral (pH 6.8); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 8 inches thick)
2C--16 to 25 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) very cobbly sandy loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and fine roots; few fine irregular pores; 35 percent gravel, 20 percent cobbles and 5 percent stones; neutral (pH 6.8); gradual wavy boundary. (7 to 20 inches thick)
2R--25 inches; sandstone
TYPE LOCATION: Okanogan County, Washington; about 10 miles north of Winthrop, Washington; 2,000 feet east and 900 feet north of the southwest corner of section 7, T. 36 N., R. 21 E. (Latitude 48 degrees, 37 minutes, 50 seconds N., Longitude 120 degrees, 15 minutes, 59 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 consecutive days following the summer solstice. The mollic epipedon is 7 to 12 inches thick. Depth to a lithic contact is 20 to 40 inches. The upper 7 to 20 inches has an estimated moist bulk density of 1.00 to 1.20 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 12 percent for air dried samples. The particle-size control section has 40 to 65 percent percent rock fragments, 25 to 50 percent medium and coarse sand, and 5 to 15 percent clay.
The A horizon has values of 3 or 4 dry and 2 or 3 moist.
The Bw horizon has values of 4 or 5 dry, 3 or 4 moist. and chroma of 2 or 3 dry or moist. It is very gravelly ashy sandy loam or very cobbly ashy sandy loam. It has 25 to 30 percent gravel, 5 to 15 percent cobbles, and 0 to 3 percent stones. Soil reaction is slightly acid or neutral.
The 2C horizon has values of 5 or 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist, and chroma of 3 or 4 moist. It is very cobbly sandy loam or very gravelly sandy loam. It has 20 to 35 percent gravel, 15 to 30 percent cobbles, and 0 to 5 percent stones. Soil reaction is slightly acid or neutral.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Beaspring, Cassal, Cherrycreek, Eastpine, Longs, Midpeak, Mineral, Peahke, Scoap, Shilling and Yellcreek series. Bearspring, Cassal, Scoap, Shilling and Yellcreek soils are very deep. Cherrycreek and Longs soils are deep to a lithic contact. Eastpine and Peahke soils are dry for 45 to 60 consecutive days. Peahke soils have 18 to 30 percent clay in the particle-size control section. Midpeak soils formed over breccia and typically have hue of 7.5YR but range from 5YR to 10YR. Mineral soils formed over granitic rock and have over 50 percent medium and coarse sand in the particle-size control section.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Shalrock soils are on upper back slopes, shoulders and ridges of mountains. Elevation ranges from 3,400 to 5,000 feet. Slopes are 15 to 65 percent. These soils formed in sedimentary rock consisting of interbedded sandstone and hard shale with a component of volcanic ash in the upper part. The climate is characterized by warm, dry summers and cool, moist winters. The average annual precipitation ranges from 20 to 24 inches. The average January temperature ranges from 22 to 26 degrees F.; the average July temperature ranges from 62 to 67 degrees F.; and the average annual air temperature ranges from 40 to 44 degrees F. The frost-free season is 90 to 120 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Santop, Nicmar, and Rendovy soils. The Santop soils are on upper back slopes and shoulders and lack a mollic epipedon. Nicmar soils are on back slopes and foot slopes, are very deep and have an argillic horizon. Rendovy soils are on back slopes and foot slopes, have an argillic horizon and volcanic ash mantle (andic) 7 to 14 inches thick.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained, medium to very rapid runoff; moderately rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Timber production, wildlife habitat, recreation, watershed, and livestock grazing. Native vegetation is Douglas-fir and ponderosa pine with an understory of pinegrass, silky lupine, heartleaf arnica, common yarrow, northwestern sedge, pachystima and mountain snowberry.
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 horizon and features in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - 1 to 11 inches (A horizon)
Cambic horizon - 11 to 16 inches (Bw horizon)
Lithic contact - 25 inches (R horizon) SCS - zone from 11 to 25 inches (Bw and 2C horizon)
Vitrandic properties from 1 to 16 inches.