LOCATION SHAMEL WAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Ultic Haploxerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Shamel sandy loam - forested. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
0i--1 inch to 0; undecomposed needles, twigs, and leaves.
A1--0 to 11 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist and crushed; moderate fine granular and subangular blocky structure; soft, friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; common fine and medium, and few coarse roots; many fine and medium tubular pores; 5 percent pebbles; slightly acid (pH 6.5); gradual wavy boundary. (6 to 11 inches thick)
A2--11 to 17 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist crushed; moderate fine granular and subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine and medium, and few coarse roots; many fine and medium tubular pores; 5 percent pebbles; slightly acid (pH 6.5); gradual wavy boundary. (3 to 6 inches thick)
Bw--17 to 38 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist, brown (10YR 4/3) moist crushed; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few medium and coarse roots; many fine and medium tubular pores; 10 percent pebbles; slightly acid (pH 6.5); gradual wavy boundary. (8 to 21 inches thick)
C--38 to 60 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) gravelly sandy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist and crushed; massive; slightly hard, firm, slightly sticky and nonplastic; few coarse roots; many fine and medium, and few coarse tubular pores; 20 percent pebbles; neutral (pH 7.0).
TYPE LOCATION: Chelan County, Washington; 3 miles west of Entiat; first spur to left inside forest boundary in Mills Canyon; 1,200 feet west and 500 feet north of the southeast corner of section 22, T. 25 N., R. 20 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The average soil temperature at a depth of 20 inches is 45 to 47 degrees F. These soils are usually moist but are dry in all parts between depths of 8 and 24 inches for 75 to 90 consecutive days. The soil are slightly acid or neutral. Rock fragments average 5 to 35 percent in the particle-size control section. The mollic epipedon is 10 to 20 inches thick. Solum thickness ranges from 24 to 38 inches.
The A1 horizon has value of 4 or 5 dry and chroma of 1 to 3 dry or moist.
The A2 horizon has value of 4 or 5 dry and chroma of 1 through 3 dry or moist. It is fine sandy loam, loam, sandy loam, or gravelly sandy loam. This horizon has weak or moderate blocky structure.
The Bw horizon has value of 5 through 7 dry and chroma of 2 through 4 dry or moist. It is fine sandy loam, loam, sandy loam, or gravelly sandy loam. This horizon has weak or moderate blocky structure.
The C horizon has value of 5 through 7 dry and chroma of 2 through 4 dry or moist. It is loam, fine sandy loam, sandy loam, or gravelly sandy loam. This horizon is massive or single grained.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Baldmountain, Dinkelman, Kilmerque, Lostcreek, Republic and Roanhide series. Baldmountain soils are dry more than 90 consecutive days in the moisture control section and have a mean annual soil temperature of about 40 degrees F. Dinkelman soils have a high content of quartz and feldspar minerals in the particle-size control section. Kilmerque soils are 20 to 40 inches deep to a paralithic contact. Lostcreek soils are dry for 45 to 60 consecutive days. Republic soils have a calcareous C horizon within the control section. Roanhide soils are 20 to 40 inches deep to a lithic contact.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Shamel soils are on mountains and mostly have a north or west exposure. Elevations range from 1,400 to 3,800 feet. The soils formed in colluvial deposits of weathered gneiss, and schist, mixed with loess and volcanic ash. The climate has warm, dry summers and cold, moist winters. Average annual precipitation is 16 to 20 inches. The average January temperature is about 23 degrees F., the average July temperature is about 66 degrees F., and the average annual air temperature is 44 degrees F. The growing season at 28 degrees F., is 135 to 170 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Ardenmont, Ardenvoir, Teamont and Tyee soils. Ardenmont, Ardenvoir and Tyee soils lack a mollic epipedon. Teamont and Tyee soils have a paralithic contact at 10 to 20 inches.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well-drained; medium to rapid runoff; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used for timber production, livestock grazing, watershed, wildlife habitat, and recreation. Vegetation is Douglas-fir and some ponderosa pine trees with an understory of pinegrass, elk sedge, bluebunch wheatgrass, rose, and serviceberry.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: North-central Washington and east slopes of the Cascade Mountains. Series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Chelan County, (Entiat Area), Washington, 1971.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are a mollic epipedon from the mineral surface to 17 inches and a cambic horizon from 17 to 38 inches. It is estimated that the base saturation (sum of cations) is less than 75 percent in some part of the upper 30 inches. This description reflects a change in classification from coarse-loamy, mixed, frigid Typic Haploxerolls to coarse-loamy, mixed, frigid Ultic Haploxerolls.