LOCATION SHERMOUNT WAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive Lithic Humicryepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Shermount channery ashy loam - rangeland, on a southwest facing 22 percent slope at an elevation of 6,000 feet. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated. All textures are apparent field textures.)
A--0 to 7 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) channery ashy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky breaking to moderate fine granular structure; soft, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine and fine and few medium roots; few fine tubular pores; 20 percent channers; slightly acid (pH 6.2); clear smooth boundary. (7 to 10 inches thick)
2C--7 to 18 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) very channery loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; massive; soft, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and fine roots; few fine tubular pores; 40 percent channers and 10 percent flagstones; slightly acid (pH 6.4); clear wavy boundary. (3 to 12 inches thick)
2R--18 inches; shale.
TYPE LOCATION: Okanogan County, Washington; about 13 miles north of Winthrop, Washington; 1,600 feet west and 700 feet south of the northeast corner of section 35, T. 37 N., R. 20 E. (Latitude 48 degrees, 40 minutes, 10 seconds N., Longitude 120 degrees, 18 minutes, 15 seconds W.)
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature is 37 to 41 degrees F. Mean summer soil temperature is 42 to 46 degrees F. These soils are usually moist but are dry in all parts of the moisture control section for 45 to 60 consecutive days following the summer solstice. The upper 7 to 10 inches has an estimated bulk density of 1.10 to 1.30 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. Base saturation (by sum) is estimated to be 35 to 50 percent. The particle-size control section averages 35 to 70 percent rock fragments and 8 to 15 percent clay. Depth to bedrock is 10 to 20 inches. Reaction is slightly acid to neutral throughout. The umbric epipedon is 7 to 10 inches thick.
The A horizon has values of 4 or 5 dry, 3 or 4 moist, and chroma of 2 or 3 dry or moist.
The 2C horizon has values of 4 to 6 dry, 3 to 5 moist, and chroma of 2 or 3 dry or moist. It is very channery loam, extremely channery loam, or very channery sandy loam. It has 40 to 70 percent channers and 0 to 10 percent flagstones.
COMPETING SERIES: This is the Teewinot series. Teewinot soils lack the vitrandic properties in the upper 7 to 10 inches.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Shermount soils are on shoulders and ridges of mountains usually with southerly aspects. Elevation ranges from 5,000 to 6,200 feet. Slopes are 15 to 65 percent. These soils formed in residuum and colluvium from sedimentary rock that consists of interbedded sandstone and shale with a mixture of ash on the surface. The climate is characterized by cold, wet winters and cool, dry summers. The mean annual precipitation is 25 to 35 inches. The average January temperature ranges from 18 to 22 degrees F, average July temperature ranges from 54 to 58 degrees F, and the average annual air temperature ranges from 37 to 42 degrees F. The frost-free season is 70 to 90 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Banker and Ortellcreek soils. Banker soils are on shoulders and upper back slopes and have a volcanic ash mantle with bulk density of 0.75 to 0.90 g/cc. Ortellcreek soils are on foot slopes and back slopes and have a volcanic ash mantle (andic) 7 to 14 inches thick.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained, medium to rapid runoff; moderate to moderately rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Wildlife habitat, recreation, and watershed. Native vegetation is scattered subalpine fir, whitebark pine, and Douglas-fir with mountain big sagebrush, eriogonum, Indian paintbrush, timber oatgrass, alpine yellow fleabane, mountain sandwort, dunhead sedge, Cusick bluegrass and Columbian bitterroot.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northcentral Washington. This soil 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:
Umbric epipedon - 0 to 7 inches (A horizon)
Lithic contact - 18 inches (2R horizon)
PSCS - zone from 10 to 18 inches (2C horizon)
Vitrandic properties are from 0 to 7 inches.