LOCATION SILER WAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Medial over ashy, aniso, mixed over glassy, mesic Humic Haploxerands
TYPICAL PEDON: Siler silt loam - grass pasture. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted.)
Ap--0 to 6 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) silt loam, brown (10YR 5/3) dry; moderate fine, medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic and weakly smeary; many very fine and few fine roots; many very fine interstitial and few very fine tubular pores; slightly acid (pH 6.2); clear smooth boundary. (5 to 11 inches thick)
A12--6 to 14 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) silt loam, brown (10YR 5/3) dry; weak medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic and many very fine and few fine roots; many very fine tubular pores; slightly acid (pH 6.4); clear smooth boundary. (6 to 9 inches thick)
2C4--14 to 21 inches; light gray (10YR 7/2) sand (volcanic ash), very pale brown (10YR 8/2) dry; single grained; loose; few very fine and fine roots; many very fine interstitial pores; neutral (pH 6.6); abrupt smooth boundary. (4 to 12 inches thick)
3Ab--21 to 60 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) silt loam, brown (10YR 5/3) dry; weak coarse and very coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic and weakly smeary; common very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; neutral (pH 6.6).
TYPE LOCATION: Lewis County, Washington; 2l50 feet east and l750 feet south of the northwest corner sec. 15, T. l2 N., R. 8 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Depth to the 2C horizon is l0 to l6 inches. Mean annual soil temperature at a depth of 20 inches ranges from 47 to 53 degrees F. The umbric epipedon is l0 to 16 inches thick. Rock fragments in the particle-size control section are 0 to 5 percent. Siler soils are usually moist but are dry in all parts between depths of 4 and l2 inches for 45 to 60 consecutive days within the three months following the summer solstice. The soil is slightly acid or neutral throughout.
The A horizon has value of 2 or 3 moist, 4 or 5 dry, and chroma of 2 or 3 moist or dry. Ir is silt loam or fine sandy loam. This horizon has weak or moderate subangular blocky structure. The 2C horizon has value of 5 through 7 moist, 7 or 8 dry, and chroma of l through 3 moist or dry. It is sand or coarse sand.
The 2AB horizon has value of 2 or 3 moist, 4 or 5 dry, and chroma of 2 or 3 moist and dry. There are thin (l to 4 inch) layers of loamy sand in some pedons.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Germany and Shuwah series in other families. Germany soils have a regular decrease in organic carbon. Shuwah soils are fine-silty.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: These soils occur on alluvial bottomlands at elevations of 800 to about l2,000 feet. Slopes are 0 to 3 percent. These soils formed in alluvium from basic igneous rock, pumice, and volcanic ash. Climate is a marine type with 50 to 70 inches annual precipitation occurring mostly as rain during the winter. Mean January temperature is 35 degrees F,; mean July temperature is 64 degrees F.; mean annual temperature is 50 degrees F.; and mean frost-free season is l25 to l75 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Cloquato, Greenwater, Ledow, and Schooley soils. Cloquato soils lack a layer of volcanic ash. Greenwater and Ledow soils are sandy. Schooley soils have an aquic moisture regime.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow to ponded runoff; moderate permeability. Siler soils are subject ot occasional stream overflow mostly during the winter and early spring.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used for cropland. Hay or grass pasture and small grains are common crops. Native vegetation is Douglas-fir, western hemlock, and western redcedar with an understory of vines and shrubs.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Western Washington. The series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Lewis County, Washington, l940.
REMARKS: Need to verify the Andisol placement.