LOCATION SKELIDA                 WA

Established Series
Rev. MEH-RJE
06/2011

SKELIDA SERIES

The Skelida series consists of very deep, well drained soils formed in loess and alluvium derived dominantly from basalt and andesite. These soils are on terraces at elevations of 400 to 1,000 feet. Slopes are 5 to 30 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 60 inches and the mean annual temperature is about 50 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-silty, mixed, superactive, mesic Typic Humixerepts

TYPICAL PEDON: Skelida silt loam, 5 to 15 percent slopes - pasture on a 10 percent south-facing slope at 800 feet elevation. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted. All textures are apparent field textures.)

Ap--0 to 7 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) silt loam, brown (10YR 4/3) dry; weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine roots; many very fine and fine irregular pores; moderately acid (pH 5.7); clear wavy boundary. (5 to 8 inches thick)

A--7 to 15 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) silt loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) dry, weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine roots; common fine medium irregular pores; moderately acid (pH 5.8); clear wavy boundary. (7 to 10 inches thick)

BA--15 to 20 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) silt loam, light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) dry; weak fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and common fine roots; common fine and medium irregular pores, moderately acid (pH 6.0); abrupt wavy boundary. (4 to 6 inches thick)

Bw1--20 to 43 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) silt loam, light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) dry; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine roots; many very fine and fine irregular pores; moderately acid (pH 5.9); clear wavy boundary. (22 to 25 inches thick)

Bw2--43 to 60 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) silt loam, light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) dry; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, sticky and slightly plastic; few fine roots; common fine irregular pores; moderately acid (pH 5.9).

TYPE LOCATION: Skamania County, Washington; about 4 miles east of Washougal; 300 feet south and 2,640 feet west of the northeast corner of sec. 17, T. 1 N., R. 5 E.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: These soils are usually moist but are dry in the moisture control section for 45 to 60 consecutive days following summer solstice. Mean annual soil temperature is 48 to 50 degrees F. The umbric epipedon is 10 to 16 inches thick. The solum thickness is 60 inches or more. The particle-size control section averages 18 to 25 percent clay and less than 15 percent fine sand or coarser.

The A horizon has value of 2 or 3 moist, 4 or 5 dry, and chroma of 3 or 4 dry. Base saturation (by ammonium acetate) ranges from 20 to 40 percent and is 27 percent in the type location.

The Bw horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR. Base saturation (by ammonium acetate) is estimated to be 25 to 50 percent.

COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Skelida soils are on terraces at elevations of 400 to 1,000 feet. These soils formed in loess and alluvium derived dominantly from basalt and andesite. Slopes are 5 to 30 percent. The climate is characterized by warm, dry summers and cool, wet winters. The mean annual precipitation is 50 to 70 inches. The mean January temperature is about 30 degrees F, mean July temperature is about 67 degrees F, and the mean annual temperature is 48 to 51 degrees F. The frost-free season is 160 to 180 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Bear Prairie, Hesson, Skoly, and Washougal soils. Bear Prairie soils are medial. Hesson soils are fine. Skoly soils are loamy-skeletal, and Washougal soils are medial-skeletal.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow or medium runoff; moderate permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: Used for hay and pasture, homesites, timber production and wildlife habitat. The native vegetation is Douglas-fir, western hemlock, red alder, and bigleaf maple. Understory species include vine maple, Pacific dogwood, salal, western hazel, dwarf rose, trailing blackberry, and cascara buckthorn.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southwest Skamania and Clark County, Washington. The series is of small extent.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Skamania County, Washington, 1987.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this soil are
umbric epipedon from the mineral surface to 15 inches
cambic horizon from 15 to 60 inches.
This soil has some Andic properties and possibly should be in an Vitrandic subgroup. Partial laboratory data are available on this soil. The field name was Felida. NSSL number S78WA 59-2. NaF pH is 10.6 in the A horizon.

---

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.