LOCATION SLUSSER WAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-silty, mixed, superactive, mesic Vitritorrandic Argixerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Slusser ashy fine sandy loam - cropland, wheat stubble, on a 9 percent east facing slope at an elevation of 2,700 feet. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated. All textures are apparent field textures and spot plate reaction is used for pH values.)
Ap--0 to 7 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) ashy fine sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine roots and few fine roots; few very fine tubular and common very fine irregular pores; 15 percent sand-size ash, 0.5 to 2.0 mm. in diameter; neutral (pH 6.7); abrupt smooth boundary. (6 to 10 inches thick)
A--7 to 12 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) ashy silt loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; strong medium subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and few fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; 12 percent sand-size ash, 0.5 to 2.0 mm. in diameter; neutral (pH 6.8); clear wavy boundary. (4 to 10 inches thick)
2Bt1--12 to 22 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) silt loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; strong medium prismatic structure parting to strong medium and coarse subangular blocky; very hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine roots; many very fine tubular pores; very few faint clay films in pores, few faint clay bridges between sand grains, and common distinct stress surfaces on faces of peds; 10 percent sand-size ash, 0.5 to 2.0 mm. in diameter; neutral (pH 7.0); clear wavy boundary.
2Bt2--22 to 46 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) silt loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; strong coarse prismatic structure; very hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine roots; many very fine and common fine tubular pores; few faint clay films in pores, few faint clay bridges between sand grains, and common distinct stress surfaces on faces of peds; 6 percent sand-size ash, 0.5 to 2.0 mm. in diameter; neutral (pH 7.0); abrupt wavy boundary.
2Bt3--46 to 58 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) silt loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate coarse subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots; common very fine and few fine tubular and common very fine irregular pores; few faint clay films in pores, few faint clay bridges between sand grains, and common distinct stress surfaces on faces of peds; slightly alkaline (pH 7.7); clear wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the 2Bt horizons is 29 to 47 inches)
3Bkqm--58 to 60 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) moderately cemented duripan, crushes to sandy loam; massive; very hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine tubular and common very fine irregular pores below the upper horizon boundary; common faint silica coatings on uppermost duripan surface; few fine filaments of calcium carbonate below the upper duripan surface; 10 percent duripan fragments 2 to 75 mm. in diameter; strongly effervescent; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4).
TYPE LOCATION: Douglas County, Washington; approximately 5.5 miles east-northeast of Waterville; about 2,300 feet north and 1,800 feet east of the southwest corner of section 4, T. 25 N., R. 23 E. (Latitude 47 degrees 41 minutes 26 seconds N, Longitude 119 degrees 57 minutes 19 seconds W)
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature is 50 to 52 degrees F. These soils are usually dry in the moisture control section for more than half the cumulative time when the soil temperature is above 41 degrees F. The mollic epipedon, volcanic ash influence and depth to the argillic horizon is 10 to 20 inches thick. The mollic epipedon has an estimated moist bulk density of 1.10 to 1.35 g/cc, volcanic glass content of 30 to 60 percent, including 10 to 20 percent sand-size pumice, 0.5 to 2.0 mm. in diameter, acid-oxalate extractable aluminum plus one-half of the acid-oxalate extractable iron of 0.15 to 0.40 percent, 15-bar water retention of 5 to 10 percent, and an apparent field estimated clay content of 5 to 14 percent. The particle-size control section has 9 to 18 percent clay, less than 15 percent particles fine sand or coarser, 5 to 30 percent volcanic glass including 1 to 10 percent sand-size ash, 0.5 to 2.0 mm. in diameter. Depth to secondary carbonates is 44 inches or more. When present, depth to duripan is 40 to more than 60 inches. When present, depth to basalt is 50 to 60 inches.
The Ap horizon chroma is 2 or 3 dry or moist.
The A horizon value is 4 or 5 dry, chroma is 2 or 3 or moist. It is ashy fine sandy loam, ashy silt loam, or ashy loam.
The 2Bt1 horizon value is 5 or 6 dry and 3 or 4 moist, and chroma 3 or 4 dry or moist.
The 2Bt2 horizon value is 5 or 6 dry and 3 or 4 moist, and chroma is 3 or 4 dry or moist. Reaction is neutral or slightly alkaline.
The 2Bt3 horizon value is 5 or 6 dry and value is 3 or 4 moist, and chroma is 3 or 4 dry or moist. Reaction is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline.
The 3Bkqm horizon, when present has value of 5, 6, or 7 dry, and chroma is 3 or 4 dry or moist. The duripan is weakly cemented to indurated. When crushed texture is sandy loam, gravelly sandy loam or gravelly loam.
COMPETING SERIES: This is the Alsash series. The Alsash series is moderately deep to a discontineous duric layer.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Slusser soils are on nonglaciated plateaus. Slopes are 0 to 30 percent. Slusser soils formed in loess mixed with volcanic ash over older loess. Elevation is 2,000 to 2,800 feet. The climate is characterized by warm, dry summers and cool, moist winters. Average annual precipitation is 9 to 12 inches. Average January air temperature is about 27 degrees F., average July air temperature is about 71 degrees F., and average annual air temperature is 48 to 50 degrees F. Frost-free season is 130 to 180 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Nemire, Renslow, Sprauer, and Toler soils and the competing Alsash soils. Alsash soils are on tops, side slopes, and toe slopes of uplands on plateaus. Nemire soils are in drainageways and low areas on upland plateaus and have 30 to 60 percent volcanic glass throughout the entire control section. Renslow soils are on long broad ridges and hills and have less than 30 percent volcanic glass in the upper soil profile above the argillic horizon. Sprauer soils are on uplands and are moderately deep to thick indurated duripan. Toler soils are on uplands and are moderately deep to basalt bedrock.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; very slow to medium runoff; moderate permeability above the duripan.
USE AND VEGETATION: Slusser soils are primarily used for wheat and barley production. Small areas are used for livestock grazing or wildlife habitat. The potential native vegetation is bluebunch wheatgrass, Sandberg bluegrass, arrowleaf balsamroot, and Wyoming big sagebrush.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: North Central Washington. The series is of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Douglas County, Washington, 1998.
REMARKS: Diagnostic features and horizons recognized in this pedon are a mollic epipedon from the surface to 12 inches, and a argillic horizon from 12 to 58 inches over moderately cemented lime-silica duripan. From the surface to 12 inches has and estimated 30 to 60 percent volcanic glass, including 12 to 15 percent sand-size ash, 0.5 to 2.0 mm. in diameter. The control section is the zone from 12 to 32 inches (the 2Bt1 and part of the 2Bt2 horizons).