LOCATION SPICKARD                WA

Established Series
Rev. TMR/CAB/SBC
06/2011

SPICKARD SERIES

The Spickard series consists of very deep, well drained soils formed in volcanic ash overlying glacial drift and colluvium. Spickard soils are found on slopes of 0 to 60 percent on debris aprons, debris cones, and valley walls of glaciated mountain landscapes. The mean annual precipitation is about 1,900 millimeters and the mean annual air temperature is about 5 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Ashy over sandy or sandy-skeletal, amorphic over isotic Typic Vitricryands

TYPICAL PEDON: Spickard ashy sandy loam, with approximately 5 percent of the soil surface covered with subangular cobbles, located on a forested northeast facing debris apron with a slope of 50 percent and an elevation of 1,130 meters. When described on August 26, 2005 the soil was moist throughout. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted)

Oi--0 to 3 cm; slightly decomposed leaves, needles, and twigs; abrupt smooth boundary.

Oe--3 to 10 cm; black (10YR 2/1) moderately decomposed needles and twigs, dark gray (10YR 4/1) dry; many very fine to fine roots; common fine irregular pores; extremely acid (pH 4.4); abrupt wavy boundary.

A--10 to 13 cm; very dark gray (10YR 3/1) ashy sandy loam, dark gray (10YR 4/1) dry; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; many very fine to fine and few medium roots; common fine irregular pores; 5 percent gravel; extremely acid (pH 4.4); abrupt wavy boundary.

Bw1--13 to 22 cm; dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) gravelly ashy sandy loam, brown (7.5YR 4/4) dry; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; many very fine to fine and common medium to coarse roots; common fine to medium irregular pores; 20 percent gravel and 10 percent cobbles; strongly acid (pH 5.1); clear wavy boundary.

Bw2--22 to 44 cm; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) gravelly ashy sandy loam, light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) dry; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; common very fine to fine and few medium to coarse roots; common fine to medium irregular pores; 5 percent fine gravel, 15 percent medium and coarse gravel, and 10 percent cobbles; strongly acid (pH 5.2); clear irregular boundary.

Bw3--44 to 60 cm; dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) gravelly ashy sandy loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) dry; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; few very fine to medium roots; common fine to medium interstitial pores; 5 percent fine gravel, 15 percent medium and coarse gravel, and 10 percent cobbles; strongly acid (pH 5.5); gradual irregular boundary.

2BC--60 to 105 cm; dark olive brown (2.5Y 3/3) very cobbly loamy sand, light olive brown (2.5Y 5/3) dry; single grain; loose, nonsticky, nonplastic; few very fine to fine roots; common medium interstitial pores; 5 percent fine gravel, 20 percent medium and coarse gravel, 20 percent cobbles, and 10 percent stones; moderately acid (pH 5.7); gradual irregular boundary.

2C--105 to 152 cm; dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) very stony loamy sand, grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) dry; single grain; loose, nonsticky, nonplastic; few fine roots; many coarse interstitial pores; 5 percent fine gravel, 20 percent medium and coarse gravel, 10 percent cobbles, and 20 percent stones; moderately acid (pH 6.0).

TYPE LOCATION: Skagit County, Washington; approximately 21 km southeast of the town of Newhalem along the Fisher Creek trail, North Cascades National Park Service Complex; 550 meters east and 675 meters north of the southwest corner of section 28, T. 36 N., R. 14 E. Willamette Meridian; Mount Logan, Washington USGS quadrangle; 48 degrees, 34 minutes, 34 seconds north latitude and 120 degrees, 59 minutes, 44 seconds west longitude; UTM 647840 meters E, 5382280 meters N, zone 10N.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mean annual soil temperature - 4 to 8 degrees C. Cryic soil temperature regime.
Moisture control section - dry less than 30 consecutive days. Udic soil moisture regime.
Particle size control section:
The particle-size control section in this soil is contrasting. Most characteristics are listed by horizon
Clay content - 0 to 10 percent throughout both portions
Rock fragments, ashy portion - 5 to 30 percent total, 5 to 30 percent fine to coarse gravel, 0 to 10 percent cobbles, 0 to 5 percent stones
Rock fragments, sandy-skeletal portion - 35 to 55 percent total, 15 to 50 percent fine to coarse gravel, 10 to 30 percent cobbles, 0 to 30 percent stones
Thickness of volcanic ash mantle (ashy textural modifier): 36 to 75 centimeters

A horizon
Hue - 10YR or 7.5YR
Value - 2 to 3 moist, 4 to 5 dry
Chroma - 1 to 3 moist or dry
Fine earth texture - ashy SL or ashy FSL
Rock fragments - 0 to 15 percent fine to coarse gravel
Volcanic glass - 35 to 80 percent
Reaction - extremely acid to strongly acid
Thickness - 0 to 10 centimeters (may not be present in all pedons)

Bw horizons
Hue - 7.5YR or 10YR
Value - 3 to 5 moist, 4 to 6 dry
Chroma - 3 to 6 moist or dry
Fine earth texture - ashy SL or ashy FSL
Rock fragments - 5 to 30 percent total, 5 to 30 percent gravel, 0 to 15 percent cobbles, 0 to 5 percent stones
Volcanic glass - 15 to 70 percent
Reaction - very strongly acid to strongly acid
Combined thickness - 35 to 85 centimeters

2BC horizon
Hue - 2.5Y or 10YR
Value - 3 to 5 moist, 5 to 6 dry
Chroma - 3 to 6 moist or dry
Fine earth texture - LS, LCOS, COS, S
Rock fragments - 35 to 55 percent total, 15 to 50 percent fine to coarse gravel, 10 to 30 percent cobbles, 0 to 30 percent stones
Volcanic glass - 5 to 15 percent
Reaction - moderately acid to strongly acid
Thickness - 15 to 50 centimeters

2C horizon
Hue - 2.5Y or 10YR
Value - 3 to 5 moist, 5 to 6 dry
Chroma - 2 to 4 moist or dry
Fine earth texture - LS, LCOS, COS, S
Rock fragments - 35 to 55 percent total, 15 to 50 percent fine to coarse gravel, 10 to 30 percent cobbles, 0 to 30 percent stones
Reaction - moderately acid to strongly acid

COMPETING SERIES: This is the Doubtful series. Doubtful soils are moderately deep (50 to 100 cm) to a lithic contact.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Spickard soils are found on slopes of 0 to 60 percent on debris aprons, debris cones, and valley walls of glaciated mountain landscapes at elevations from 800 to 2,000 meters. They formed in volcanic ash overlying glacial drift and colluvium from glacial drift. The climate is characterized by cool, dry summers and cold, wet winters. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 1,500 to 3,300 millimeters. Mean annual air temperature ranges from 2 to 8 degrees C. Frost-free season is 30 to 60 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Chilliwack, Mox, and Noca soils. Chilliwack and Mox soils have a medial fine earth fraction in the upper particle-size control section and have albic and spodic horizons. Noca soils have a well defined albic horizon.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Well drained; high to very high saturated hydraulic conductivity.

USE AND VEGETATION: Spickard soils support wildlife habitat, recreation, and watershed drainage. Native vegetation includes Pacific silver fir, western hemlock, mountain hemlock, Engelmann spruce, and at lower elevations Douglas-fir and western redcedar. Understory species include big huckleberry, evergreen huckleberry, pachistima, starry false Solomon's seal, lady fern, bunchberry dogwood, and fringecup.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: North Cascade Mountains, Washington. MLRA 3. Series is of small extent.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: North Cascades National Park Service Complex, Chelan County, Washington, 2011.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon include:
Particle-size control section - 10 to 110 cm (0 to 100 cm from the mineral surface)
Ochric epipedon - 0 to 18 cm (Oi, Oe, A, and upper 5 cm of Bw1 horizon)
Andic soil properties - the zone from 10 to 60 cm (A and Bw horizons)
Cambic horizon - 13 to 60 cm (Bw horizons)
Lithologic discontinuity - 60 centimeters

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.