LOCATION STATION WAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Medial-skeletal, ferrihydritic, frigid Lithic Hapludands
TYPICAL PEDON: Station extremely gravelly medial sandy loam - forestland, on a 60 percent slope with a northeasterly aspect at an elevation of 2,660 feet in a western hemlock/Pacific rhododendron plant association. (When described on October 8, 1993, the soil was dry throughout. Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
Oi--0 to 2 inches; slightly decomposed needles, leaves, and twigs; abrupt smooth boundary. (1 to 3 inches thick)
A--2 to 7 inches; dark brown (7.5YR 3/3) extremely gravelly medial sandy loam, brown (7.5YR 5/4) dry; weak very fine and fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; weakly smeary; many very fine and common fine, medium, and coarse roots; common very fine and fine irregular pores; 60 percent gravel, 5 percent cobbles; moderately acid (pH 5.8); clear wavy boundary. (5 to 9 inches thick)
Bw--7 to 12 inches; dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) extremely gravelly medial loam, strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) dry; weak very fine and fine granular and weak very fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; weakly smeary; common very fine, fine, medium, and coarse roots; common very fine and fine tubular and irregular pores; 55 percent gravel, 15 percent cobbles; moderately acid (pH 5.8); abrupt wavy boundary. (5 to 11 inches thick)
R--12 inches; hard marine basalt.
TYPE LOCATION: Clallam County, Washington, about 0.25 mile east of the western summit of Mt. Walker, about 1,360 feet east and 2,480 feet south of the northwest corner of Section 35, T. 27 N., R. 2 W. (Latitude 47 degrees, 47 minutes, 20 seconds N., Longitude 122 degrees, 54 minutes, 01 seconds W.)
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Mean annual soil temperature at the lithic contact is 44 to 47 degrees F. These soils are usually moist, and are dry 30 to 45 consecutive days in the soil moisture control section; udic moisture regime. Depth to bedrock is 10 to 20 inches. The particle-size control section from the mineral soil surface to the bedrock contact has andic soil properties with estimated moist bulk density of 0.60 to 0.90 g/cc, acid-oxalate extractable aluminum plus one-half of the acid-oxalate extractable iron of 2 to 3 percent, phosphate retention of 85 to 100 percent, 15-bar water retention of 15 to 25 percent for air dried samples, and 60 to 90 percent rock fragments by volume. It has 1 to 2 cmol/kg of aluminum. It has acid oxalate extractable iron of 1.5 to 2.5 percent.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR moist and dry and chroma of 2 or 3 moist and 2 through 4 dry. It has 5 to 10 percent organic matter.
The Bw horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR moist and dry and chroma of 4 or 6 dry. It is extremely gravelly medial loam, extremely gravelly medial sandy loam, or extremely cobbly medial sandy loam. It has 1 to 5 percent organic matter.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Quinault, Waketickeh, and Walkinshaw series. Quinault soils have a perudic moisture regime and are very shallow. Waketickeh soils are never dry for 0 to 30 consecutive days and have 70 to 220 inches of precipitation. Walkinshaw soils have over 2 cmol/kg of aluminum (Alic).
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Station soils are on mountain slopes. Slopes are 60 to 90 percent. The soils formed in colluvium from marine basalt and associated volcanic rocks. Elevations are 1,900 to 2,900 feet. Average annual precipitation is 35 to 70 inches. Average annual temperature is 42 to 45 degrees F. The frost-free season is 150 to 170 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Bonjon, Graywolf, Halfoss, Juandefuca, Maidenpeak, Pennycreek, Slidecamp, Tunnelcreek, and Wellesley soils. Bonjon and Wellesley soils are on glacial valleys and are deep and moderately well drained. Graywolf and Slidecamp soils are on low relief, dissected uplands and are very deep. Halfoss, Juandefuca, Maidenpeak, Pennycreek, and Tunnelcreek soils are on mountain slopes. Halfoss and Tunnelcreek soils are 20 to 40 inches to bedrock. Juandefuca and Maidenpeak soils are very deep. Pennycreek soils are 4 to 10 inches to bedrock.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Wildlife habitat, recreation, and watershed. Native vegetation is western hemlock, Douglas-fir, western redcedar, Pacific rhododendron, mosses, and western swordfern.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Clallam and Jefferson Counties, Washington; MLRA 1. Series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Clallam County, Washington, 2000; Olympic National Forest.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are the following:
Ochric epipedon
Andic soil properties - 2 to 12 inches (A and Bw horizons)
Lithic contact - 12 inches
All depths to diagnostic horizons and other features are measured from the top of the first mineral horizon.