LOCATION TAUNCAL            WA
Established Series
Rev. TER/RJE/TLA
07/1999

TAUNCAL SERIES


The Tauncal series consists of moderately deep, well drained soils formed in loess and glaciofluvial sediments over a duripan. Tauncal soils are on terraces and low hills and have slopes that range from 0 to 30 percent. Average annual precipitation is about 7 inches and average annual temperature is about 51 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Xeric Haplodurids

TYPICAL PEDON: Tauncal very fine sandy loam - irrigated cropland (carrots) on a 0 percent slope at an elevation of 915 feet. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted).

Ap1--0 to 7 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) very fine sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate coarse granular structure; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine roots; few very fine irregular pores; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); clear smooth boundary. (4 to 7 inches thick)

Ap2--7 to 13 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) very fine sandy loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; strong coarse granular structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 6 inches thick)

Bk1--13 to 27 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) silt loam, dark brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak coarse parting to medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine roots; many very fine tubular pores; lime occurs as many filaments and threads; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear wavy boundary. (14 to 23 inches thick)

Bk2--27 to 36 inches; pale brown (10YR 5/3) silt loam, dark brown (10YR 4/3) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine roots; many very fine tubular pores; lime occurs as filaments and threads; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear smooth boundary. (3 to 13 inches thick)

2Bkqm--36 to 46 inches; indurated lime-silica duripan.

3Bkqm/C--46 to 60 inches; stratified indurated material with lenses of very gravelly sandy loam.

TYPE LOCATION: Franklin County, Washington; about 4 miles west of Basin City; 2,200 feet north and 1,250 feet east of the southwest corner of sec. 19, T. 13 N., R. 29 E.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Mean annual soil temperature at a depth of 20 inches ranges from 50 to 56 degrees F. These soils are usually dry in all parts between depths of 8 and 24 inches from about May 1 to October 1, unless irrigated. Depth to a duripan ranges from 20 to 40 inches. The solum is calcareous throughout.

The A horizon has value of 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist, and chroma of 2 to 4 dry and moist. It has coarse granular or coarse platy structure. Calcium carbonate equivalent ranges from 1 to 5 percent.

The Bk horizon is 10YR or 2.5Y. Value is 6 or 7 dry, 4 or 5 moist, with chroma of 2 to 4 dry and moist. It has subangular blocky structure or is massive. Rock fragments range from 0 to 10 percent. It is very fine sandy loam or silt loam. Calcium carbonate equivalent ranges from 5 to 15 percent.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Doel, Jestrick, Oupico, Prineville, Shalake, Skull Creek, Taunton, and Ticeska series. Doel soils have a Bt horizon above the duripan. Jestrick soils have a Bkq horizon with 15 to 30 percent rock fragments. Oupico and Taunton soils have a non-calcareous surface layer. Prineville soils are mildly alkaline above the duripan and have 5 to 25 percent sandy size pumice. Shalake soils average 15 to 35 percent rock fragments in the particle-size control section. Skull Creek soils do not have a cambic horizon. Ticeska soils have a Bkq horizon with calcium carbonate content of 15 to 30 percent.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: These soils are on terraces and low hills at elevations of 700 to 1,150 feet. They formed in loess and glaciofluvial sediments. These soils have an aridic moisture regime that borders on xeric with hot, dry summers and cool, moist winters. The average annual precipitation is 6 to 9 inches. The average annual temperature is 50 to 53 degrees F. and the frost-free season is 180 to 200 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the competing Burke soils and the Hezel, Kennewick, Quincy, Sagehill, Shano, and Taunton soils. Hezel soils are sandy in the upper part of the control section. Kennewick soils lack a duripan. Quincy soils are sandy. Sagehill and Shano soils are deep. Taunton soils are coarse-loamy and are noncalcareous in the upper part of the solum.

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

USE AND VEGETATION: Irrigated cropland, non-irrigated cropland, range, and wildlife habitat. Native vegetation is bluebunch wheatgrass, needleandthread, and big sagebrush.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Western Franklin County, Washington. Series is of small extent.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Franklin County, Washington, 1994.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are a calcareous ochric epipedon from the surface to 13 inches, a zone of carbonate accumulation from 13 to 36 inches, and a duripan at 36 inches. This soil has been mapped as the Burke or Taunton series. Land smoothing operations have since exposed calcareous subsoil layers, creating calcareous surface layers. This soil is reclassified based on amendment 17 of Soil Taxonomy.


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.