LOCATION TOLER WAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Vitritorrandic Argixerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Toler ashy fine sandy loam - cropland on a 4 percent northwest slope at 2,590 feet elevation. (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 8 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) ashy fine sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common fine and very fine and few medium roots; common fine and very fine irregular pores; 15 percent sand-size ash, 0.5 to 2.0 mm. in diameter; slightly acid (pH 6.4); gradual wavy boundary.
A--8 to 13 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 slightly plastic; common very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine irregular pores; 15 percent sand-size ash, 0.5 to 2.0 mm. in diameter; neutral (pH 7.0); gradual smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of A horizon is 10 to 16 inches.)
2Bt1--13 to 22 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) silt loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure; hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine and very fine roots; common very fine and fine irregular pores; few faint clay films on faces of peds; 5 percent sand-size ash, 0.5 to 2.0 mm. in diameter; 5 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.0); gradual wavy boundary.
2Bt2--22 to 30 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) silt loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; extremely hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine and very fine roots; common very fine and fine irregular pores; few faint clay films on faces of peds; 2 percent sand-size ash, 0.5 to 2.0 mm. in diameter; 10 percent gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.5); gradual smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of 2Bt horizon is 9 to 20 inches.)
2Btk--30 to 32 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) silt loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; extremely hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine and very fine tubular pores; few faint clay films on faces of peds and in pores; 10 percent gravel; common distinct fine and medium irregular seams of secondary carbonates, strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); abrupt wavy boundary. (1 to 5 inches thick)
3R--32 inches; basalt
TYPE LOCATION: Douglas County, Washington; about 4 miles northwest of the former town of Farmer; about 50 feet east and 400 feet south of the northwest corner of section 24, T. 25 N., R. 23 E. (Latitude 47 degrees 39 minutes 02 seconds N, Longitude 119 degrees 53 minutes 50 seconds W)
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature is 50 to 52 degrees F. These soils are usually dry in all parts of the moisture control section for one-half to three-fourths of the time when the soil temperature is above 41 degrees F. The mollic epipedon is 10 to 16 inches thick and 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 30 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, 0 to 3 percent rock fragments, and an apparent field estimated clay content of 3 to 10 percent. The particle-size control section averages 18 to 27 percent clay with 15 percent or more fine sand or coarser. Weighted averaged rock fragments in the particle-size control section is 5 to 30 percent. Depth to basalt is 20 to 40 inches. Depth to secondary carbonates is 19 to 35 inches.
The A horizon has chroma of 2 through 4 dry, 2 or 3 moist.
The 2Bt horizon has values of 4 and 5 moist and chroma of 3 and 4 dry, 2 through 4 moist. It contains 0 to 8 percent sand-size ash, 0.5 to 2.0 mm. in diameter and averages 5 to 15 percent rock fragments. Reaction is neutral or slightly alkaline. It is silt loam or clay loam.
The 2Btk horizon has values of 4 through 6 dry, 3 through 5 moist and chroma of 3 or 4 dry or moist. It is silt loam, gravelly clay loam or very gravelly clay loam and contains 10 to 60 percent rock fragments. Calcium carbonate equivalent is 2 to 12 percent. Reaction is slightly or moderately alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Toler soils are on nonglaciated plateaus. Elevation is 1,500 to 2,800 feet. They formed in loess mixed with volcanic ash over older loess over basalt. Slopes are 0 to 30 percent. The climate is characterized by warm, dry summers and cool, moist winters. Average annual precipitation is 9 to 12 inches. Average January temperature is about 27 degrees F.; average July 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 Kester, Sprauer and Slusser soils. Kester soils are in intermittent stream bottoms and side drainages and have 30 to 60 percent volcanic glass throughout the entire control section. Slusser soils are on uplands. Sprauer soils are uplands and are moderately deep to thick indurated duripan.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; very slow to medium runoff; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used mainly for dryland grain production. Wheat and barley are the principal crops. Potential native vegetation is bluebunch wheatgrass, Sandberg bluegrass, Idaho fescue, arrowleaf balsamroot, and Wyoming big sagebrush.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Douglas County, Washington. The series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Douglas County, Washington, 1998.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are a mollic epipedon from 0 to 13 inches, a fine-loamy argillic horizon from 13 to 32 inches and basalt bedrock at 32 inches. The surface to 13 inches has an estimated 30 to 60 percent volcanic glass, with 15 percent pumice. Secondary lime accumulation is at 30 to 32 inches. The particle size control section is the entire argillic horizon (the 2Bt1, 2Bt2, and 2Btk horizons). Secondary carbonates at 30 inches.