LOCATION TONATA WAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Ashy, glassy, nonacid Typic Cryaquands
TYPICAL PEDON: Tonata silt loam, forested. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A1--0 to 3 inches; dark gray (10YR 4/1) ashy silt loam, black (10YR 2/1) moist; moderate medium and coarse granular structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky, nonplastic; many fine roots; neutral (pH 6.6); abrupt smooth boundary. (3 to 4 inches thick)
A2--3 to 9 inches; gray (10YR 5/1) ashy silt loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; moderate medium angular blocky structure; slightly hard, firm, slightly sticky, nonplastic; few large roots; many pieces of dead wood; neutral (pH 6.7); clear wavy boundary. (5 to 7 inches thick)
Bg1--9 to 16 inches; dark gray (10YR 4/1) ashy silt loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; few fine distinct brown (10YR 4/3) moist redox concentrations; moderate coarse angular blocky structure; slightly hard, firm, slightly sticky, nonplastic; neutral (pH 7.1); clear wavy boundary. (7 to 19 inches thick)
Bg2--16 to 40 inches; gray (10YR 5/1) ashy silt loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; common fine distinct brown (10YR 4/3) moist redox concentrations; moderate coarse angular blocky structure; slightly hard, firm, slightly sticky, nonplastic; common fine soft manganese concretions; thin lenses of silty clay loam and sand; neutral (pH 7.3).
TYPE LOCATION: Ferry County, Washington; 500 yards north on logging spur off Quartz Mountain road; 20 yards east of spur; SE1/4 NW1/4 section 5, T.35N., R.33E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature at a depth of 20 inches ranges from 40 to 42 degrees F. The mean summer temperature is 43 to 47 degrees F. The control section is mostly volcanic ash. These soils are usually moist between depths of 4 and 12 inches. The mollic epipedon is 10 to 20 inches thick. The soils contain less than 5 percent coarse fragments. They are neutral or slightly acid.
The A horizon has value of 4 or 5 dry, and chroma of 1 or 2 dry or moist. It has moderate granular or blocky structure.
The Bg horizon has value of 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist, and chroma of 1 or 2 dry or moist. Sandy and gravelly glacial outwash alluvium or glacial till may occur at depths below 40 inches, and thin lenses of these textures may occur within the lower part of the control section.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Chock, Chocknott, Regcrust, and Tutni series. Chock, Chocknott, and Regcrust soils are 10 to 35 percent pumice in the lower part of the particle-size control section. Tutni soils have sandy apparent textures throughout the particle-size control section..
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Tonata soils are on nearly level to depressional areas of till and outwash plains at elevations of 3,500 to 5,500 feet. They formed in volcanic ash. These soils occur in a cold, subhumid climate. The mean annual temperature is 39 to 42 degrees F.; the mean annual precipitation is 30 to 35 inches; and the mean annual frost free period is 80 to 100 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Gahee, Manley, and Shaskit soils. Gahee and Manley soils are well drained. Shaskit soils are not dominated by volcanic ash.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Poorly drained; slow runoff to ponded; slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Browse for wildlife. Red alder, vine maple, and quaking aspen are the principal plants.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northeastern Washington. Series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Ferry County (North Ferry Area), Washington, 1971.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and feature recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon, the zone from the soil surface to 16 inches; (A1, A2, and Bg1 horizons)
Cambic horizon, the zone from 16 to 40 inches; (Bg2 horizon)
The zone from 0 to 40 inches is assumed to be more than 30 percent volcanic glass. (A and Bg horizons)
This draft reflects a change in classification from Medial, nonacid Andic Cryaquepts to Ashy, glassy, nonacid Typic Cryaquands.