LOCATION TREEBUTTE          WA
Established Series
Rev. BJD/TLA
08/2006

TREEBUTTE SERIES


The Treebutte series consists of shallow, well drained soils formed in residuum and colluvium from granitic and metamorphic rock with a mantle of volcanic ash. These soils are on shoulders and broad ridges of mountains. Slopes are 0 to 65 percent. The average annual precipitation is about 35 inches and the average annual temperature is about 38 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, isotic Lithic Haplocryepts

TYPICAL PEDON: Treebutte very stony ashy sandy loam, forestland on a northwest-facing 15 percent slope at an elevation of 6,500 feet in a lodgepole pine, subalpine fir and Engelmann spruce forest. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated. All textures are apparent field textures.)

Oe--0 to 1 inch; moderately decomposed needles, leaves and twigs. abrupt smooth boundary. (1 to 2 inches thick)

A--1 to 2 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) very stony ashy sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine and fine roots and few medium roots; common fine and medium tubular pores; 20 percent gravel, 5 percent cobbles, and 20 percent stones; slightly acid (pH 6.2); clear wavy boundary. (1 to 2 inches thick)

Bw--2 to 11 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) very stony ashy sandy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common fine and very fine roots; common fine and tubular pores; 20 percent gravel, 10 percent cobbles, and 15 percent stones; moderately acid (pH 6.0); abrupt wavy boundary. (6 to 9 inches thick)

2C--11 to 20 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) extremely stony coarse sandy loam, pale brown (10YR 6/3) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common fine and very fine roots; common fine and medium tubular pores; 30 percent gravel, 15 percent cobbles, and 25 percent stones; moderately acid (pH 6.0); gradual wavy boundary. (7 to 11 inches thick)

2R--20 inches; granite

TYPE LOCATION: Okanogan county, Washington; about 14 miles northwest of the town of Conconully, Washington; 2,300 feet east and 1,300 feet north of the southwest corner of section 9, T. 37 N., R. 23 E. (Latitude 48 degrees, 43 minutes, 02 seconds N., Longitude 119 degrees, 57 minutes, 39 seconds W.)

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature is 37 to 41 degrees F. Mean summer soil temperature is 42 to 46 degrees F. These soils are usually moist but are dry in all parts of the moisture control section for 45 to 60 consecutive days following the summer solstice. Thickness of the solum and volcanic ash mantle is 7 to 10 inches, and has an estimated moist bulk density of 0.75 to 0.90 g/cc, volcanic glass content of 30 to 60 percent, acid-oxalate extractable aluminum plus one-half of the acid-oxalate extractable iron of 1.0 to 2.0 percent, and 15-bar water retention of 8 to 12 percent for air dried samples. The particle-size control section averages 60 to 75 percent rock fragments and 2 to 6 percent clay. Depth to the lithic contact is 14 to 20 inches. Reaction ranges from moderately acid to slightly acid throughout. Some pedons have an E horizon.

The A horizon has value of 4 or 5 dry and chroma of 2 or 3 dry or moist.

The Bw horizon has value of 6 or 7 dry, 4 or 5 moist, and chroma of 3 to 6 dry or moist. It has 10 to 20 percent gravel, 10 to 25 percent cobbles, and 15 to 25 percent stones.

The 2C horizon has value of 6 or 7 dry, 4 to 6 moist, and chroma of 3 to 6 dry or moist. The texture is extremely stony coarse sandy loam, extremely stony sandy loam, or very stony sandy loam. It has 20 to 30 percent gravel, 15 to 25 percent cobbles, and 25 to 35 percent stones.

COMPETING SERIES: This is the Banker series. Banker soils are dominated by channery and flaggy shale rock fragments, have 6 to 15 percent clay in the control section and have a mantle of volcanic ash 3 to 6 inches thick.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Treebutte soils are on shoulders and broad ridges of mountains at elevations of 4,800 to 7,200 feet. Slopes are 0 to 65 percent. These soils formed in residuum and colluvium from granitic and metamorphic rock with a thin mantle of volcanic ash. Precipitation is 25 to 35 inches. The climate is characterized by cool, dry summers and cold, wet winters. The average January temperature ranges from 18 to 22 degrees F., and the average July temperature ranges from 52 to 58 degrees F. The average annual temperature ranges from 35 to 40 degrees F. Frost-free season ranges from 60 to 90 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Burget, Crocamp, Devore, and Myerscreek soils. Burget soils have an umbric epipedon and a paralithic contact at 10 to 20 inches. Crocamp soils have an umbric epipedon and are deep. Devore soils are moderately deep to a lithic contact. Myerscreek soils are moderately deep to dense till.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained, slow to rapid runoff; moderately rapid permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: Used for wildlife habitat, livestock grazing, recreation, and watershed. Native vegetation is lodgepole pine, Engelmann spruce, subalpine fir, grouse blueberry, silky lupine, heartleaf arnica, and strawberry.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northcentral Washington. Series is of small extent.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Okanogan National Forest, Okanogan County, Washington, 2005.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this soil are on ochric epipedon, a cambic horizon from 2 to 11 inches and a lithic contact at 20 inches. The part of the soil that meets andic properties (1 to 11 inches) is not 60 percent of the thickness from the mineral soil surface to the lithic contact.

Depths to diagnostic horizons and features are measured from the top of the first mineral horizon.


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.