LOCATION VARODALE WATentative Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, mesic Aquic Haploxererts
TYPICAL PEDON: Varodale clay - irrigated pasture on a 4 percent northeast-facing slope at an elevation of 1,960 feet. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 8 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) clay, black (10YR 2/1) moist; strong coarse granular structure; very hard, firm, moderately sticky and very plastic; many very fine roots; common very fine irregular pores; 3/4 to 1-inch vertical cracks; 5 percent gravel; NaF pH 8.6; neutral (pH 6.8); gradual wavy boundary. (7 to 9 inches thick)
A--8 to 22 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) clay, black (10YR 2/1) moist; strong coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate fine and medium subangular blocky; very hard, very firm, moderately sticky and very plastic; common very fine roots; common very fine irregular and tubular pores; 1/2 to 3/4-inch vertical cracks; 5 percent gravel; NaF pH 8.6; neutral (pH 7.0); gradual irregular boundary. (9 to 16 inches thick)
Bss1--22 to 38 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) clay, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate fine and medium subangular blocky; extremely hard, very firm, moderately sticky and very plastic; few very fine roots; few very fine irregular and tubular pores; many distinct intersecting slickensides; 1/4 to 1/2-inch vertical cracks; common prominent black (10YR 2/1) moist coatings on faces of peds; 5 percent gravel; NaF pH 8.6; neutral (pH 7.0); clear wavy boundary.
Bss2--38 to 44 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) clay, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate fine and medium subangular blocky; extremely hard, very firm, very sticky and very plastic; few very fine roots; few very fine irregular and tubular pores; many distinct intersecting slickensides; few prominent black (10YR 2/1) moist coatings on faces of peds; 5 percent gravel; NaF pH 8.6; neutral (pH 7.2); clear wavy boundary. (Combined Bss horizon is 22 to 30 inches thick)
2Bss2--44 to 60 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) sandy clay, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; moderate coarse prismatic structure; extremely hard, very firm, very sticky and very plastic; few very fine roots; few very fine irregular pores; few distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) iron stains on faces of peds; many distinct intersecting slickensides; few distinct patchy very dark brown (10YR 2/2) coatings on faces of peds; 10 percent gravel; NaF pH 8.6; neutral (pH 7.0).
TYPE LOCATION: Kittitas County, Washington, about 3 miles west of Thorp; about 1,900 feet east and 1,900 feet south of the northwest corner of section 9, T. 18 N. R. 17 E.; USGS Thorp, Wash. topographic quadrangle; Latitude - 47 degrees 04 minutes 02 seconds N. and Longitude - 120 degrees 43 minutes 20 seconds W. (NAD83).[SW2]
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature at a depth of 20 inches is 47 to 52 degrees F.. These soils are usually moist but are dry in all parts of the moisture control section for 60 to 75 consecutive days following the summer solstice. There are cracks 1/2 to 3/4 inch in width and 20 to 35 inches in depth that open and close each year in the fall after irrigation season. Depth to aquic conditions and the irrigation-induced water table is 30 to 60 inches. Thickness of the mollic epipedon is 30 to 60 inches. The upper 7 to 9 inches has an estimated volcanic glass content of 5 to 10 percent and acid oxalate extractable aluminum plus one-half of the acid oxalate iron of 0.2 to 0.4 percent. Base saturation throughout upper 30 inches is greater than 75 percent. The particle-size control section has 45 to 60 percent clay in the fine earth fraction and more than 15 percent fine sand or coarser. It has 0 to 10 percent rock fragments by volume. Organic matter is estimated to range from 3 to 5 percent in the Ap and A horizon. The depth to the 2Bss horizon with less than 20 percent rock fragments is 40 to 50 inches.
The Ap and A horizons have value of 3 or 4 dry and chroma of 1 or 2 dry. It has 45 to 60 percent clay.
The Bss horizon has value of 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist and chroma of 2 or 3, dry or moist. It has 0 to 10 percent rock fragments and 45 to 60 percent clay.
The 2Bss horizon has value of 4 to 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist and chroma of 2 or 3, dry or moist. Texture is clay, sandy clay or gravelly sandy clay with 35 to 45 percent clay and 0 to 20 percent gravel.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the
Cardon and
Metser (T) series.
Cardon soils mollic epipedon 10 to 15 inches thick; lacks 2Bss horizon
Metser soils have 15 to 35 percent rock fragments in the particle-size control section; 30 to 40 inches to the 2Bss horizon with greater than 35 percent rock fragments.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Varodale soils are on terraces and [SW3]alluvial fans and have slopes of 0 to 5 percent. These soils formed in alluvium with an influence of volcanic ash. Elevation is 1,500 to 2,400 feet. These soils are in a semiarid climate with warm dry summers and cool moist winters. The mean annual precipitation is 12 to 15 inches. The average January temperature is about 25 degrees F. and the average July temperature is about 69 degrees F. The mean annual air temperature is 46 to 50 degrees F. Frost-free season is 130 to 150 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the competing Metser soils and Millhouse, Umtanum and Vanderbilt soils. Metser soils are on terraces and alluvial fans. Millhouse soils on alluvial fans and have more than 35 percent rock fragments. Umtanum and Vanderbilt soils are on terraces and alluvial fans and have less than 45 percent clay in the particle-size control section.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Moderately well drained; slow runoff; slow permeability. This soil is irrigated and drained. This soil has an irrigation-induced water table at its uppermost limit during the mid-May to mid-October growing season.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for irrigated cropland and livestock grazing. When irrigated, hay, oats, wheat, corn, and peas are among the crops grown.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Kittitas County Washington; MLRA 8, 44. The series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES PROPOSED: Kittitas County, Washington, 1999. The name is coined.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon include:
Mollic epipedon (pachic) - the zone from 0 to 44 inches (Ap, A and Bss horizons)
PSCS - the zone from 10 to 40 inches (most of the A, and most of the Bss horizons)
More investigation is needed to confirm the degree of andic properties.