LOCATION WACOTA WA+OREstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Ashy over loamy, glassy over mixed, superactive, mesic Vitrixerandic Haplocambids
TYPICAL PEDON: Wacota ashy silt loam, cultivated. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted)
Ap--0 to 6 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) ashy silt loam; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; very fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many roots; neutral (pH 7.0); abrupt smooth boundary. (4 to 10 inches thick)
Bw1--6 to 18 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) ashy silt loam; brown (10YR 5/3) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many roots; many very fine tubular pores; neutral (pH 7.0); clear wavy boundary. (5 to 26 inches thick)
2Bw2--18 to 43 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) very fine sandy loam; brown (10YR 4/3) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many roots; common very fine tubular pores; neutral (pH 7.2); clear smooth boundary. (8 to 30 inches thick)
2Bk--43 to 60 inches; light gray (10YR 7/2) silt loam; brown (10YR 5/3) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few roots; common very fine tubular pores; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0).
TYPE LOCATION: Adams County, Washington; 200 feet south, 300 feet west of center, sec. 31, T. 15 N., R. 35 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature is 49 to 54 degrees F. These soils are dry in all parts between 4 and 12 inches more than half the time the soil temperature is more than 40 degrees F, about 105 to 120 days from about May 1, to October 1. The upper part of the 10 to 40 inch particle-size control section has an estimated moist bulk density of 0.85 to 1.10 g/cc, volcanic glass content of 30 to 50 percent, acid-oxalate extractable aluminum plus one-half of the acid-oxalate extractable iron of 0.10 to 0.30 percent, and 15-bar water retention of 5 to 10 percent for air dried samples. The lower part of the particle-size control section has less than 15 percent coarser than very fine sand (coarse-silty). The layer of ashy material is from the surface to a depth of 14 to 36 inches. Depth to carbonates is 30 to 60 inches.
The A horizon has value of 3, 4 or 5 moist, 5, 6 or 7 dry, and chroma of 1 to 3 moist and dry. Reaction is neutral or slightly alkaline.
The Bw horizon has value of 3 to 6 moist, 5 to 8 dry, and chroma of 1 to 3 moist and dry. It is ashy silt loam or ashy very fine sandy loam. Reaction is neutral to moderately alkaline.
The 2Bw2 horizon has value of 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist, and chroma of 2 or 3 dry or moist. It is silt loam or very fine sandy loam. It is neutral to moderately alkaline.
The 2Bk horizon has value of 4 to 7 moist, 5 to 8 dry, and chroma of 1 to 4 moist and dry. It is silt loam or very fine sandy loam. Reaction is slightly alkaline to strongly alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series. Similar soils in other families are the Owyee, Sagemoor, Shano, Stingal, and Warden series. All soils contain less than 30 percent volcanic ash in all parts. In addition, the Kennewick and Stingal soils are calcareous in all parts. Owyee soils have a calcic horizon. Shano and Warden soils are dry more than 120 days. Sagemoor soils have slowly permeable calcareous sediments in the control section.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Wacota soils are on hills, fans and terraces at elevations of 800 to 2,200 feet. Slopes are 0 to 65 percent. These soils formed in loess and volcanic ash over loess. They are in a semiarid climate with a mean annual precipitation of 9 to 12 inches, and cool, moist winters and warm, dry summers. Average January temperature is about 28 degrees F, average July temperature is about 71 degrees F, and average annual temperature is 48 to 52 degrees F. The frost-free season is 130 to 180 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Ritzville, Ritzcal, and Esquatzel series. All soils have less than 30 percent volcanic glass. Esquatzel and Ritzville soils have a mollic epipedon. The Ritzcal soils are calcareous throughout.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; very slow to rapid runoff; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used mostly for dryland cropland. Some is used for range. Winter wheat in a summer fallow system is the common crop. Native vegetation consists of bluebunch wheatgrass, Idaho fescue, Sandberg bluegrass and big sagebrush.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Columbia Basin and Columbia Plateau in eastern Washington and eastern Oregon. The series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Adams County, Washington, 1965.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are a ochric epipedon; a cambic horizon from 6 to 43 inches, a zone of carbonate accumulation from 43 to 60 inches, and an 18-inch thick mantle that is 30 to 50 percent volcanic ash. The description reflects a change in classification due to Andisols, from coarse-silty, mixed, mesic Xerollic Camborthids.
ADDITIONAL DATA: Partial laboratory data are available - Pedon number 87P498.