LOCATION WAKETICKEH WAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Medial-skeletal, ferrihydritic, frigid Lithic Hapludands
TYPICAL PEDON: Waketickeh extremely gravelly medial sandy loam- forestland, on a 64 percent southwest-facing slope at an elevation of 2,570 feet in a western hemlock/salal-common beargrass plant association. (When described on April 13, 1991 the soil was moist throughout. Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated. All textures are apparent field textures.)
Oi--0 to 1 inch; slightly decomposed needles, leaves, and twigs; clear smooth boundary. (0.5 to 3 inches thick)
A--1 to 4 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) extremely gravelly medial sandy loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) dry; weak very fine and fine granular and weak very fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; weakly smeary; many very fine, fine, medium, and coarse roots; many very fine and fine irregular pores; 35 percent gravel, 30 percent cobbles; very strongly acid (pH 5.0); clear smooth boundary. (2 to 5 inches thick)
Bw--4 to 9 inches; dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) extremely cobbly medial sandy loam, strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) dry; weak very fine subangular blocky and weak very fine and fine granular structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; weakly smeary; common very fine; fine, medium, and coarse roots; common very fine and fine irregular pores; 35 percent gravel, 35 percent cobbles; strongly acid (pH 5.2); abrupt wavy boundary. (2 to 5 inches thick)
R--9 inches; marine basalt.
TYPE LOCATION: Mason County, Washington; about 5.5 miles south-southwest of Lena Creek Campground, about 265 feet west and 130 feet north of the southeast corner of section 34, T. 24 N., R. 4 W. (Latitude 47 degrees, 31 minutes, 15 seconds N., Longitude 123 degrees, 10 minutes, 02 seconds W.)
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Mean annual soil temperature is 45 to 47 degrees F. These soils are usually moist, and are never dry or dry in the soil moisture control section 0 to 30 consecutive days after the summer solstice; perudic and udic moisture regime. Depth to bedrock is 4 to 10 inches. The particle-size control section from the mineral soil surface to the bedrock contact has andic soil properties with an estimated moist bulk density of 0.60 to 0.90 g/cc., acid-oxalate extractable aluminum plus one-half of the acid oxalate extractable iron of 2 to 3 percent, phosphate retention is 85 to 100 percent, 15-bar water retention of 15 to 30 percent for air dried samples, and 60 to 90 percent rock fragments by volume. It has 1 to 2 cmol/kg of aluminum throughout. Acid oxalate extractable iron is 1.5 to 3.0 percent.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 3 or 4 moist and 5 or 6 dry, and chroma of 2 through 4, or 6 moist and 4 or 6 dry. It has 5 to 15 percent organic matter.
The Bw horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, values of 3 or 4 moist and 5 or 6 dry, and chroma of 4 or 6 moist or dry. It is extremely cobbly medial sandy loam, extremely gravelly medial sandy loam, or extremely cobbly medial loam. It has 1 to 7 percent organic matter.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Quinault, Station, Yellowstone, and Walkinshaw series. Quinault soils have a perudic moisture regime and over 2 cmol/kg of aluminum. Yellowstone soils have bedrock at 10 to 20 inches. Walkinshaw soils have over 2 cmol/kg of aluminum and bedrock at 10 to 20 inches. Station soils are dry for 30 to 45 consecutive days with mean annual precipitation of 35 to 70 inches.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Waketickeh soils are on mountains. Slopes are 60 to 100 percent. The soils formed in colluvium from marine basalt and associated volcanic rocks. Elevation is 1,750 to 2,900 feet. Average annual precipitation is 70 to 220 inches. Average annual temperature is 43 to 45 degrees F. Frost-free season is 140 to 170 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Duckabush, Fricaba, Hammahamma, Hoodcanal, McGravey, Sawpeak, and Walkinshaw soils. Duckabush and McGravey soils are on mountain slopes and are very deep. Fricaba and Sawpeak soils are on mountain slopes and are moderately deep to bedrock. Hammahamma and Hoodcanal soils are on glaciated mountain slopes and glacial valleys and are moderately deep to a cemented layer. Walkinshaw soils are on mountain slopes and have over 2 cmol/kg of aluminum and are shallow to bedrock.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; moderately rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Wildlife habitat, recreation, and watershed. Native vegetation is Douglas-fir, western hemlock, salal, red huckleberry, Oregon-grape, common beargrass, princes pine, northern twinflower, and Alaska huckleberry.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Grays Harbor, Mason, and Jefferson Counties, Washington; MLRA 1. Series is of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Mason County, Washington, 2000; Olympic National Forest.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are an ochric epipedon, andic soil properties 1 to 9 inches. The particle-size control section is from 1 to 9 inches (A and Bw horizons).
All depths to diagnostic horizons and other features are measured from the top of the first mineral horizon.