LOCATION WELLIE WAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy-skeletal, mixed, frigid Typic Xerorthents
TYPICAL PEDON: Wellie extremely stony loamy coarse sand - forestland on a 60 percent southeast facing slope at an elevation of 3,600 feet under a Douglas fir, ponderosa pine canopy. (When described on September 1, 1992 the soil was dry throughout. Colors are for dry soils unless otherwise stated.)
Oe--0 to 2 inches; moderately decomposed grasses.
A--2 to 5 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) extremely stony loamy coarse sand, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; weak medium granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common fine and few medium roots; common fine and medium irregular pores; 15 percent gravel, 20 percent cobbles, and 25 percent stones; neutral (pH 6.8); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 5 inches thick)
C1--5 to 18 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) extremely cobbly loamy coarse sand, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine and soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine and medium roots; common fine and medium irregular pores; 30 percent gravel, 30 percent cobbles, and 5 percent stones; neutral (pH 6.6); gradual wavy boundary.
C2--18 to 62 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) extremely cobbly loamy coarse sand, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; single grain; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine roots; common fine and medium irregular pores; 30 percent gravel, 30 percent cobbles, and 6 percent stones; slightly acid (pH 6.4).
TYPE LOCATION: Okanogan County, Washington; about 1.2 miles east-northeast of Andrews creek campground and 550 feet north of Forest Service road 5160-250 on the Coleman Peak USGS Quadrangle; 1,600 feet north and 750 feet west of the southeast corner of section 35, T. 38N., and R. 22E.; Latitude 48 degrees, 47 minutes, 19 seconds N. and Longitude 120 degrees, 4 minutes, 59 seconds W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature is 44 to 47 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. The particle-size control section is 40 to 75 percent angular rock fragments. The solum ranges from 0 to 5 inches thick. Reaction is slightly acid to neutral.
The A horizon has value of 2 to 5 dry, and chroma of 1 to 3 dry, 1 or 2 moist.
The C horizons have hue of 2.5Y or 10YR, value of 4 to 6 dry, and chroma of 1 to 4 dry or moist. It is very cobbly, very gravelly, extremely cobbly, or extremely gravelly loamy coarse sand. Rock fragments range from 20 to 35 percent gravel, 20 to 40 percent cobbles, and 0 to 10 percent stones.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Nanamkin, and Railcity series. Nanamkin soils are on floodplains and terraces. Railcity soils are dry for 80 to 100 consecutive days.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Wellie soils are on backslopes of mountains and mainly on southerly aspects. They have slopes of 35 to 90 percent. These soils formed in colluvium from granitic rock. Elevation ranges from 2,800 to 6,000 feet. The climate is characterized by warm, dry summers and cool, moist winters. The average annual precipitation ranges from 18 to 24 inches. The average January temperature ranges from 22 to 26 degrees F, the average July temperature ranges from 62 to 67 degrees F, and the average annual air temperature ranges from 42 to 46 degrees F. The frost-free season is 95 to 120 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Chewack, Doe, Sitdown, and Wapal soils. Chewack soils are on backslopes of mountains and are cryic. Doe soils are on backslopes of mountains and have a volcanic ash layer greater than 14 inches thick. Wapal soils are on footslopes and backslopes of mountains, and on terraces and terrace escarpments. These soils are formed in glacial outwash and ablation till, and have a vitrandic ash layer 7 to 14 inches thick.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat excessively drained, medium runoff; rapid permeability in the solum and very rapid permeability in the substratum.
USE AND VEGETATION: This soil is used for timber production, livestock grazing, wildlife habitat, watershed management, and recreation. Native vegetation is Douglas-fir, ponderosa pine, pinegrass, kinnikinnick, pachystima, snowbrush ceanothus, common yarrow, shinyleaf spirea, dogbane, beardless wheatgrass, and northwestern sedge.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northcentral Washington. The 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 in this pedon include:
Ochric epipedon