LOCATION WINDRY WAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, mesic Lithic Argixerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Windry very cobbly loam- rangeland, on a 57 percent northwest-facing slope at 3,200 feet elevation. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated. All textures are apparent field textures.)
A--0 to 3 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) very cobbly loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak fine and medium granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine roots; common very fine irregular pores; 20 percent pebbles and 30 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 7.2); clear wavy boundary. (3 to 4 inches thick)
AB--3 to 7 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) very gravelly clay loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and few fine and medium roots; common very fine irregular pores; common distinct (10YR 3/2) organic coats on the faces of peds; 45 percent pebbles and 10 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 7.2); clear wavy boundary. (3 to 8 inches thick)
Bt--7 to 15 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) extremely cobbly clay loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak medium and fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and few fine and medium roots; common very fine tubular pores; common distinct clay films on the faces of peds; 30 percent pebbles and 40 percent cobbles; slightly alkaline (pH 7.2); clear wavy boundary. (6 to 8 inches thick)
R--15 inches; basalt bedrock.
TYPE LOCATION: Yakima County, Washington, about 2,350 feet south and 2,500 feet west of the northeast corner of section 30, T. 14 N., R. 22 E.; USGS Black Rock Spring NE; Lat 46 degrees 40' 21" N. and Long. 120 degrees 06' 55" W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature at the lithic contact ranges from 47 to 52 degrees F. These soils are usually moist but are dry in all parts of the moisture control section for 90 to 100 days following the summer solstice. The particle-size control section averages 25 to 30 percent clay in the fine earth fraction and 35 to 70 percent rock fragments by volume. Depth to bedrock and solum thickness range from 14 to 20 inches. The mollic epipedon is 12 to 20 inches thick and includes all or part of the argillic horizon. Organic matter is estimated to range from 1 to 2 percent. Reaction is neutral or slightly alkaline throughout.
The A horizon has value of 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist and chroma of 2 or 3 dry or moist.
The AB horizon has value of 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist, and chroma of 2 or 3 dry or moist. It is very gravelly clay loam, very gravelly loam or very cobbly loam. It is weak fine and medium or moderate fine and medium subangular blocky.
The Bt horizon has a value of 4 through 6 dry or moist, and chroma is 2 or 3, dry or moist. It is extremely gravelly clay loam, extremely cobbly clay loam, or very cobbly loam. It is moderate fine and medium or weak fine or medium subangular blocky structure.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Argabak, Bellehelen, Brier, Chinabutte, Clovercreek, Duco, Gwin, Horseflat, Orhood, Reywat, and Upatad soils. Argabak soils are 4 to 12 inches to a lithic contact and are dry more than half of the time. Bellehelen, Brier, Duco and Reywat soils have aridic soil moisture regimes. In addition, Bellehelen and Brier soils are moist for 10 to 20 days from July to October and have mollic epipedon 7 to 12 inches thick. Chinabutte soils are dry in the moisture control section for 75 to 90 consecutive days following the summer solstice and have mollic epipedons 7 to 11 inches thick. Clovercreek soils are dry in the moisture control section for 60 to 80 consecutive days during summer and fall and are dominated by pebbles. Duco soils are usually dry and have soil temperature of 50 to 53 degrees F. Gwin soils are dry in the moisture control section for 60 to 75 consecutive days following the summer solstice. Horseflat soils are dry in the moisture control section for more than half of the time that the soil temperature is above 40 degrees F. Orhood soils are above 41 degrees F. from March 15 to December l and have 5 to 10 percent stones throughout. Upatad soils have 5 to 15 percent silica concretions and lime coatings on rock fragments in the 2Btk horizon.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Windry soils are on ridgetops and hillslopes and have slopes 3 to 60 percent. These soils formed in colluvium from basalt and loess. Elevations are 2,500 to 4,200 feet. These soils are in a semiarid climate with warm dry summers and cold moist winters. The average annual precipitation ranges from 12 to 15 inches. The average January temperature is about 25 degrees F.; the average July temperature is about 69 degrees F; and the average annual temperature is 48 degrees F. Frost-free season is 120 to 135 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Argabak, Blint, and Camaspatch soils. Argabak soils are on ridges and benches and are 4 to 12 inches to a lithic contact. Blint soils are on hillslopes and are 20 to 40 inches to bedrock. Camaspatch soils are on side slopes of ridges and are 12 to 20 inches to bedrock.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained, medium to very rapid runoff; moderately slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Rangeland and wildlife habitat. Vegetation includes Sandberg bluegrass, bluebunch wheatgrass, and threetip sagebrush.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Yakima and Kittitas Counties, Washington. Series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Yakima County, Washington, Yakima Training Center, 1994.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are a mollic epipedon from the surface to 13 inches, an argillic horizon from 7 to 15 inches and a lithic contact at 15 inches. The particle-size control section is the zone from 7 to 15 inches (argillic horizon).