LOCATION WOLDALE WAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, mixed, superactive, mesic Typic Endoaquolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Woldale clay loam - irrigated cropland, drained, elevation 1,550 feet. The soil was moist when described with ground water at 37 inches. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated)
Ap--0 to 5 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) clay loam, black (10YR 2/1) moist; strong medium granular structure; hard, firm slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine and medium roots; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear wavy boundary. (5 to 8 inches thick)
BA--5 to 16 inches; very dark gray (10YR 3/1) clay, black (10YR 2/1) moist; strong medium prismatic structure; very hard, very firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine and fine roots; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear smooth boundary. (8 to 15 inches thick)
Bg--16 to 31 inches; variegated grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) and grayish brown (10YR 5/2) clay, dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2); moist; strong medium prismatic structure; very hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine and fine roots; 10 percent gravel; common medium distinct black (10YR 2/1) redox segregations and few fine prominent brown (7.5YR 4/4) redox concentrations; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0) gradual wavy boundary. (13 to 21 inches thick)
2BCg--31 to 43 inches; light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) very gravelly clay, very dark grayish brown (2.5Y 3/2) moist; strong medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine roots; 35 percent gravel and 15 percent cobbles; many medium distinct black (2.5Y 2/0) redox segregations and few fine prominent brown(7.5YR 4/4) redox concentrations; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); abrupt wavy boundary. (10 to 16 inches thick)
2Cg--43 to 60 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) extremely cobbly clay loam, very dark grayish brown (2.5Y 3/2) moist; massive, slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; 30 percent gravel and 30 percent cobbles; common medium distinct black (10YR 2/1) redox segregations and few fine prominent brown (7.5YR 4/4) redox concentrations; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8).
TYPE LOCATION: Kittitas County, Washington; about 1 mile southwest of Kittitas; 1,300 feet east, 250 feet north of the southwest corner of section. 10, T. 17 N., R. 19E.; USGS Kittitas, Washington topographic quadrangle; Latitude 46 degrees, 58 minutes, 18 seconds N. and Longitude 120 degrees, 27 minutes, 04 seconds W.; NAD83
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature ranges from 49 to 52 degrees F. These soils are saturated with water at some period during the year, if not artificially drained. Water tables are a combination of natural conditions and artificially induced high water due to irrigation. Depth to aquic conditions with chroma of 2 or less and redox concentrations is 12 to 20 inches. The particle-size control section averages 40 to 60 percent clay 5 to 20 percent rock fragments. Depth to the 2BC horizon ranges from 28 to 40 inches. Depth to the 2C horizon is 40 inches or more. The mollic epipedon is 13 to 23 inches thick. Reaction is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline.
The A horizon has value of 3 or 4 dry and chroma of 1 or 0 dry or moist.
The BA horizon has value of 3 or 4 dry and chroma of 1 or 0 dry or moist.
The Bg horizon has hue of 2.5Y or 10YR , value of 4 or 5 dry, 3 or 4 moist and chroma of 1 or 2 dry or moist. It has 0 to 10 percent gravel.
The 2BCg horizon has hue of 2.5Y or 5Y, value of 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist and chroma of 2 to 4 dry or moist. Texture is very cobbly clay or very gravelly clay and has 25 to 35 percent gravel and 10 to 20 percent cobbles. Redox concentrations and segregations range from common to many and distinct to prominent.
The 2Cg horizon has hue of 2.5Y or 5Y, value of 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist and chroma of 2 or 3 dry or moist. Texture is extremely cobbly clay loam, very cobbly clay loam or extremely gravelly sandy clay loam and has 30 to 45 percent gravel and 20 to 30 percent cobbles. Redox concentrations and segregations range from common to many and distinct to prominent.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Ashkum, Milford, and Secondcreek series. All of these soils do not have the very cobbly 2BC horizons in the lower part of the particle-size control section. They are also in a climate with dominantly summer precipitation.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Woldale soils are on fan aprons and fan skirts that typically follow swales and are elongated down the piedmont slope. Slopes are 0 to 5 percent. They formed in coalescing alluvial fan deposits issuing from gullies and inset fans, which merge with the basin floor along their mutual lower boundaries. Elevations are 1,500 to 2,000 feet. These soils are in a semiarid climate with warm, dry summers and cool, moist winters. The mean annual precipitation is 9 to 12 inches. The average January temperature is about 25 degrees F. and the average July temperature is about 69 degrees F. The mean annual temperature is 48 to 50 degrees F. The frost-free season is 130 to 150 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Mitta, Opnish and Tanaha soils. Mitta soils are ashy over loamy and located on flood plains and fans. Opnish soils have carbonates, a vitrandic influence in the surface horizon and are on alluvial fans. Tanaha soils are moderately deep to a duripan and are on flood plains.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat poorly drained; slow runoff or ponded; slow permeability. This soil has an irrigation induced water table with its uppermost limit occurring some time between the mid-May to mid-October growing season.
USE AND VEGETATION: This soil is used for cropland when drained and irrigated. Crops commonly grown are corn, wheat, hay, and pasture. In natural conditions the soil is used for the production of native pasture. Native vegetation consists of water-tolerant grasses.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Eastern Kittitas County, Washington; MLRA 8. Series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Kittitas County, Washington, 1936.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - the zone from 0 to 16 inches (Ap and BA horizons)
Cambic horizon - the zone from 16 to 43 inches (Bg and 2BCg horizons)
Aquic conditions - the zone beginning at a depth of 16 inches.
Particle-size control section - the zone from 10 to 40 inches having a weighted average of 17 percent rock fragments.