LOCATION WOLFESON WA

Established Series
Rev. NCD/RWL/RJS
10/2016

WOLFESON SERIES

The Wolfeson series consists of very deep, somewhat poorly drained soils formed in glaciofluvial material and glaciolacustrine deposits with an influence of volcanic ash and loess in the upper part. Wolfeson soils are on glacial outwash terraces and relict glacial lake terraces. Slopes are 0 to 5 percent. The average annual temperature is about 43 degrees F. and the mean annual precipitation is about 24 inches.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, isotic, frigid Oxyaquic Vitrandic Haploxerepts

TYPICAL PEDON: Wolfeson ashy very fine sandy loam, cropland, on an east facing slope of 1 percent at an elevation of 2,210 feet. When described on November 1, 2001 the soil was moist to 54 inches and saturated below. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)

Ap--0 to 9 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) ashy very fine sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine roots; many very fine pores; slightly acid (pH 6.5); clear smooth boundary.(4 to 9 inches thick)

Bw1--9 to 21 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) ashy fine sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine roots; many very fine pores; slightly acid (pH 6.5); gradual smooth boundary.(6 to 12 inches thick)

Bw2--21 to 37 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) fine sandy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, non-sticky and non-plastic; few very fine and fine roots; few fine pores; common light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/3) iron depletions and common dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) masses of oxidized iron; 1 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.0); clear wavy boundary. (10 to 28 inches thick)

C1--37 to 48 inches; pale yellow (2.5Y 7/4) clay loam, light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) moist; massive; very hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine and fine roots; many very fine pores; many light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) iron depletions and few dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) masses of oxidized iron; neutral (pH 6.8); abrupt smooth boundary.(0 to 12 inches thick)

C2--48 to 53 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) silty clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; massive; very hard, extremely firm; moderately sticky and moderately plastic; no visible roots; many fine pores; many light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) and common pale yellow (2.5Y 8/2) iron depletions; few black (10YR 2/1) masses of oxidized manganese and few dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) masses of oxidized iron; neutral (pH 7.0); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 10 inches thick)

C3--53 to 60 inches; light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) loamy fine sand, olive brown (2.5Y 4/4) moist; single grain; loose, non-sticky and non-plastic; no visible roots; many very fine and few medium interstitial pores; common black (10YR 2/1) masses of oxidized manganese and dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) masses of oxidized iron; neutral (pH 7.0).

TYPE LOCATION: Spokane County, Washington; About 1.5 miles southeast of Clayton, WA.; 483 feet south and 953 feet west of the northeast corner of section 29, T.29N, R.42E., USGS Clayton, Wa. Topographic Quadrangle; (Latitude 47 degrees, 59 minutes, 17.41 seconds N. and Longitude 117 degrees, 32 minutes, and 34.95 seconds W.), NAD 83.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:

Soil moisture -- dry in all parts for 45 consecutive days following the summer solstice
Average annual soil temperature - 44 to 46 degrees F
Reaction -- neutral or slightly acid throughout
Volcanic ash influence -- 10 to 30 inches
Estimated properties of the volcanic ash influenced layers:
Volcanic glass content -- 5 to 20 percent
Acid oxalate extractable Al plus Fe - 0.4 to 1.0
Moist bulk density -- 1.20 to 1.40 g/cc
15 bar water retention -- 5 to 10 percent for air dried samples

Ap horizon
Value -- 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma -- 2 or 3, dry or moist
Texture -- ashy very fine sandy loam or ashy fine sandy loam
Gravel content -- 0 to 5 percent

Bw1 horizon
Value -- 5 to 7 dry, 3 to 5 moist
Chroma -- 2 to 4, dry or moist
Texture -- ashy very fine sandy loam, ashy sandy loam, ashy fine sandy loam, or ashy loam
Gravel content -- 0 to 5 percent

Bw2 horizon
Value -- 5 to 7 dry, 3 to 5 moist
Chroma -- 2 to 4, dry or moist
Texture -- very fine sandy loam, sandy loam, fine sandy loam, or loam
Gravel content -- 0 to 10 percent
Redoximorphic features -- few to many fine or medium masses or oxidized iron and few to common iron depletions

C horizons
Hue -- 10YR or 2.5Y
Value -- 5 to 7 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma -- 2 to 5, dry or moist
Texture -- silt loam, clay loam, or silty clay loam in the upper part and loam, fine sandy loam, sandy loam, loamy fine sand, clay loam, or silty clay loam in the lower part.
Gravel content -- 0 to 5 percent
Redoximorphic features -- few to many, masses of oxidized iron and iron depletions

COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Wolfeson soils are on glacial lake terraces at elevations of 1,700 to 2,500 feet. Slopes are 0 to 5 percent. The mean annual precipitation is 20 to 26 inches; the average annual temperature is 43 degrees F.; the frost free season is 90 to 120 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Kaniksu, Fan Lake, Bridgeson, Peone, and Stapaloop soils. Kaniksu soils are well drained, contain lamellae and occur on terraces. Fan Lake soils are moderately well drained and have andic soil properties; they generally occur on terraces above the Wolfeson series. Bridgeson soils are fine loamy, poorly drained, and occur in drainageways. Peone soils are ashy with glassy mineralogy, poorly drained, and occur on alluvial fans, drainageways, and depressional areas. Stapaloop soils are well drained and occur on terraces and footslopes and toeslopes of foothills.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Somewhat poorly drained; moderately high saturated hydraulic conductivity. An apparent water table is present at its upper most limit February through April.

USE AND VEGETATION: Principal use includes production of timber, grazed woodland, small grains and grass. Native vegetation is Douglas-fir, western larch, ponderosa pine, grand fir, white pine, aspen, Oregon grape, strawberry, elk sedge, mallow ninebark, common snowberry, pathfinder, Columbia brome, Idaho goldthread, oceanspray, myrtle pachistima, and baldhip rose.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northeastern Washington. The series is of small extent. MLRA 44A.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Spokane County, Washington, 2012. Named for the nearby town of Wolfeson, WA.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and other features recognized in this pedon are:

Ochric epipedon - The zone from the soil surface to 9 inches. (Ap horizon)
Cambic horizon - The zone from 9 to 37 inches. (Bw1, and Bw2 horizons)
Particle size control section - The zone from 10 to 40 inches. (Part of the Bw1, Bw2, and part of the C1 horizon)
Vitrandic feature -- The zone from 0 to 21 inches (A and Bw1 horizons)
Oxyaquic feature -- The zone beginning at 21 inches having saturation with water for 30 or more cumulative days.

ADDITIONAL DATA:
Areas of Wolfeson soils were previously mapped with a mesic soil temperature regime in Stevens County and northern Spokane County, Washington. As of 8/2011 the Wolfeson series has been investigated over it's entire extent by the MLRA SSO Leader from Spokane, WA and has been determined to have a frigid soil temperature regime based on natural vegetation.

The 8/2011 posting reflects a redescription of the type location pedon and a change in classification from Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Aquic Haploxerepts to Coarse-loamy, isotic, frigid Oxyaquic Vitrandic Haploxerepts.

Further investigation is needed to determine typical mineralogy (isotic vs. mixed).

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.