LOCATION WYANT WAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, mesic Ultic Argixerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Wyant loam - forested; on a 10 percent slope at 1,425 feet elevation. (All colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated. All textures are apparent field textures.)
Oe--2 to 0 inches; partially decomposed organic litter including needles, twigs, and bark. Abrupt smooth boundary.
A1--0 to 4 inches; very dark brown (10YR 2/2) loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) dry; weak medium subangular blocky structure parting to moderate fine granular; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many fine and coarse roots; common to many fine and medium vesicular and tubular pores; strongly acid (pH 5.2); abrupt smooth boundary.
A2--4 to 12 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) silty clay loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) dry; weak medium subangular blocky structure parting to moderate fine granular; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common to many fine and coarse roots; many fine and medium tubular and vesicular pores; strongly acid (pH 5.3); clear wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the A horizon is 10 to 20 inches).
Bt1--12 to 19 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) clay loam, brown (10YR 5/3) dry; weak medium subangular blocky structure parting to strong fine subangular blocky; hard, firm, sticky and plastic; many discontinuous distinct very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) clay films on the faces of peds; common to many fine and coarse roots; few fine and common medium vesicular and tubular pores; 5 percent gravel from pyroclastic rocks; very strongly acid (pH 4.9); clear smooth boundary.
Bt2--19 to 26 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) clay loam, pale brown (10YR 6/3) dry; weak medium subangular blocky structure parting to moderate fine subangular blocky; hard, firm, sticky and plastic; many discontinuous distinct dark yellowish brown 10YR 4/4) clay films on faces of peds; few coarse and common fine roots; few medium and fine vesicular and tubular pores; very strongly acid (pH 5.0); clear smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bt horizon is 11 to 19 inches)
BCt1--26 to 34 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) clay loam, pale brown (10YR 6/3) dry; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, firm, sticky and plastic; many discontinuous distinct black (N 2/0) and dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) clay films on faces of peds; very few fine and coarse roots; few very fine and fine vesicular and tubular pores; very strongly acid (pH 4.8); clear smooth boundary.
BCt2--34 to 39 inches; dark brown (10YR 4/3) sandy clay loam, pale brown (10YR 6/3) dry; few medium prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) mottles; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, sticky and plastic; many discontinuous distinct brown (10YR 4/3) clay films on faces of peds; very few fine and coarse roots; few very fine and fine vesicular and tubular pores; very strongly acid (pH 5.0); clear smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the BCt horizon is 10 to 17 inches)
Crt--39 to 49 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) soft weathered tuff; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) dry; few patchy distinct dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) clay films on lower surfaces of tuff fragments.
TYPE LOCATION: Cowlitz County, Washington, about 6 miles southeast of Toutle, Washington; about 1,300 feet west and about 2,200 feet south of the northeast corner of section 6, T.9 N., R. 2 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The average annual soil temperature is estimated to range from 47 to 49 degrees F. These soils are usually moist but are dry for 45 to 60 consecutive days following the summer solstice. They are very strongly acid to strongly acid throughout. Clay content in the argillic horizon is 27 to 35 percent by field texture and is more than 60 percent by multiplying 2,5 times the 15-bar water. Depth to weathered tuff or tuff breccia is 20 to 40 inches. Base saturation by the sum of cations is less than 75 percent throughout the profile.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 2 or 3 moist, 4 or 5 dry and chroma of 2 or 3 moist and dry.
The Bt horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 3 or 4 moist, 5 or 6 dry and chroma of 2 through 4 moist and dry. Apparent field texture is silty clay, clay, silty clay loam or clay loam with many distinct clay films.
The BCt horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 4 or 5 moist, 6 or 7 dry and chroma or 3 or 4 moist and dry. Apparent texture is clay loam, loam, or sandy clay loam.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Applegate and Mcnull series. Applegate soils are more than 6o inches deep and are dry for 60 to 80 consecutive days following the summer solstice. Mcnull soils are dry for 80 to 110 consecutive days following the summer solstice and contains 10 to 35 percent rock fragments.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Wyant soils are on shoulder slopes and side slopes of mountains between the north and south forks of the Toutle River. Elevations range from 900 to 1800 feet. These soils formed in residuum and colluvium from highly weathered tuff and tuff breccia. The climate is marine with an average annual precipitation of 60 to 70 inches, occurring mostly as snowfall and rainfall during winter, with cool dry summers. Average January temperature is about 30 degrees F.; average July temperature is about 63 degrees F., and average annual temperature is about 47 degrees F. The growing season (28 degrees F.) is 150 to 200 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Baumgard, Schneider and Hazeldell soils. All of these soils are deep or very deep and have an umbric epipedon.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; medium or rapid runoff; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Timber production and wildlife habitat. Vegetation is Douglas-fir, red alder and western hemlock with an understory of vine maple, salal, western brackenfern, western swordfern, Cascade Oregongrape, red huckleberry, trailing blackberry and grasses.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Eastern Cowlitz County, Washington. These soils are of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Cowlitz County, Washington, 1989.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are a mollic epipedon from the mineral surface to 19 inches, an argillic horizon from 12 to 39 inches and a paralithic contact at 39 inches. The clay content based on mechanical analysis is less than 35 percent. Based on the 15-bar water measurement, the clay content is greater than 60 percent in the argillic horizon. Lab samples numbers S84WA015-008, #845169 and #845175.