LOCATION WAIKALOA                HI

Established Series
Rev. RTG/MRK
05/2012

WAIKALOA SERIES

The Waikaloa series consists of deep and very deep, well drained soils that formed in basic volcanic ash. Slopes range from 2 to 20 percent. The mean annual rainfall is about 381 millimeters (15 inches), and the mean annual air temperature is about 18 degrees C. (64 degrees F.)

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Medial, amorphic, isothermic Typic Haplotorrands

TYPICAL PEDON: Waikaloa medial very fine sandy loam, on a west facing, convex, 2 percent slope under pasture at an elevation of 792 meters (2600 feet). (Colors are for moist soils unless otherwise noted. All textures are "apparent field textures". pH measured with electrode in 1:1 water. When described on April 5, 1965 the soil was moist throughout.)

Ap--0 to 13 centimeters (0 to 5 inches); dark reddish brown (5YR 2/2) medial very fine sandy loam, brown (7.5YR 4/2) dry; weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many roots; many fine and very fine pores; neutral (pH 6.6); abrupt smooth boundary.

A--13 to 25 centimeters (5 to 10 inches); dark reddish brown (5YR 3/2) medial very fine sandy loam, brown (7.5YR 4/4) dry; weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many roots; many very fine and fine pores; neutral (pH 7.1); clear smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the A horizon is 18 to 38 centimeters {7 to 15 inches} thick.)

Bw1--25 to 50 centimeters (10 to 20 inches); dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) medial very fine sandy loam, brown (7.5YR 4/4) dry; weak coarse prismatic structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many roots; many fine and very fine pores; neutral (pH 7.3); gradual wavy boundary.

Bw2--50 to 64 centimeters (20 to 25 inches); dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) medial very fine sandy loam, brown (7.5YR 4/4) dry; weak coarse prismatic structure; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many roots; many fine pores; slightly alkaline (pH 7.5); gradual wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bw horizon is 25 to 46 centimeters {10 to 18 inches} thick.)

2Bwb--64 to 79 centimeters (25 to 31 inches); dark reddish brown (5YR 3/4) medial silty clay loam, brown (7.5YR 4/4) dry; weak coarse prismatic structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky and moderately plastic; common roots; many very fine pores; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); gradual wavy boundary. (8 to 18 centimeters {3 to 7 inches} thick)

2Ckb1--79 to 99 centimeters (31 to 39 inches); dark reddish brown (5YR 3/2) medial silty clay loam, strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) dry; weak coarse prismatic structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky and moderately plastic; common roots; many very fine pores; violent effervescence (4 percent calcium carbonate); slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); clear wavy boundary.

2Ckb2--99 to 127 centimeters (39 to 50 inches); dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) silty clay loam, light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) dry; weak coarse prismatic structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky and moderately plastic; few roots; many very fine pores; a strongly cemented layer about one inch thick is at 107 centimeters (42 inches); strong effervescence (3 percent calcium carbonate); moderately alkaline (pH 8.1); abrupt wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the 2Ckb horizon is 43 to 69 centimeters {17 to 27} inches thick.)

2Cb--127 to 165 centimeters {50 to 65 inches}; brown (7.5YR 4/4) sandy loam, light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) dry; weak coarse prismatic structure; hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few roots; many very fine pores; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2).

TYPE LOCATION: Island of Hawaii, Hawaii County, Hawaii; about 3.5 miles south of the Saddle Road junction and 91 meters (300 feet) west of Highway 190 on Parker Ranch. Nohonaohae Quadrangle; lat. 19 degrees 53 minutes 30 seconds N. and long. 155 degrees 43 minutes 10 seconds W. (Old Hawaiian Datum)

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Depth to bedrock: More than 152 centimeters (60 inches). Strongly cemented layer: Occurs in most pedons at 102 to 127 centimeters (40 to 50 inches).
Depth to calcium carbonate: 50 to 102 centimeters (20 to 40 inches).
Mean annual soil temperature: 17 to 22 degrees C. (62 to 71 degrees F.)

A horizon
Hue: 5YR or 7.5YR.
Value: 2 or 3 moist, 4 or 5 dry.
Chroma: 2 or 3 moist, dry.
Structure: Weak or moderate granular.

Bw horizon
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR.
Chroma: 2 to 4 moist or dry.
Structure: Weak or moderate coarse prismatic or moderate fine and medium subangular blocky.
Soil reaction: Neutral or slightly alkaline (pH 6.6 to 7.8).

2Bwb horizon
Hue: 5YR or 7.5YR.
Value: 3 moist, 3 or 4 dry.
Chroma: 3 or 4 moist, 4 dry.
Texture: Medial silty clay or medial silty clay loam.
Structure: Weak coarse prismatic or moderate fine and medium subangular blocky.
Wet consistence: Slightly sticky or moderately sticky and slightly plastic or moderately plastic.
Soil reaction: Neutral or slightly alkaline (pH 6.6 to 7.8).

2Ckb horizon
Hue: 5YR, 7.5YR or 10YR.
Value: 3 or 4 moist, 5 or 6 dry.
Chroma: 2 to 4 moist, 4 to 6 dry.
Texture: medial silty clay loam or silty clay loam.
Structure: Weak coarse prismatic or moderate fine and medium subangular blocky.
Wet consistence: Slightly sticky or moderately sticky and slightly plastic or moderately plastic.
Effervescence: Strong or violent.
Calcium carbonate percentage: 2 to 4 percent.
Soil reaction: Slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline (pH 7.4 to 8.4).

2Cb horizon
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR.
Value: 3 or 4 moist, 4 to 6 dry.
Chroma: 4 moist, 4 or 5 dry.
Texture: Loam or sandy loam.
Structure: Massive or weak coarse prismatic.
Soil reaction: Slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline (pH 7.4 to 8.4).

COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series. Similar soils include Kamaoa, Kikoni, Kiolakaa, and Waimea series. All these soils are noncalcareous.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Waikaloa soils are on mid elevation, leeward slopes of Mauna Kea Volcano and the undissected upland of Hualalai Volcano at elevations from 305 to 1372 meters (1000 to 4500 feet). These soils are on all hillslope positions of undulating to hilly lava flows that are greater than 100,000 years old. Slope gradients range from 2 to 20 percent. The soils formed in basic volcanic ash. The mean annual rainfall ranges from 250 to 510 millimeters (10 to 20 inches), with most of the rainfall occurring from October through April. The mean annual pan evaporation ranges from 1780 to 2030 millimeters (70 to 80 inches). The mean annual air temperature ranges from 15 to 22 degrees C. (60 to 71 degrees F.) The mean summer soil temperature and the mean winter soil temperature differ by less than 6 degrees C. (11 degrees F.)

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Kamakoa and Puu Pa soils, and the similar Waimea soils. Kamakoa soils have strata of fine to coarse sand and gravel in the control section. Puu Pa soils are medial over fragmental.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. Runoff is low to high. Permeability is moderate.

USE AND VEGETATION: Used for grazing and wildlife habitat. Natural vegetation is bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon), Natal redtop (Melinis repens), bur clover (Medicago hispida) , ilima (Sida fallax), prickly pear cactus (Opuntia megacantha), and mountain dandelion (Taraxacum vulgare).

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: South Kohala District, Island of Hawaii; MLRA 157 and 161A. The soils are of moderate extent.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California.

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Soil Survey, Territory of Hawaii, 1949.

REMARKS: Soil moisture - dry, but are moist in some or all parts for less than 90 cumulative days in most years (Aridic/Torric moisture regime).
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - from the surface to 25 centimeters (10 inches) (A horizon).
Cambic horizon - from 25 to 79 centimeters (10 to 31 inches) (Bw and 2Bwb horizons).
Andic soil properties - from 0 to 99 centimeters (0 to 39 inches) (A, Bw, 2Bwb, and 2Ckb1 horizons).

Edit Log: 11/3/99 Classification revised due to changes in Soil Taxonomy. Old classification: Medial, isothermic Ustollic Eutrandepts. Competing series updated. MRK
4/09 Andic textural modifiers added plus minor edits. MRK

ADDITIONAL DATA: SSIR No. 29, HAWAII, pp. 54-57, 1976.

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.