LOCATION WEITAS ID

Established Series
Rev. MK-BDG-EMM
07/2013

WEITAS SERIES

The Weitas series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in volcanic ash and loamy colluvium from granitic or metamorphic rocks. The Weitas soils are in concave positions, drainageways and slumps on mountain slopes. Slopes are 5 to 50 percent. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately high in the upper part and high in the lower part. The average annual precipitation is about 47 inches and the average annual temperature is about 40 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Medial over loamy, glassy over isotic Vitric Fulvicryands

TYPICAL PEDON: Weitas medial loam, on a 20 percent mountain slope in a shrubby alder patch at 5,040 feet elevation. Aspect is north. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated. When described on September 12, 1984, the soil was dry to 20 inches and moist below).

A1--0 to 6 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) medial loam, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) moist; weak very fine and fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine, fine and medium roots; many very fine, and fine irregular pores; 3 percent fine mica flakes; 5 percent fine gravel; moderately acid (pH 5.8); clear smooth boundary.

A2--6 to 14 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) medial loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure parting to fine and very fine granular; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine, fine, and medium roots; many very fine and fine irregular pores; 3 percent fine mica flakes; 5 percent gravel; moderately acid (pH 5.8); clear smooth boundary. (combined thickness of A horizons 10 to 14 inches thick)

Bw1--14 to 22 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) medial loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine, fine and medium roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; 3 percent fine mica flakes; 10 percent gravel; moderately acid (pH 5.8); clear smooth boundary. (8 to 33 inches thick)

2Bw2--22 to 37 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) gravelly loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine, fine, medium and coarse roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; 20 percent gravel and 10 percent cobbles; moderately acid (pH 5.8); abrupt smooth boundary. (9 to 43 inches thick).

2C--37 to 43 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) gravelly loamy sand, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; massive; loose, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few medium, few fine roots; 20 percent gravel and 5 percent cobbles; moderately acid (pH 5.8); abrupt smooth boundary. (6 to 14 inches).

3C--43 to 60 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) very gravelly loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine, fine, and medium roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; 30 percent gravel and 15 percent cobbles; strongly acid (pH 5.5).

TYPE LOCATION: Clearwater County, Idaho; approximately 4 miles northeast of Pierce; about 1,600 feet south and 1,900 feet west of the northeast corner of section 28, T.37N., R.6E. Latitude - 46 degrees, 31 minutes, 25 seconds North; Longitude - 115 degrees, 42 minutes, 17 seconds West. USGS French Mountain Quadrangle.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:

Soil moisture control section - not dry for 45 consecutive days between June and October. (Udic soil moisture regime)
Average annual soil temperature - 38 to 41 degrees F.
Average summer soil temperature - 50 to 54 degrees without an O horizon (Cryic temperature regime)
Umbric epipedon thickness - 12 to 40 inches
Base saturation - 15 to 45 percent in Umbric epipedon

Thickness of volcanic ash mantle - 14 to 25 inches
Volcanic glass content - 15 to 50 percent
Acid-oxalate extractable Al plus 1/2 Fe - 1.3 to 2.7 percent
Phosphorous retention - 55 to 95 percent
15-bar water retention on air dried samples - 12 to 20 percent

A horizons
Hue - 10YR or 7.5YR moist
Value - 3 to 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma - 1 to 3 dry or moist
Texture - medial silt loam or medial loam
Clay content - 8 to 16 percent
Rock fragments - 0 to 10 percent gravel, 0 to 2 percent cobbles, 0 to 10 percent total fragments
Reaction - 4.5 to 6.0
Bulk density - 0.65 to 0.90 g/cc

Bw horizon
Hue - 10YR or 7.5YR moist
Value - 5 to 7 dry, 3 to 5 moist
Chroma - 3 or 4 dry or moist
Texture - medial loam
Clay content - 8 to 17 percent
Rock fragments - 5 to 20 percent gravel, 0 to 5 percent cobbles, 5 to 20 percent total fragments
Reaction - 4.5 to 6.0
Bulk density - 0.65 to 1.00 g/cc

2Bw horizon
Hue - 10YR or 7.5YR moist
Value - 5 to 7 dry, 3 to 5 moist
Chroma - 3 or 4 dry or moist
Textures - loam, sandy loam or coarse sandy loam
Clay content - 8 to 17 percent
Rock fragments - 5 to 35 percent gravel, 0 to 10 percent cobbles, 5 to 40 percent total fragments
Reaction - 4.5 to 6.0

2C and 3C horizons
Hue - 10YR or 2.5Y dry
Value - 5 to 7 dry, 3 to 5 moist
Chroma - 3 or 4 dry, 3 to 6 moist
Textures - loam, sandy loam, loamy sand or loamy coarse sand
Clay content - 6 to 17 percent
Rock fragments - 10 to 50 percent gravel, 0 to 15 percent cobbles, 5 to 45 percent total fragments
Reaction - 4.5 to 6.5

COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Weitas soils are in concave positions, drainageways and slumps on mountain slopes. These soils formed volcanic ash and loamy colluvium from granitic or metamorphic rocks. Slopes are 5 to 50 percent. Elevations are 3,500 to 5,800 feet (1067 to 1768 meters). The climate has cool, moist winters and cool, dry summers. The average annual precipitation is 40 to 60 inches (1016 to 1524 mm). The average annual temperature is 38 to 41 degrees F., and the frost-free season is 30 to 100 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Aldermand, Judgetown, and Jury series. Aldermand soils are on mountain slopes and have a vitrandic surface. Judgetown soils are on convex mountain slopes and are deep to weathered granite. Jury soils are on concave mountain slopes and do not have a umbric epipedon.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Well drained; moderately high saturated hydraulic conductivity in the upper part and high in the lower part.

USE AND VEGETATION: Weitas soils are used for watershed and wildlife habitat. Potential natural vegetation is sitka alder, rocky mountain maple, sedges, huckleberry, queencup beadlily, wild ginger, bunchberry dogwood, goldthread, common princes pine, starry false-Solomons seal, and american trailplant.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: North central Idaho; the series is not extensive. MLRA 43A.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Clearwater County, Idaho, 2003.

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

Umbric epipedon - the zone from the surface to 22 inches (A1, A2, Bw1 horizons)

Cambic horizon - the zone from 14 to 37 inches (Bw1 and 2Bw horizons).

Particle size control section - the zone from 0 to 40 inches (A1, A2 horizon, Bw1, 2Bw2 and part of the 2C horizon)

The range in values listed under the Range in Characteristics for Volcanic glass content, acid-oxalate extractable Al, Phosphorous retention, 15-bar water retention and Bulk desity are estimates only.

Type location moved to present location in 1994. The Weitas series was formerly classified as Coarse-loamy, mixed Typic Cryumbrepts.

Additional data: This series has laboratory data S93-ID-035-001 (94P186) Clearwater county, Idaho; by NSSL, Lincoln, NE.

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.