LOCATION ZEB WA+IDEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, frigid Ultic Haploxerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Zeb stony sandy loam-forested, on a 10 percent northwest-facing slope at an elevation of 1,680 feet. The surface has a 2 percent cover of stones and boulders. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated. All textures are apparent field textures.)
Oi--0 to 1 inches; undecomposed forest litter.
A1--1 to 3 inches; gray (10YR 5/1) stony sandy loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; 10 percent gravel, 5 percent cobbles and 5 percent stones; neutral (pH 6.6). (2 to 7 inches thick)
A2--3 to 12 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) gravelly sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and few medium roots; few very fine tubular pores; 15 percent gravel and 5 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 6.6). (5 to 10 inches thick)
Bw--12 to 29 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) very cobbly sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine and medium roots; few very fine tubular pores; 20 percent gravel and 15 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 6.6). (10 to 28 inches thick)
C--29 to 61 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) very cobbly coarse sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine and coarse roots; few very fine tubular pores; 20 percent gravel, 15 percent cobbles and 5 percent stones; slightly acid (pH 6.4).
TYPE LOCATION: Chelan County, Washington; about 7 miles northwest of Ardenvoir, Washington; 850 feet east and 2,200 feet north of southwest corner of section 11, R. 27 N. R. 19 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: These soils are usually moist but are dry in the moisture control section for 60 to 75 days following summer solstice. The average annual soil temperature at 20 inches in depth ranges from 44 to 47 degrees F. The mollic epipedon is 10 to 14 inches thick. Depth to bedrock is greater than 60 inches. Clay averages 5 to 12 percent and rock fragments average from 35 to 65 percent in the particle-size control section. Soil reaction is slightly acid or neutral throughout.
The A1 horizon has value of 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist and chroma of 1 or 2 dry or moist.
The A2 (or BA) horizon has value of 2 or 3 moist and chroma of 2 or 3 dry or moist. Texture is sandy loam or fine sandy loam with 15 to 50 percent rock fragments dominated by gravel.
The Bw horizon has value of 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist and chroma of 1 to 3 dry or moist. Texture is sandy loam or coarse sandy loam with 25 to 65 percent rock fragments dominated by gravel and cobbles.
The C horizon has value of 5 to 7 dry, 3 to 5 moist and chroma of 2 to 6 dry or moist. Texture is coarse sandy loam, sandy loam or loamy coarse sand with 35 to 65 percent rock fragments. Some pedons have texture that ranges to coarse sand with up to 75 percent rock fragments below 30 inches. Pararock fragments range from 0 to 30 percent.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Eagleson (T), Grousecreek, Patio, Rogger, Sutkin and Terracecreek series. Eagleson, Patio, Rogger and Terracecreek soils are 20 to 40 inches deep. Grousecreek soils are 40 to 60 inches deep to bedrock. Sutkin soils have 18 to 30 percent clay in the particle-size control section.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Zeb soils are on fans and terraces on all aspects. Slopes are dominantly 3 to 30 percent, but range up to 65 percent on dissected fan remnants in Idaho. Elevations are 1,600 to 2,500 feet in Washington and 3,050 to 5,660 feet in Idaho. These soils formed in mixed alluvium. The climate has warm, dry summers and cool, moist winters. The mean annual precipitation is 22 to 40 inches. The mean January temperature is about 25 degrees F.; the mean July temperature is about 65 degrees F.; and the mean annual temperature is 42 to 45 degrees F. The frost-free season is 60 to 120 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Icicle and Ramparter soils. These soils are on mountain slopes and do not have a mollic epipedon. In addition, Ramparter soils are cindery.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; moderately rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Zeb soils are used mostly for timber production, wildlife habitat, watershed and recreation with a small amount cleared for hay and pasture. Native vegetation in Washington is Douglas fir, ponderosa pine, pinegrass, elksedge, snowbrush ceanothus, antelope bitterbrush and rose. Native vegetation in Idaho is Douglas-fir, ponderosa pine, ninebark mallow, common snowberry and Geyers (elk) sedge.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Valleys on the east slopes of the Cascade Mountains in Central Chelan County, Washington, MLRA 6. Intermontane basins and mountain valleys in Boise County, Idaho, MLRA 44. This series is of small extent. (1,645 acres in Idaho)
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Chelan County, Washington, l971.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon include:
Mollic epipedon - the zone from the mineral surface to 12 inches (A1 and A2 horizons)
Cambic horizon - the zone from 12 to 29 inches (Bw horizon)
Particle-size control section - the zone from 11 to 41 inches
Soil moisture regime - xeric