LOCATION BEAUSITE WAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, isotic, mesic Vitrandic Dystroxerepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Beausite gravelly sandy loam - forested. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted.)
Oi--0 to 2 inches; slightly decomposed needles, leaves, twigs, bark, moss, and wood fragments.
Oa--2 to 3 inches; highly decomposed; black (5YR 2/1) forest litter; moderately acid (pH 5.6).
A--3 to 5 inches; dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) gravelly sandy loam, brown (7.5YR 5/2) dry; weak fine and medium granular structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many fine roots; 30 percent rounded pebbles; moderately acid (pH 5.9); clear wavy boundary. (2 to 5 inches thick)
Bw1--5 to 9 inches; dark brown (7.5YR 4/3) very gravelly sandy loam, light brown (7.5YR 6/3) dry; weak medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many fine and medium roots; 35 percent rounded pebbles; moderately acid (pH 6.0); gradual wavy boundary. (3 to 10 inches thick)
Bw2--9 to 17 inches; dark brown (10YR 4/3) very gravelly sandy loam, pale brown (10YR 6/3) dry; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many fine and medium roots; common fine and medium tubular pores; 40 percent rounded pebbles; moderately acid (pH 6.0); gradual wavy boundary. (6 to 10 inches thick)
Bw3--17 to 25 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) very gravelly sandy loam, light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) dry; massive; hard, firm, nonsticky and nonplastic; common small and medium roots; 35 percent rounded pebbles; slightly acid (pH 6.1); gradual irregular boundary. (6 to 10 inches thick)
C--25 to 36 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) and grayish brown (10YR 5/2) very gravelly sandy loam, very pale brown (10YR 7/4) dry; massive; very hard, very firm, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine roots; 55 percent rounded pebbles; slightly acid (pH 6.1); clear irregular boundary. (3 to 12 inches thick)
R--36 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) and brown (10YR 5/3); massive; very gravelly conglomerate.
TYPE LOCATION: Jefferson County, Washington. 900 feet south and 600 feet west of northeast corner of SW1/4SW1/4 sec. 36, T. 29 N., R. 2 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature is 47 to about 53 degrees F. These soils are usually moist but are dry in all parts between 8 and 24 inches for 60 to 75 consecutive days. Content of coarse fragments in the control section ranges from 35 to 75 percent. Content of clay in the control section is 5 to 15 percent. Depth to bedrock ranges from 24 to 40 inches. Thickness of solum ranges from 20 to 35 inches.
The A horizon has hue of 5YR, 7.5YR, or 10YR, value of 2 through 4 moist and dry, and chroma of 1 through 4 moist and dry.
The Bw horizon has hue of 5YR through 2.5Y, value of 2 through 4 moist, 4 through 6 dry, and chroma of 2 through 4 moist and dry. It is gravelly sandy loam, very gravelly loam, very gravelly sandy loam, or extremely gravelly sandy loam. Reaction is moderately acid or slightly acid.
The C horizon has hue of 7.5YR through 2.5Y, value of 2 through 5 moist, 4 through 6 dry, and chroma of 2 to 5 moist and dry. It is very gravelly sandy loam or extremely gravelly sandy loam. It is slightly acid or moderately acid.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Ahl, Barnhardt, Blethen, Heisler, Kanasket, Ogarty, Pickett, Squire, Tunnel, and Vanzandt series. Ahl soils have very gravelly loam or very gravelly silt loam control sections and have solums thinner than 20 inches. Barnhardt, Blethen, Heisler, Kanasket, and Tunnel soils are deeper than 40 inches. Ogarty, Pickett, and Squires soils are finer than sandy loam in the fine earth fraction. Vanzandt soils have a paralithic contact with dense glacial till at 20 to 40 inches.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Beausite soils are on glaciated mountains and foothills at elevations of near sea level to about 1,500 feet. They formed in glacial till and colluvium and slope alluvium from sandstone and conglomerate. These soils occur in a mild cool marine climate having an average annual precipitation of 30 to 50 inches, most of which falls as rain during the fall, winter, and spring months; an average January temperature of 40 degrees F, an average July temperature of 60 degrees F, and a mean annual growing season (28 degrees F) of 200 to 300 days and (32 degrees F) 160 to 220 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These include Alderwood, Blethen, Chuckanut, Everett, and Hoodsport soils and the competing Ahl and Blethen soils. These soils are deeper than 40 inches.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; moderate permeability; and runoff is medium to rapid.
USE AND VEGETATION: Timber production. The native vegetation is Douglas-fir, western hemlock, western red cedar, and red alder, with an understory of salal, Oregon- grape, oceanspray, red huckleberry, blueleaved huckleberry, and western swordfern.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northwestern Washington. Series is of moderate extent.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Jefferson County, Washington, 1968.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are an ochric epipedon.