LOCATION CALIRALLS WAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Calciargidic Argixerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Caliralls silt loam- rangeland, on a 23 percent southwest-facing slope at an elevation of 2,540 feet. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated. All textures are apparent field textures.)
A--0 to 3 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) silt loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak very coarse platy structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine roots; many very fine vesicular and tubular pores; 5 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.8); abrupt smooth boundary. (2 to 3 inches thick)
AB--3 to 8 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) silt loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate coarse subangular blocky structure parting to weak very coarse platy; slightly hard and friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; 5 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.8); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 6 inches thick)
Bt1--8 to 13 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) silt loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine roots; common fine tubular pores; few faint clay films lining pores; 10 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.0); clear wavy boundary.
Bt2--13 to 23 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) gravelly silt loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine roots; common fine tubular pores; common distinct pressure faces on peds and few patchy faint clay films lining pores; 20 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.2); clear wavy boundary.
Bt3--23 to 30 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) gravelly silt loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine roots; common fine tubular pores; few prominent clay films lining pores; 20 percent gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bt horizon is 20 to 30 inches)
Btk1--30 to 36 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) gravelly silt loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine roots; common fine tubular pores; few prominent clay films on faces of peds; few faint light gray (10YR 7/2) lime coatings in root channels; 20 percent gravel; strong effervescence; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); abrupt wavy boundary. (5 to 7 inches thick)
Btk2--36 to 42 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) gravelly silt loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots; common fine tubular pores; common distinct clay films lining pores; few light gray (10YR 7/2) lime coatings in root channels; 20 percent gravel, 10 percent cobbles; strong effervescence; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear wavy boundary. (5 to 7 inches thick)
Btk3--42 to 60 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) gravelly clay loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/3) on exterior ped, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate fine and medium angular blocky structure; hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine roots; common fine tubular pores; common distinct clay films lining pores; few light gray (10YR 7/2) lime coatings in root channels; common distinct pressure faces on peds; few fine rounded lime nodules; 25 percent gravel; 5 percent cobbles; strong effervescence; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0). (6 to 10 inches thick)
TYPE LOCATION: Kittitas County, Washington, about 9 miles south of Kittitas, 250 feet south and 1,000 feet west of northeast corner of section 29, T. 16 N., R. 20 E.; USGS Badger Gap Topographic quadrangle; Lat. 46 degrees 51' 06'' N. and 120 degrees 20' 31'' W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Average annual soil temperature at a depth of 20 inches is 47 to 54 degrees F. These soils are dry in the moisture control section more than half of the time when the soil temperature at a depth of 20 inches is above 40 degrees F. The particle-size control section averages 25 to 33 percent clay, and 15 to 25 percent rock fragments by volume. Depth to a lithic contact is over 40 inches. Depth to secondary carbonates is 25 to 43 inches.
The A horizon has a value of 4 through 6 dry and 2 or 3 moist.
The AB horizon has a value of 4 or 5 dry, 3 or 4 moist, and a chroma of 3 or 4 dry and moist. It averages 0 to 10 percent gravel.
The Bt horizon has a value of 4 through 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist, and chroma of 3 or 4, dry or moist. It is gravelly clay loam, gravelly silt loam, and silt loam. It is neutral or slightly alkaline.
The Btk horizon has a value of 5 or 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist. The upper part of the Btk horizon is gravelly loam, gravelly silt loam, or gravelly clay loam. The lower part is gravelly clay loam, very gravelly clay loam or very gravelly silt loam. It is moderately or strongly alkaline. Organic matter is estimated to range from 1 to 2 percent.
Some pedons have a Ck horizon that is very gravelly sandy loam or extremely gravelly sandy loam.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Axford, Babbington, Benwy, Brogan (T), Drybed, Haw, Polly, and Zen series. Axford soils are 40 to 60 inches to a paralithic contact. Benwy soils have less than 15 percent rock fragments in the particle-size control section. Babbington, Brogan soils lack calcic horizons and contain less than 15 percent calcium carbonate equivalent. Haw soils have C horizons with coarse sand textures. Drybed soils are 10 to 20 inches to secondary carbonates. Polly soils are 15 to 25 inches to calcium carbonate accumulation. Zen soils are 20 to 40 inches to a lithic contact.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Caliralls soils are on hillslopes and have slopes of 3 to 45 percent. They formed in loess and colluvium from basalt. Elevations are 1,700 to 2,900 feet. These soils are in a semiarid climate with warm dry summers and cold moist winters. Average annual precipitation ranges from 9 to 12 inches. Average January temperature is about 25 degrees F.; average July temperature is about 69 degrees F.; and average annual temperature is 48 to 50 degrees F. Frost-free season is 100 to 170 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Cheviot, Clerf, Grinrod, Horseflat, Kimama, Laric, Vantage, Wipple, and Zen soils. Cheviot soils are on footslopes and sideslopes and are loamy-skeletal. Clerf soils are on hillslopes, are clayey-skeletal and 20 to 40 inches to bedrock. Grinrod soils are on hillslopes, are loamy-skeletal and 20 to 40 inches to bedrock. Horseflat soils are on hillslopes, are loamy-skeletal and 12 to 20 inches to bedrock. Kimama soils are in drainageways and depressions and are fine-silty. Laric soils are on ridgetops, are loamy and 5 to 12 inches to bedrock. Vantage soils are on ridgetops, are clayey-skeletal and 12 to 20 inches to bedrock. Wipple soils are on hillslopes and footslopes and are clayey-skeletal. Zen soils are on ridgetops and are 20 to 40 inches to bedrock.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained, slow to very rapid runoff; moderately slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used for livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. Vegetation is bluebunch wheatgrass, Sandberg bluegrass, and Wyoming big sagebrush.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Eastern Kittitas and Yakima Counties, Washington. This series is of moderate extent.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Kittitas County, Washington, Yakima Training Center, 1994.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - 0 to 13 inches (A, AB, and Bt1 horizons)
Argillic horizon - 8 to 60 inches ((Bt1, Bt2, Bt3, Btk1, Btk2, and Btk3 horizons
Calcic horizon from 30 to 60 inches (Btk1, Btk2, and Btk3 horizons)
Particle-size control section - 8 to 28 inches (Bt1, Bt2, and upper 5 inches of the Bt3 horizon).