LOCATION FINLEY WAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, mesic Xeric Haplocambids
TYPICAL PEDON: Finley fine sandy loam - range. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A--0 to 3 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) very fine sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many fine roots; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); abrupt smooth boundary. (2 to 6 inches thick)
AB--3 to 13 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) fine sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common fine roots; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 12 inches thick)
Bw--13 to 22 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) very gravelly loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; massive; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine roots; common fine pores; 60 percent gravel; some rock fragments have silica and lime coatings on the lower side; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); abrupt wavy boundary. (8 to 18 inches thick)
Bk--22 to 28 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) extremely gravelly loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; massive; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine roots; 80 percent gravel, cobbles and stones; strongly effervescent; some rock fragments have silica and lime coatings on the lower side; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 14 inches thick)
2C--28 to 60 inches; multicolored, extremely gravelly sand; single grain; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; 60 percent gravel, 20 percent cobbles; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0).
TYPE LOCATION: Benton County, Washington; 50 feet east of Nine Canyon Rd. and 300 feet south of the Teril Rd., in the northwest 1/4 southwest 1/4, Sec. 27, T. 8 N., R. 30 E., W.M.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The average annual soil temperature is 50 to 56 degrees F. These soils are usually dry in all parts between depths of 8 and 24 inches. Depth to carbonates is 12 to more than 40 inches. Depth to the 2C horizon is 20 to 40 inches. The particle-size control section averages 35 to 75 percent coarse fragments and 4 to 10 percent clay. The upper 7 inches, after mixing, contains less than 1.0 percent organic matter.
The A horizon has a value of 5 to 7 dry, 3 or 4 moist, and chroma of 2, to 4 dry or moist. Rock fragments range from 0 to 15 percent. Reaction is neutral to slightly alkaline.
The Bw horizon has value of 4 through 7 dry, 3 or 4 moist and chroma of 2, tor 4 dry or moist. The fine-earth fraction is loam, very fine sandy loam, fine sandy loam, or sandy loam with 10 to 75 percent rock fragments. Reaction is neutral to moderately alkaline.
The Bk horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 through or 7 dry, 3 or 4 moist, and chroma of 2 or 3 dry or moist. The fine-earth fraction is loam, fine sandy loam, very fine sandy loam, or sandy loam with 35 to 75 percent rock fragments.
The 2C horizon has a fine-earth fraction that is sand, coarse sand, or loamy sand with 40 to 75 percent rock fragments.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Cewat, Darkcanyon, Drinkwater, Felcher, Kiona, Minat, Nibbs, Veet, Veta and Wifton series. Kiona soils do not have the sandy 2C horizon within the particle-size control section. Cewat, Darkcanyon, and Felcher soils have a lithic contact at a depth of 20 to 40 inches. Drinkwater soils have 20 to 35 percent clay in the particle-size control section and lack a sandy C horizon. Minat and Wifton soils do not have a sandy 2C horizon and have a mean annual soil temperature of 47 to 50 degrees F. Nibbs soils have 15 to 25 percent clay in the Bw horizon part of the particle-size control section and the average annual soil temperature is 47 to 49 degrees F. Veet soils do not have a sandy 2C horizon and lack lime and silica coatings on the bottom of rock fragments in the Bw horizon. Veta soils do not have a sandy 2C horizon.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Finley soils are on alluvial fans and terraces at elevations of 300 to 2,300 feet. They formed in gravelly alluvium with a mixture of loess in the surface. Slopes are 0 to 50 percent. The coarse fragments are dominantly basalt. These soils occur in an arid climate with hot, dry summers and cool, moist winters. The average annual precipitation is 6 to 10 inches. The average January temperature is 29 degrees F. The average July temperature is 71 degrees F. The average annual temperature is 49 to 53 degrees F. The frost-free season is 135 to 200 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Burbank, Ephrata, Neppel, and Scooteney soils on terraces. Burbank soils are sandy-skeletal. Ephrata and Neppel soils are coarse-loamy over sandy or sandy-skeletal. Scooteney soils are coarse-loamy.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; very slow to medium runoff; moderately rapid permeability in the upper part, and very rapid below.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used for irrigated cropland and range. Common crops are winter wheat, grapes, mint, corn, alfalfa hay and pasture. Native vegetation is bluebunch wheatgrass, needle and thread, Thurber needlegrass, Sandberg bluegrass, Cusicks bluegrass and Wyoming big sagebrush.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Central Washington. Series is of moderate extent.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Benton County, Washington, 1975.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - from the surface to 3 inches
Cambic horizon - from 3 to 22 inches
Secondary carbonates - from 22 to 28 inches, but not more than 5 percent more, absolute, than the 28 to 60 inches horizon.