LOCATION KAWAIHAE HIEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, mixed, semiactive, isohyperthermic Sodic Haplocambids
TYPICAL PEDON: Kawaihae extremely stony very fine sandy loam - pasture. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted. All textures are "apparent field textures.")
A1--0 to 2 inches; dark reddish brown (2.5YR 2/4) extremely stony very fine sandy loam, dark reddish brown (2.5YR 3/4) dry; weak very fine granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly plastic; many roots; many very fine pores; stones cover about 50 percent of the surface; neutral (pH 7.0); abrupt smooth boundary. (2 to 4 inches thick)
B2--2 to 16 inches; dark reddish brown (2.5YR 3/4) stony silt loam, (2.5YR 3/4) dry; weak coarse prismatic structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many roots; many very fine pores; about 10 percent stones by volume; neutral (pH 7.0); clear smooth boundary. (8 to 18 inches thick)
C1--16 to 24 inches; dark reddish brown (2.5YR 3/4) stony loam (2.5YR 3/4) dry; weak medium and coarse prismatic structure; hard, very friable, slightly plastic; many roots; common very fine pores; common gray patchy coatings on peds; about 10 percent stones by volume; neutral (pH 7.3); gradual wavy boundary. (6 to 10 inches thick)
C2--24 to 33 inches; dusky red (10YR 3/4) stony loam, reddish brown (2.5YR 4/4) dry; weak medium and coarse prismatic structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few roots; common fine pores; many patchy gray coatings on peds; about 30 percent stones by volume; mildly alkaline (pH 7.6); abrupt wavy boundary. (4 to 8 inches thick)
IIR--33 inches; pahoehoe lava.
TYPE LOCATION: Island of Hawaii, Hawaii County, Hawaii; Kawaihae Quadrangle - 20 degrees 03' 22" north latitude and 155 degrees 50' 02" west longitude; about 100 yards south of Honokoa gulch and 300 yards of new Kawaihae road.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Depth to underlying pahoehoe or Aa lava ranges from 20 to 40 inches. Mean annual soil temperature is about 76 degrees F.
The A horizon has hue of 2.5YR through 7.5YR, value of 2 or 3 moist, and chroma of 3 or 4 moist.
The B horizon has hue of 2.5YR or 10R, and value and chroma of 2 through 4 moist. It is silt loam or loam.
In some pedons, calcium carbonate is in the lower part of the C horizon or as coatings on rocks and stones.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Holomua, Makena, and Pakini series. Holomua soils are deeper than 40 inches to bedrock. Makena soils have hue of 10YR throughout the sola and they are more than 40 inches deep. Pakini soils have a mollic epipedon, have 7.5YR or yellower hue below the A horizon, are high in olivine sand and are more than 60 inches deep.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Kawaihae soils are on leeward coastal uplands at elevations ranging from sea level to 1,500 feet. Slopes range from 6 to 12 percent. The soils formed in volcanic ash. Mean annual rainfall is 5 to 20 inches. Mean annual temperature is about 76 degrees F.; average January temperature is 73 degrees F.; and average July temperature is about 80 degrees F.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Mahukona, Puu Pa and Waikaloa soils. Mahukona soils are silty clay loam and effervesce strongly with hydrogen peroxide. Puu Pa soils have a fragmental control section and 5YR or yellower hue throughout. Waikaloa soils have 5YR or yellower hue throughout the sola and mean annual soil temperature of 62 degrees F.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat excessively drained, slow to medium runoff depending on slope; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used mainly for grazing. Present vegetation is kiawe (Prosopis chilensis), ilima (Sida fallax), piligrass (Heteropogon contortus), and uhaloa (Walteria indica).
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: This series is on the northwestern part of the Island of Hawaii. It is moderately extensive with a total of 29,000 acres.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Soil Survey, Territory of Hawaii; 1949.
OSED scanned by SSQA. Last revised by state on 5/78.