LOCATION KEGEL WAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Fluvaquentic Haploxerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Kegel loam, forested. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated)
0e--0 to 1 inch; Decomposing needles, leaves, bark and cones; abrupt smooth boundary. (1 to 2 inches thick)
A1--1 to 9 inches; dark gray (10YR 4/1) loam, black (10YR 2/1) moist; moderate fine and medium granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many medium and fine roots; common fine pores; slightly acid (pH 6.5); clear wavy boundary. (6 to 12 inches thick)
A2--9 to 15 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak fine granular structure; soft, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common medium and fine roots; common fine pores; about 4 percent pebbles; neutral (pH 6.8); clear smooth boundary. (4 to 9 inches thick)
2C--15 to 20 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/2) very gravelly loamy sand, dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) moist; single grain; loose; few fine roots; 45 percent pebbles; neutral (pH7.0); abrupt smooth boundary. (4 to 6 inches thick)
3Ab1--20 to 27 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (2.5Y 3/2) moist; many large distinct dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist redox concentrations; bands of olive brown (2.5Y 4/4) moist loam; matrix is massive and bands have moderate medium subangular blocky structure; soft, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine roots; 10 percent pebbles; slightly acid (pH 6.5); abrupt wavy boundary. (10 to 16 inches thick)
3Ab2--27 to 39 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (2.5Y 3/2) moist; many large distinct dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist redox concentrations; bands of olive brown (2.5Y 4/4) mosit loam; matrix is massive and bands have moderate medium subangular blocky structure; soft, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine roots; 10 percent pebbles; slightly acid (pH 6.5); abrupt wavy boundary. (10 to 16 inches thick)
4Cg--39 to 60 inches; light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) very gravelly loamy coarse sand, olive brown (2.5Y 4/4); single grain; loose; 40 percent pebbles; slightly alkaline (pH 7.5)
TYPE LOCATION: Stevens County, Washington; along Hande Creek, colville National Forest; southeast 1/4 southwest 1/4 sec. 13 T. 36 N., R. 41 E., WM.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature at a depth of 20 inches ranges from 44 to 46 degrees F. The soils are usually moist and are saturated during winter and early spring but are dry for 45 to 60 consecutive days following summer solstice. The soil is slightly acid to moderately alkaline. The control section averages 15 to 35 percent rock fragments.
The A horizon has value of 3 through 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist and chroma of 1 or 2 dry or moist.
The 2C horizon has hue of 7.5YR, 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 5 through 7 dry, 3 through 6 moist and chroma of 2 through 4 dry or moist. It is gravelly sandy loam, very gravelly sandy loam, or very gravelly loamy sand.
The buried A horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 5 through 7 dry, 3 through 6 moist and chroma of 0 through 3 moist or dry. It is silt loam, loam, or sandy loam. Redox concentrations range from few fine distinct to many large distinct and have 7.5YR, 10YR or 2.5Y hue.
The 4C horizon has hue of 2.5Y or 5Y, value of 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist, and chroma of 3 or 4 dry or moist. It is gravelly to very gravelly. The texture of the fine earth ranges from sandy loam to loamy coarse sand.
COMPETING SERIES: This is the Omahaling series. Omahaling soils do not have buried A horizons, do not have O horizons, and are in a 12 to 18 inch precipitation zone.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Kegel soils are on bottom lands incised by intermittent or perennial streams at elevations of 2,500 to 4,00 feet. Slopes are 0 to 3 percent. These soils formed in recent alluvium derived from granitic and metasedimentary (both calcareous or noncalcareous) rocks and volcanic ash. These soils are in a continental climate with warm dry summers and cool moist winters. mean annual temperature ranges from 43 to 45 degrees F. The frost-free season is 80 to 100 days. mean annual precipitation ranges from 20 to 35 inches.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Aits, Bonner, Chamokane, Martella, Narcisse, and Newbell soils. Aits, Banner, Martella and Newbell soils have a ochric epipedon and have a regular decrease in organic carbon. Chamokane and Narcisse soils also have a mesic soil temperature regime.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat poorly drained; very slow runoff or ponded; moderate permeability. A high water table is near the surface during the winter and spring.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used for grazable woodland, wildlife habitat, watershed, recreation, and dryland cropland. Dominant vegetation is Douglas-fir, grand fir, western larch and Engelman spruce with an understory of spirea, common snowberry, sedge, Kentucky bluegrass, Oregon-grape, strawberry, longtube twinflower, queencup beadlily, solomon's seal, and devil's club.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northeastern Washington. Series is small in extent.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Stevens County, Washington, 1978
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are a mollic epipedon from the mineral surface to 15 inches and a buired mollic epipedon from 20 to 39 inches.