LOCATION MAKAWELI HIEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, parasesquic, isohyperthermic Torroxic Haplustolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Makaweli silty clay loam - sugarcane. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted. All textures are "apparent field textures".)
Ap1--0 to 7 inches; dusky red (10R 3/2) silty clay loam, dark red (10R 3/6) dry; weak fine and medium and very fine granular structure; hard, friable, sticky and plastic; many very fine and fine roots; many very fine and fine pores; many very fine black concretions; moderately magnetic; numerous fragments of charcoal from burning cane; violent effervescence with hydrogen peroxide; slightly acid (pH 6.1); clear smooth boundary. (6 to 8 inches thick)
Ap2--7 to 12 inches; dusky red (10R 3/3) silty clay loam, material of dusky red (10R 3/2) mixed by tillage, dusky red (10R 3/4) dry; weak medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; many black concretions, moderately magnetic; strong effervescence with hydrogen peroxide; slightly acid (pH 6.4); clear smooth boundary. (4 to 6 inches thick)
Bo1--12 to 25 inches; dusky red (10R 3/4) silty loam, red (10R 4/6) dry; weak coarse prismatic structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and plastic; common roots; many very fine and fine medium pores; common black concretions; moderately magnetic; black manganese dioxide staining along root channels; strong effervescence with hydrogen peroxide; neutral (pH 7.0); clear smooth boundary. (11 to 15 inches thick)
Bo2--25 to 36 inches; dusky red (10R 3/4) silty clay loam, dark red (10R 3/6) dry; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to weak fine medium and coarse subangular blocky, with pockets of moderate very fine subangular blocky; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and plastic; common roots; many very fine and fine and common medium pores; few black concretions; patchy glazed surfaces on peds that appear like pressure surfaces; root channels are lined with black manganese dioxide staining; moderately magnetic; slight effervescence with hydrogen peroxide; neutral (pH 7.3); gradual wavy boundary. (9 to 13 inches thick)
Bo3--36 to 60 inches; dusky red (10R 3/3) silty clay loam, dark red (10R 3/6) dry; weak medium and fine subangular blocky structure with pockets of moderate medium subangular blocky; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and plastic; few fine and medium roots that tend to be confined between faces of peds; many very fine and fine pores; few black manganese dioxide concretions; common very fine weathered mineral particles that tend to impart a gritty feel; few glazed coatings on surfaces of peds that appear to be pressure faces; several large stones in this horizon; slight effervescence with hydrogen peroxide; neutral (pH 7.1).
TYPE LOCATION: Island of Kauai, Kauai County, Hawaii; about 12 miles southwest of Lihue and 0.38 mile southwest of McBryde sugar mill; Hanapepe Quadrangle; lat. 21 degrees 53' 45" and long. 159 degrees 33 minutes 55 seconds W. (Old Hawaiian Datum.)
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Stones range from none to many. The solum is 40 to more than 60 inches thick. Mean annual soil temperature is about 74 degrees F.
The A horizon has hue usually of 10R, ranging to 2.5YR, value of 2 or 3 and chroma of 4 through 6 dry.
The B horizon has chroma of 3 through 6. It has weak or moderate structure.
COMPETING SERIES: (This needs updating.) These are the Ewa, Keahua, Molokai, Paia, and Waikapu series. Ewa soils have strong effervescence with hydrogen peroxide throughout, lack prismatic structure in the upper part of the B horizon, and have 2.5YR or yellower hue in the B horizon. Keahua soils have hue as yellow or yellower than 5YR throughout the solum. Molokai soils have an oxic horizon and are less weathered as indicated by the absence of boehmite. Paia soils have 5YR or yellower hue and are silty clay or clay throughout. Waikapu soils are silty clay loam throughout the solum and have slickensides in the lower part of the B horizon.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Makaweli soils are on uplands. The dominant slope is from 2 to 12 percent. Elevation ranges from near sea level to 1,000 feet. They formed in material weathered from basic igneous rock and were influenced by volcanic ash and tropospheric dust. The median annual rainfall ranges from 24 to 45 inches, three-fourths of this falling from October through March. The mean annual temperature is about 74 degrees F. Average January temperature is 71 degrees F. and the average July temperature is 78 degrees F. Annual PAN evaporation is 95 inches.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Lihue, Niu, and Nonopahu soils. Lihue soils have silty clay texture and strong structure in the B horizon. Niu soils have an oxic horizon and a compact lower B horizon. Nonopahu soils have 10YR or 2.5YR hue and have clay textures.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow to rapid runoff depending on slope; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used mainly for irrigated sugarcane. Vegetation in uncultivated areas is dominantly kiawe (Prosopis pallida), lantana (Lantana camara), klu (Acacia farnesiana), koa-haole (Leucaena glauca), fingergrass (Chloris spp.), and piligrass (Heteropogon contortus).
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: On the south-central and southwestern portions of the island of Kauai, Hawaii. Approximately 13,200 acres in extent.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California.
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Island of Kauai, Hawaii, 1971.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - from the surface to 12 inches (Ap1 and Ap2 horizons).
Mica high till 36 inches and layer below is too thin, therefore no oxic horizon.
Cambic horizon: no 15 bar increase.
Laboratory data shows boehmite to be present in Makaweli soils.
Aridic moisture regime, bordering on ustic.
FCC Classification: Cd+i-k.
Edit Log: 5/04 SN. Horizon designations updated and minor changes made.
8/00 SN. Classification changed from Fine, kaolinitic, isohyperthermic Oxic Haplustolls due to changes in Taxonomy.
ADDITIONAL DATA: NSSL Makaweli sample S62HI-007-002 (formerly S62Ha-2-2) and S62HI007-003 (formerly S62Ha-2-3).