LOCATION MAZDALE WAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, isotic, mesic Vitrandic Dystroxerepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Mazdale very stony ashy loam - forested on a 60 percent northwest-facing side slope at an elevation of 2,000 feet. (Colors are for dry soils unless otherwise noted. All textures are apparent field textures.)
A1--0 to 6 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/2) very stony ashy loam, brown (7.5YR 5/2) moist; weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; weakly smeary; many very fine roots; many fine irregular pores; 15 percent gravel, 10 percent cobbles and 12 percent stones; strongly acid (pH 5.5); clear smooth boundary. (4 to 7 inches thick)
A2--6 to 12 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/2) gravelly ashy loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; weakly smeary; many very fine and fine roots; many fine irregular and common fine tubular pores; 20 percent gravel and 5 percent cobbles; moderately acid (pH 5.8); clear wavy boundary. (6 to 8 inches thick)
Bw1--12 to 28 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/4) cobbly loam, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/4) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and fine, few medium roots; common fine tubular pores; 15 percent gravel and 15 percent cobbles; moderately acid (pH 6.0); clear wavy boundary. (14 to 17 inches thick)
Bw2--28 to 42 inches; light brown (7.5YR 6/4) very cobbly loam, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/4) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; common fine roots; common fine tubular pores; 20 percent gravel and 30 percent cobbles; slightly acid (pH 6.2); clear wavy boundary. (13 to 15 inches thick)
Bw3--42 to 60 inches; light brown (7.5YR 6/4) extremely cobbly loam, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/4) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine roots; few fine tubular pores; 20 percent gravel and 50 percent cobbles; slightly acid (pH 6.2).
TYPE LOCATION: Klickitat County, Washington, 5 miles east of Glenwood about 2,800 feet north and 600 feet west of the southeast corner of section 16, T. 6 N., R. 13 E. Latitude 46 degrees, 00 minutes, 30 seconds N. and Longitude 121 degrees, 10 minutes, 45 seconds W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature is 47 to 49 degrees F. These soils are usually moist, but are dry in the moisture control section for 60 to 75 consecutive days following summer solstice. Volcanic ash influence is 7 to 14 inches thick and has an estimated moist bulk density of 0.70 to 1.00 g/cc, volcanic glass content of 5 to 30 percent, acid oxalate extractable aluminum plus one-half iron of 0.40 to 1.0 percent, phosphate retention of 25 to 50 percent and 15 bar water retention of 5 to 10 percent. The particle-size control section has 16 to 25 percent clay and 20 to 60 percent rock fragments with a weighted average of 35 to 50 percent. Below 40 inches, rock fragments range from 45 to 75 percent. The umbric epipedon is 10 to 15 inches thick. Solum depth is 60 inches or more.
The A horizon has hue of 5YR through 10YR, value of 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist and chroma of 2 or 3 dry and moist. Reaction is strongly acid or moderately acid.
The Bw horizon has hue of 5YR through 10YR, value of 4 through 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist and chroma of 4 through 6 dry and moist. Texture is cobbly loam, very cobbly loam , or gravelly loam in the upper part and very cobbly loam or extremely cobbly loam in the lower part. Reaction is moderately acid or slightly acid.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Alderwood, Baldhill, Beausite, Dabob, Fidalgo and Whistle series.
Alderwood soils - 20 to 40 inches to a cemented Bsm horizon; 40 to 60 inches to a densic contact
Baldhill soils - particle-size control section with 2 to 10 percent clay and dominated by rock fragments of glacial origin; solum depth of 30 to 60 inches
Beausite soils - 20 to 40 inches to a lithic contact (conglomerate); particle-size control section with 5 to 15 percent clay
Dabob soils - 24 to 33 inches to a cemented 2Bsm horizon
Fidalgo soils - 20 to 40 inches to a lithic contact (argillite)
Whistle soils - 40 to 60 inches to a lithic contact (argillite)
Soils with a similar Haploxerepts classification are the Clallam, Dehart, Macreeing, McGuire, Olete, Stutler (T), and Tukey series.
Clallam soils - 20 to 40 inches to a densic contact
Dehart soils - dry for 75 to 90 consecutive days following the summer solstice
Macreeing soils - 40 to 60 inches to a lithic contact (rhyollite)
Olete soils - 20 to 40 inches to a lithic contact (basalt)
Stutler soils - dry for 75 to 90 consecutive days following the summer solstice
Tukey soils - 20 to 40 inches to a cemented Bsm horizon; 40 to 60 inches to a densic contact
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Mazdale soils are on north-facing canyon side slopes at elevations of 800 to 3200feet. Slopes are 30 to 90 percent. They formed in colluvium from basalt with an influence of volcanic ash in the surface. Summers are cool and dry and winters are cold and moist with occasional snow cover from December through March. The mean annual precipitation is 25 to 30 inches. The average January temperature is 25 degrees F. and the average July temperature is 62 degrees F. The mean annual temperature is 45 to 47 degrees F. The frost-free season is 100 to 120 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Kaiders, Legall, Pinbit, and Yedlick soils. Kaiders soils are fine-loamy, have an argillic horizon and are located on mountain slopes and foothills. Legall soils have an argillic horizon and are on canyon side slopes. Pinbit soils are ashy and are located on terraces. Yedlick soils have an ochric epipedon and are on mountain slopes
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained, medium to rapid runoff; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for timber production, grazeable woodland, wildlife habitat and recreation. Natural vegetation is Douglas-fir, ponderosa pine and scattered Oregon white oak with an understory of western hazel, creambush oceanspray, rose, elk sedge and Oregon-grape.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Klickitat County, Washington: MLRA 6. The series is of small extent.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Klickitat County, Washington, 2003.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Umbric epipedon - the zone from 0 to 12 inches
Cambic horizon - the zone from 12 to 60 inches
Particle-size control section - the zone from 10 to 40 inches
Vitrandic feature - the zone from 0 to 12 inches
Classification revision 6/01 from mixed, mesic Vitrandic Xerumbrepts to isotic, mesic Vitrandic Dystroxerepts.