LOCATION NARCISSE WA+IDEstablished Series
The Narcisse series consists of very deep, moderately well drained soils formed in mixed alluvium on flood plains and in drainageways. Slopes are 0 to 8 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 20 inches and the mean annual temperature is about 47 degrees F.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Cumulic Haploxerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Narcisse silt loam, pasture. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A1--0 to 8 inches; dark gray (10YR 4/1) silt loam, black (10YR 2/1) moist; moderate fine granular structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many fine roots; many very fine and fine tubular and irregular pores; slightly acid (pH 6.4); clear smooth boundary. (7 to 10 inches thick)
A2--8 to 14 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) silt loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many fine roots; many very fine and fine tubular and irregular pores; neutral (pH 6.6); abrupt smooth boundary. (3 to 8 inches thick)
A3--14 to 25 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many fine roots; many very fine and fine tubular and irregular pores; neutral (pH 6.6); clear wavy boundary. (8 to 15 inches thick)
AB--25 to 34 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) very fine sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; few fine distinct brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many fine roots; many very fine and fine tubular and irregular pores; masses of iron and manganese accumulation; neutral (pH 6.8); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 10 inches thick)
Bw--34 to 48 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; few fine distinct brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common fine roots; common very fine and fine irregular pores; masses of iron and manganese accumulation; neutral (pH 6.8); abrupt wavy boundary. (10 to 20 inches thick)
C--48 to 60 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common fine roots; common very fine and fine irregular pores; few fine distinct brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist, masses of iron and manganese accumulation; neutral (pH 6.8).
TYPE LOCATION: Spokane County, Washington; About 2.5 miles south of Veradale, WA; about 1800 feet north and 725 feet west of the southeast corner of section 35, T.25N., R.44E., WM. USGS Freeman topographic quadrangle.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: mean annual soil temperature ranges from 47 to 50 degrees F. These soils are usually moist, but are dry in all parts between depths of 8 and 24 inches for 45 to 60 consecutive days following summer solstice. The particle-size control section averages 5 to 18 percent clay, 15 to 50 percent sand coarser than very fine sand and 0 to 20 percent gravel. The mollic epipedon is 20 to more than 40 inches thick. These soils have redox concentrations in the particle-size control section, but depth to redox depletions with a chroma of 2 or less is more than 40 inches. Hue is 10YR or 2.5Y. Soil reaction is neutral or slightly acid.
A horizon(Ap horizon present in some pedons)
Value - 3 to 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma - 1 or 2, dry or moist
Texture - silt loam, loam, fine sandy loam, sandy loam, or very fine sandy loam
Gravel content - 0 to 20 percent
AB horizon (when present)
Value - 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma - 2 or 3, dry or moist
Texture - silt loam, loam, fine sandy loam, sandy loam, or very fine sandy loam
Gravel content - 0 to 20 percent
Bw horizon
Value - 4 to 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma - 2 to 4, dry or moist
Texture - silt loam, loam, fine sandy loam, sandy loam or very fine sandy loam
Gravel content - 0 to 20 percent
C horizon (when present)
Value - 5 to 7 dry, 3 to 6 moist
Chroma - 2 to 4, dry or moist
Texture - loam, sandy loam, fine sandy loam, very fine sandy loam, or silt loam (above 40 inches) Ranges to loamy sand or loamy coarse sand (below 40 inches)
Gravel content - 0 to 25 percent (above 40 inches); 0 to 30 percent (below 40 inches)
Cobble content - 0 to 30 percent (below 40 inches
Redox features -few faint to many medium distinct.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Coxlake, Deerspring (T), Endersby, Evans, Flofeather (T), Lapwai, Leavenworth, Okanogan, Patit Creek, Pleasant View, Plinco (T), Porter, Poween, Redola Threecreeks (T), and Tombeall series. Coxlake soils have redox depletions with chroma of 2 or less at a depth of less than 30 inches. Deerspring soils are dry for more than 60 consecutive days, are moderately alkaline, and are slightly effervescent throughout. Endersby soils are dry for more than 90 consecutive days, are neutral to moderately alkaline and do not have redox features in the control section. Evans soils are dry for more than 80 consecutive days and do not have redox features in the control section. Flofeather and Porter are moist less than 90 days consecutive days when the soil temperature is greater than 47 degrees F. and have an aridic bordering on xeric soil moisture regime. Lapwai soils have secondary carbonates at a depth of 30 to 40 inches and do not have redox features. Leavenworth do not have redox features within 40 inches of the surface, have loamy fine sand strata in the control section and are dry for 60 to 75 consecutive days. Okanogan soils do not have redox features and are dry for 90 to 105 consecutive days. Patit Creek soils are dry for 60 to 75 consecutive days, and are gravelly and contain more than 35 percent rock fragments in the lower part of the control section. Pleasant View soils are calcareous in the lower part of the control section, are mildly alkaline to moderately alkaline throughout and are dry for more than 60 consecutive days. Plinco soils are dry for 105 days and have Ab horizons. Poween and Redola soils are calcareous. In addition, Poween soils are dry for 75 to 90 consecutive days. Threecreeks soils are dry for 60 to 75 days. Tombeall soils have redox concentrations above 30 inches and have a mean annual soil temperature of 54 to 56 degrees F.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Narcisse soils are on narrow stream terraces and flood plains at elevations of 1,700 to 3,000 feet. Slopes are 0 to 8 percent. They formed in alluvium. The climate is characterized by warm, dry summers and cool, moist winters. The mean annual precipitation is 12 to 27 inches. The average January temperature is 28 degrees F. and the average July temperature is 62 degrees F. The mean annual temperature is 47 degrees F. The frost-free period is 90 to 150 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Bossburg, Bridgeson, Chamokane, Chewelah, Donavan, Ginnis, Goldlake, Hardesty, Hudnut, Peone, and Ralsen soils. Bossburg soils are ashy, have a histic epipedon and are on flood plains and lake basins. Bridgeson soils are fine-silty and are in drainageways. Chamokane, Chewelah, Donavan, Hardesty, and Ginnis soils have mollic epipedons less than 20 inches thick. Chamokane and Chewelah soils are on bottom lands. Donavan soils are on toeslopes, footslopes, and backslopes of foothills and mountains. Hardesty soils are on low terraces, in broad basins, and on alluvial fans. Ginnis soils are on footslopes, backslopes, and shoulders of hills. Hudnut soils do not have a mollic epipedon and are on till plains, outwash terraces, and terrace escarpments. Peone soils do not have mollic epipedons and are on alluvial fans, drainageways and depressional areas. Goldlake soils have a regular decrease in organic matter and are in swales and draws of glaciated foothills. Ralsen soils have an aquic moisture regime and are on flood plains and low stream terraces.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Moderately well drained; slow runoff; moderate permeability. An apparent water table is at its uppermost limit from February to March. These soils are rarely to occasionally flooded for brief periods from November to May.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for cropland, pasture, timber production, wildlife habitat, and watershed. Potential natural vegetation is ponderosa pine, quaking aspen, paper birch, and thinleaf alder, with an understory of common snowberry, blue wildrye, sweetscented bedstraw, spreading sweetroot, fat false-Solomon's seal, Saskatoon serviceberry, creeping Oregon-grape, redosier dogwood, woods rose, and thimbleberry..
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northeastern Washington and northern Idaho. The soils are moderately extensive.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Stevens County, Washington, 1913.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this soil include:
Mollic epipedon - the zone from the surface to 25 inches (A1, A2 and A3 horizons)
Cambic horizon - the zone from 34 to 48 inches (Bw horizon)
Particle-size control section - the zone from 10 to 40 inches (part of the A1, A2, A3, AB, and Bw1 horizons.
An irregular decrease in organic carbon with depth (inferred from the stratified nature of the parent material).
This profile description has been updated (5-02) after re-visiting the type location.