LOCATION RENSLOW            WA+ID
Established Series
Rev. DDS/TER/TLA
5/97

RENSLOW SERIES


The Renslow series consists of deep and very deep, well drained soils formed in loess on plateaus and hills. Slopes are 0 to 40 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 11 inches and the mean annual temperature is about 49 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-silty, mixed, superactive, mesic Calciargidic Argixerolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Renslow silt loam - cultivated. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)

Ap--0 to 10 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) silt loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak fine and medium granular structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine roots; few fine tubular pores; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); abrupt smooth boundary. (6 to 10 inches thick)

BA--10 to 18 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) silt loam, dark brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak medium and coarse prismatic structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine roots; common fine tubular pores; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear wavy boundary. (4 to 22 inches thick)

Bt--18 to 28 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) silt loam, thin organic staining on surfaces of peds, dark brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to moderate fine subangular blocky, hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; thin patchy clay films on peds; common fine roots; many fine tubular pores; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear wavy boundary. (7 to 12 inches thick)

Bk1--28 to 38 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) silt loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine roots; common fine tubular pores; carbonate material in root channels and in matrix; strongly effervescent; strongly alkaline (pH 8.6); clear wavy boundary. (9 to 15 inches thick)

Bk2--38 to 46 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) silt loam, dark brown (10YR 4/3) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine roots; common fine tubular pores; carbonate material in old root channels and in matrix; slightly effervescent; strongly alkaline (pH 8.8); abrupt wavy boundary. (6 to 10 inches thick)

Bk3--46 to 61 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) silt loam, dark brown (10YR 4/3) moist; massive; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine roots; many fine tubular pores; with lime coating pores and old root channels; slightly effervescent; strongly alkaline (pH 8.8).

TYPE LOCATION: Lincoln County, Washington; approximately 8 miles south of Wilbur; 310 feet east, 170 feet north of southwest corner sec. 23, T. 25 N., R. 32 E.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The depth to duripans, or bedrock is more than 40 inches and commonly more than 60 inches. The mean annual soil temperature is 47 to 53 degrees F. These soils are dry more than one-half the time between depths of 4 and 12 inches when the soil temperature is above 41 degrees F., about l05 to 120 consecutive days. Depth to secondary carbonates is 20 to 44 inches. The particle-size control section contains 10 to 18 percent clay and averages less than 15 percent fine sand or coarser material. Base saturation (by sum) is assumed to be more than 75 percent throughout the profile.

The A horizon has value of 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist, and chroma of 2 to 4 dry and 2 or 3 moist. It has weak or moderate structure. This horizon is neutral or slightly alkaline.

The Bt horizon has value of 4, 5, or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist, and chroma of 3 or 4 moist, 2 to 4 dry. It has weak or moderate prismatic or blocky structure. This horizon is slightly acid to strongly alkaline. Some pedons have a Btk horizon.

The Bk horizon has value of 5 to 7 dry, 3 to 5 moist, and chroma of 3 or 4 moist, 2 to 4 dry. It is silt loam, very fine sandy loam, or silt and has weak blocky structure or is massive. It is slightly alkaline through strongly alkaline. Some pedons have bedrock, or a duripan below 40 inches.

COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Renslow soils are on long, broad ridges hills and stream terraces. Slopes are 0 to 40 percent. Elevation ranges from 1,400 to 2,800 feet in Washington and 4,850 to 5,300 feet in Idaho. These soils are in a semiarid climate with annual precipitation of 9 to 13 inches, mean January temperature of 26 degrees F., mean July temperature of 70 degrees F., mean annual temperature of about 49 degrees F., and with a frost-free season 130 to 190 days in Washington and 90 to 105 days in Idaho.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Bakeoven, Lickskillet, Ralls, Selah, and Zen and the competing Ritzville and Simcoe soils. Bakeoven soils are less than 10 inches deep to a lithic contact. Lickskillet soils are l0 to 20 inches deep to a lithic contact. Ralls soils are fine-loamy. Selah and Willis soils have a duripan at 20 to 40 inches. Simcoe and Zen soils have a lithic contact at a depth of 20 to 40 inches.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow to rapid runoff; moderate permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: Used for cropland and range. Dryland crops are winter wheat, spring wheat, and barley in a summer fallow system and hat crops. Irrigated crops include corn, small grains, vegetables, and fruit. Native vegetation is bluebunch wheatgrass, Idaho fescus, Sandberg bluegrass, and big sagebrush.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Eastern Washington and southwestern Idaho. Renslow series is of moderate extent.

MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Kittitas County, Washington, 1939.

REMARKS: Laboratory data are available. Soil survey laboratory Riverside, California, characterization study, Sample No. S61WASH-22-2-1 through 22-2-6 and S87WA-017-005. Diagnostic horizon and features recognized in this pedon are a mollic epipedon from the surface to 10 inches, an argillic horizon from l8 to 28 inches, and a zone of secondary lime accumulation from 28 to 6l inches that is assumed to have less than 15 percent calcium carbonate equivalent.


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.