LOCATION TERENCE WAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Ashy-skeletal, glassy Xeric Vitricryands
TYPICAL PEDON: Terence stony ashy sandy loam -- under a coniferous forest on a 35 percent northwest-facing slope at an elevation of 4,640 feet. The soil was dry when described. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated. All textures are apparent field textures).
Oe--0 to 1 inch; partially decomposed forest litter; abrupt smooth boundary. (1 to 3 inches thick)
A--1 to 6 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) stony ashy sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; single grain; loose, common very fine and fine roots; 20 percent pebbles, 5 percent cobbles and 5 percent surface stones; NaF pH 10.5; moderately acid (pH 5.8); clear wavy boundary. (4 to 6 inches thick)
Bw1--6 to 14 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) very cobbly ashy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist; weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic, weakly smeary; common fine and medium roots; many very fine and fine irregular pores; 35 percent pebbles and 25 percent cobbles; NaF pH 10.2; moderately acid (pH 5.8); gradual wavy boundary (5 to 10 inches thick)
Bw2--14 to 29 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) extremely cobbly ashy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic, weakly smeary; common very fine, fine and few coarse roots; common very fine irregular pores, 30 percent pebbles and 40 percent cobbles; NaF pH 9.8; moderately acid (pH 5.8); gradual wavy boundary. (10 to 18 inches thick)
Bw3--29 to 60 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) extremely cobbly ashy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic, weakly smeary; common very fine roots; common very fine irregular pores; 35 percent pebbles and 35 percent cobbles, NaF pH 9.5; moderately acid (pH 5.8).
TYPE LOCATION: Kittitas County, Washington; about 1/2 mile northeast of Lost Lake; 2,200 feet north and 1,050 feet west of the southeast corner section 27, T. 18 N., R. 15 E., USGS Frost Mountain, Washington quad; Latitude 47 degrees, 01 minutes, 06 seconds N. and Longitude 120 degrees, 56 minutes, 34 seconds W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature ranges from 42 to 45 degrees F. The soils are usually moist but are dry in all parts of the moisture control section for 45 to 60 consecutive days during summer and fall. The the upper 20 to 35 inches of the particle-size control section has an estimated moist bulk density of 0.85 to 1.10 g/cc, volcanic glass content of 30 to 70 percent, acid-oxalate extractable aluminum plus one-half iron of 1.0 to 2.0 percent, phosphate retention of 40 to 80 percent, and 15-bar moisture of 5 to 12 percent. The lower 5 to 20 inches has an estimated volcanic glass content of 30 to 90 percent, acid-oxalate extractable aluminum plus one-half iron of 0.4 to 1.0 percent, phosphate retention of 30 to 50 percent, and 15-bar moisture of 10 to 15 percent
The A horizon has value of 4 to 6 dry and chroma of 3 or 4 dry and moist. Texture of the fine-earth is ashy sandy loam, ashy loam, or ashy fine sandy loam and is stony or gravelly. Reaction is moderately acid or strongly acid.
The Bw horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 4 to 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist, and chroma of 3 to 6 dry or moist. Texture is extremely cobbly ashy loam, very gravelly ashy loam, extremely gravelly ashy loam, or very cobbly ashy loam. The upper part of the Bw horizon may range to gravelly ashy sandy loam, gravelly ashy loam, or gravelly ashy fine sandy loam. The weighted average of rock fragments is greater than 35 percent. Reaction is strongly acid to slightly acid.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Azwell, Bamber, Burpeak (T), Chewack (T), Fears, Hallihan, Madrak (T), Tiptop, and Wuksi series. The Azwell and Madrak soils are 20 to 40 inches to a lithic contact. The Bamber and Burpeak soils are 40 to 60 inches to a lithic contact. The Chewack soils have a solum depth and volcanic ash mantle 20 to 35 inches thick and a mean annual soil temperature of 37 to 41 degrees F. Fears soils are dominated by rock fragments of granitic origin and have a solum depth of 20 to 45 inches with andic soil properties and 5 to 10 percent pumice paragravel. The Hallihan soils have a solum depth of less than 40 inches with an estimated Alox + Feox of less than 1.0 percent and a P-retention of less than 40 percent. Tiptop soils are dry for 60 to 75 consecutive days following the summer solstice and have a solum less than 40 inches thick with an estimated Alox + Feox of greater than 2.0 percent. The Wuksi soils are 40 to greater than 60 inches to a buried 2Bwb horizon, have 70 to 100 percent glass, and a field estimated clay of 0 to 5 percent.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Terence soils are on mountain sides, toeslopes, and ridges. Slopes are 0 to 60 percent. They formed in volcanic ash mixed with colluvium and residuum from andesite and basalt, with small amounts of tuf and, breccia. Elevation is 2,800 to 5,700 feet. The soils are in a climate with cool moist summers and cold wet winters. The mean annual precipitation is 45 to 80 inches. The average January temperature is about 24 degrees F. and the average July temperature is about 62 degrees F. The mean annual temperature is 41 to 43 degrees F. The frost-free season is 35 to 80 days and the growing season at 28 degrees F. is 130 to 170 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the proposed Cliffdell, Currier, Spexarth, and Yahne soils. Cliffdell soils are frigid. Currier soils are dominated by granitic rock fragments in the particle-size control section and have hue of 2.5Y or 5Y in the lower part of the particle-size control section. Spexarth soils have sandstone within 40 inches. Yahne soils are clayey-skeletal. All of these soils are on mountain slopes and ridges.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; runoff is medium. Permeability is moderately rapid.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for timber production, wildlife habitat and watershed. Vegetation is Douglas-fir, western larch, lodgepole pine, Englemann spruce, western white pine, western hemlock, Pacific silver fir, and subalpine fir with an understory of elk sedge, huckleberry, rusty menziesia and Oregon-grape.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: East slope of the Cascade Mountains in west-central Kittitas County, Washington; MLRA 3. This series is of small extent.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Kittitas County, Washington, 1981.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - from 1 to 6 inches (A horizon)
Cambic horizon - from 6 to 60 inches (Bw1, 2Bw2, and 2Bw3 horizons)
Andic soil properties - from 1 to 60 inches
Particle-size control section - from 1 to 41 inches
More investigation is needed to confirm the xeric soil moisture regime. Based on vegetation listed (western hemlock and Pacific silver fir) in addition to the mean annual precipitation range, a udic soil moisture regime may be present.
Depths to diagnostic horizons and features as noted in the range of characteristics are measured from the top of the first mineral horizon.
ADDITIONAL DATA: Laboratory data available for Pedon # 91WA037003, Wenatchee National Forest, 08/27/91; NSSL, Lincoln, NE.