LOCATION TOWNSEND WAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, mesic Aquultic Haploxerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Townsend gravelly loam, cultivated. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted.)
Ap--0 to 5 inches; black (5YR 2/1) gravelly loam, very dark gray (5YR 3/1) dry; moderate medium granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly plastic; many fine roots; 20 percent glacial pebbles; slightly acid (pH 6.4); abrupt wavy boundary. (4 to 8 inches thick)
A--5 to 18 inches; black (5YR 2/1) very gravelly loam, very dark gray (5YR 3/1) dry; weak medium angular blocky structure; soft, friable, slightly plastic; many fine roots; 40 percent glacial pebbles; slightly acid (pH 6.3); clear wavy boundary. (8 to 12 inches thick)
2AB2--18 to 24 inches; very dark brown (10YR 2/2) very gravelly sandy loam, dark gray (10YR 4/1) dry; weak medium prismatic structure that parts to moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, firm, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; few fine roots; few fine pores; 40 percent glacial pebbles; slightly acid (pH 6.2); clear wavy boundary. (5 to 10 inches thick)
2Bw--24 to 36 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) very gravelly sandy loam, light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) dry; common medium prominent yellowish red (5YR 4/6) mottles; massive; slightly hard, firm; few fine roots; common fine pores; 45 percent glacial pebbles and cobblestones; cobblestones are in a stone line at top of horizon; slightly acid (pH 6.4); gradual irregular boundary. (10 to 15 inches thick)
2Bsm--36 to 48 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) very gravelly sandy loam, light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) dry; common medium distinct yellowish red (5YR 4/6) and reddish brown (5YR 4/4) mottles; massive; weakly cemented, very hard, very firm; 45 percent glacial pebbles; slightly acid (pH 6.4). (Many feet thick)
TYPE LOCATION: Jefferson County, Washington; east side of Washington Street at the foot of Pierce Street, 50 yards back from the edge of the bluff.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature is 47 to 53 degrees F. These soils are usually moist but are dry in all parts between 8 and 24 inches for 60 to 90 consecutive days in most years. Depth to weakly cemented basal till ranges from 30 to 40 inches, and thickness of solum and thickness of the mollic epipedon is 20 to 30 inches. The control section ranges from 35 to 50 percent by volume of coarse fragments. The soil ranges from moderately acid to neutral.
The A horizon has hues of 5YR or 7.5YR, value of 2 or 3 moist, 3 or 4 dry, and chroma of 1. It has weak to moderate granular or blocky structure.
The 2AB horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 2 through 4 moist, and chroma of 1 or 2. It is gravelly or very gravelly sandy loam or gravelly or very gravelly loam and has weak to moderate prismatic and blocky structure.
The 2Bw horizon has value of 4 through 6 moist, and chroma of 2 or 3. In some pedons it contains small value of 4 through 6 moist, and chroma of 2 or 3. In some pedons it contains small pockets of loamy sand.
The 2Bsm horizon has the same color range as the 2Bw horizon.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Townsend soils are on nearly level to moderately steep uplands at elevations from near sea level to about 200 feet. The soil formed in weakly cemented glacial till and marine and glacial lake sediments. The soils are in a mild marine climate with summers cool and dry and winters mild and wet. The mean annual temperature is 50 to 51 degrees F.; the mean January temperature is 40 degrees F.; the mean July temperature is 60 degrees F.; and the average annual precipitation is 18 to 20 inches. The frost- free season (28 degrees F.) is 321 days and the (32 degrees F.) season is 258 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: This is the San Juan soil. San Juan soils lack the cementedc layer and are somewhat excessively drained.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Moderately well drained; medium runoff; permeability of the solum is moderate and of the till is very slow.
USE AND VEGETATION: Truck gardens, hay and pasture. Natural vegetation is grasses and widely spaced Douglas fir and white oak with an understory of salal and Oregon grape.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northwestern Washington. Series is of small extent.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: West Puget Sound Basin, Washington, 1910.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and other features:
Mollic epipedon from 0 to 24 inches.