LOCATION WHISKEYDICK WAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Clayey-skeletal, smectitic, mesic Typic Palexerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Whiskeydick very cobbly loam; rangeland; on a 15 percent northwest facing slope at an elevation of 2,540 feet. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
A--0 to 5 inches; dark brown (10YR 4/3) very cobbly loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium granular structure;p soft, very friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; common very fine and fine roots; 20 percent pebbles, 20 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 7.0); abrupt smooth boundary. (5 to 10 inches thick)
Bt1--5 to 10 inches; dark brown (10YR 4/3) very cobbly clay loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky, plastic; common very fine and medium roots; common very fine irregular pores; many moderately thick clay films on faces of peds and lining pores; 15 percent pebbles, 25 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 7.0); abrupt smooth boundary. (5 to 8 inches thick)
Bt2--10 to 18 inches; dark brown (10YR 4/3) very cobbly clay, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; strong medium prismatic structure; very hard, firm, sticky, plastic; common very fine, and fine roots, common very fine irregular pores; continuous thick clay films on faces of peds and lining pores; 20 percent pebbles, 20 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 6.8); clear wavy boundary. (6 to 10 inches thick)
Bt3--18 to 27 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) extremely cobbly clay, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist; strong medium subangular blocky structure; very hard, firm, sticky, plastic; common very fine roots; many thick clay films on faces of peds; 40 percent pebbles, 25 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 6.8). (7 to 12 inches thick)
R--27 inches; fractured basalt, silica coatings in fractures.
TYPE LOCATION: Kittitas County, Washington; about 9 miles east of Kittitas, between I-90 and the old Vantage highway, 2,400 feet east and 300 feet north of the southwest corner of sec. 16, T. 17 N., R. 21 E.; USGS Boyleston topographic quadrangle; Lat. 46 degrees 57' 28" N. and Long. 120 degrees 12' 30" W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature ranges from 47 to 52 degrees F. These soils are usually moist, but are dry in all parts between 4 and 12 inches for 90 to 105 consecutive days following summer solstice. The particle-size control section averages 38 to 55 percent clay in the fine earth fraction and 35 to 70 percent rock fragments by volume. Depth to a lithic content ranges from 20 to 40 inches. The upper part of the argillic horizon is clayey with an increase of at least 15 percent clay, absolute, within a vertical distance of 1 inch. The mollic epipedon is 12 to 19 inches thick and includes part of the argillic horizon. Base saturation (by sum) throughout the profile is assumed to be more than 75 percent.
The A horizon has a value of 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist and chroma of 2 or 3 dry or moist.
The Bt1 horizon has a value of 4 or 5 dry, chroma of 2 or 3 dry or moist. It is a very cobbly clay loam, very gravelly clay loam or very cobbly clay.
The Bt2 and Bt3 horizons have a value of 4 or 5 dry, chroma of 3 or 4 dry or moist. They are very gravelly clay, very cobbly clay, or extremely cobbly clay. Reaction is neutral or slightly alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: This is the Ada, Frenchjohn and Tomith series and the similar Clerf and Tronsen soils. Ada, Tomith, and Tronsen soils are deep. Clerf soils have an aridic moisture regime. Frenchjohn soils have secondary lime below the argillic horizon above the lithic contact.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Whiskeydick soils are on sideslopes, plateaus and benches and have slopes of 0 to 65 percent. These soils formed in residuum and colluvium from basalt and minor amounts of loess. Elevations are 2,200 to 4,200 feet. The average annual precipitation ranges from 12 to 15 inches. The average January temperature is about 25 degrees F, the average July temperature is about 69 degrees F, and the average annual temperature is about 47 to 49 degrees F. The frost-free season is 120 to 160 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Bakeoven and Van Nostern soils on ridgetops, Badge soils on less stable sideslopes, Bickleton soils in depositional positions on fan terraces and the similar Tronsen soils. Van Nostern soils are fine-silty. Badge soils are loamy-skeletal. Bickleton soils are fine-loamy.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow to very rapid runoff; slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Rangeland and wildlife habitat. Native vegetation is bluebunch wheatgrass, Sandberg bluegrass, arrowleaf balsamroot, Wyoming big sagebrush, and scattered antelope bitterbrush.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Eastern Kittitas County, Washington. Series is of small extent.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Kittitas County, Washington, Yakima Training Center, 1994. The name is from Whiskey Dick Mountain, in the county.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: a mollic epipedon from the surface to 18 inches, an argillic horizon from 5 to 27 inches, with more than 15 percent more clay absolute than the A horizon and 35 to 70 percent angular basalt rock fragments, and a lithic contact at 27 inches.