LOCATION WIPPLE WAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Clayey-skeletal, smectitic, mesic Aridic Palexerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Wipple cobbly clay loam under a cover of grasses on a 40 percent southwest-facing slope at an elevation of 2,400 feet. The soil was dry when described. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated)
A--0 to 7 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) cobbly clay loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; many very fine roots; 25 percent surface cobbles, 10 percent gravel within the horizon; neutral (pH 7.0); clear wavy boundary. (6 to 12 inches thick)
BA--7 to 11 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) very gravelly clay loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; common very fine, fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; 30 percent gravel and 10 percent cobbles; slightly alkaline (pH 7.5); abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 9 inches thick)
Bt1--11 to 15 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) very gravelly clay, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist; strong medium prismatic structure; very hard, very firm, moderately sticky and very plastic; common very fine, fine roots; few very fine irregular pores; many prominent clay films on faces of peds; 30 percent gravel and 10 percent gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.5); clear wavy boundary. (3 to 8 inches thick)
Bt2--15 to 30 inches; brown (7.5YR 4/4) very gravelly clay, dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) moist; strong coarse prismatic structure; very hard, very firm, moderately sticky and very plastic; common very fine roots; continuous prominent clay films on faces of peds; 30 percent gravel and 25 percent cobbles; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 20 inches thick)
Btk1--30 to 45 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) very cobbly clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine tubular pores; common faint clay films on faces of peds; slightly effervescent; lime segregated in common fine irregular filaments; 20 percent gravel and 30 percent cobbles; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear wavy boundary. (13 to 18 inches thick)
Btk2--45 to 50 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) extremely cobbly clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; few faint clay films on faces of peds; strongly effervescent with disseminated lime and lime coatings on rock fragments; 20 percent gravel and 40 percent cobbles; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); abrupt smooth boundary. (4 to 20 inches thick)
R--50 inches; unweathered basalt.
TYPE LOCATION: Kittitas County, Washington; about 2 miles east of the confluence of Roza Creek and the Yakima River; 300 feet west, 200 feet north of the southeast corner of section 14, T. 15N., R. 19E.; USGS Wymer topographic quadrangle; Latitude 46 degrees 46 minutes 54 seconds N. and Longitude 120 degrees 24 minutes 12 seconds W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: These soils are dry more than half of the time in the moisture control section when the soil temperature at a depth of 20 inches is above 41 degrees F. The mean annual soil temperature is 47 to 54 degrees F. The particle-size control section averages 45 to 60 percent clay in the fine earth fraction and is 40 to 65 percent rock fragments. The fine earth fraction is assumed to be greater than 50 percent montmorillonitic clay by weight. The upper part of the argillic horizon is clayey with an increase of at least 20 percent clay, absolute, within a vertical distance of 3 inches. Depth to basalt is 40 to more than 60 inches. Depth to free lime is 18 to 40 inches with lime accumulations lacking in some profiles. The mollic epipedon is 10 to 15 inches thick.
The A horizon has value of 4 or 5 dry and chroma of 2 or 3 dry or moist. Texture is very stony clay loam or cobbly clay loam.
The BA horizon, when present, has value of 4 or 5 dry and chroma of 3 or 4 dry. Texture is very gravelly clay loam or very cobbly clay loam. Reaction is neutral or slightly alkaline.
The Bt horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 4 or 5 dry, 3 or 4 moist and chroma of 3 or 4 dry or moist. Texture is very gravelly clay, very cobbly clay, very cobbly clay loam, or extremely cobbly clay. Structure ranges from strong medium subangular blocky to strong coarse prismatic. Reaction is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline.
The Btk horizons have value of 4, 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist and chroma of 3 or 4 dry or moist. Texture is very gravelly clay, very cobbly clay, extremely cobbly clay, very cobbly clay loam or extremely cobbly clay loam and average 15 to 35 percent gravel and 15 to 40 percent cobbles. Lime accumulations are lacking in some pedons. Reaction is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the
Antoken and
Clerf series and the similar
Tronsen series.
Antoken soils greater than 60 inches to bedrock; MAST of 52 to 58 degrees F.; has 3Bk horizon
Clerf soils 20 to 40 inches to a lithic contact (basalt)
Tronsen soils xeric soil moisture regime
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Wipple soils are on structural benches, footslopes, and very steep side slopes of hills and canyons. Slopes are 0 to 70 percent. They formed in residuum and colluvium derived from basalt mixed with loess. Elevations are 400 to 3,200 feet. These soils are in a semiarid climate with warm, dry summers and cold, moist winters. The mean annual precipitation is 9 to 13 inches. The mean January temperature is about 25 degrees F. and the mean July temperature is about 69 degrees F. The mean annual temperature is 48 to 52 degrees F. The frost-free season is 130 to 170 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Bakeoven, Cheviot, Grinrod, Renslow, and Vantage soils and the competing Clerf soils. Bakeoven soils are on ridgetops and plateaus 4 to 10 inches to a lithic contact and lack an argillic horizon. Cheviot soils are loamy-skeletal and are on footslopes and side slopes. Grinrod soils are on hillslopes and are loamy-skeletal and 20 to 40 inches to a lithic contact. Renslow soils on north-facing slopes are coarse-silty and formed in loess. Vantage soils are on ridgetops and plateaus 10 to 20 inches to a lithic contact.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow to very rapid runoff; slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for livestock grazing, wildlife habitat, and limited pasture. Native vegetation is bluebunch wheatgrass, Sandberg bluegrass, big sagebrush, and arrowleaf balsamroot.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Eastern Kittitas County, Washington. MLRA 8. Series is of small extent.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Kittitas County, Washington, Yakima Training Center, 1994.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - the zone from 0 to 11 inches
Argillic horizon - the zone from 11 to 50 inches The argillic horizon has an increase in clay of more than 15 percent, absolute, within 3 inches, at a depth of about 11 inches
Particle-size control section - the zone from 11 to 32 inches
Soil moisture regime - aridic