LOCATION CAMASPATCH WA+OREstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Clayey-skeletal, smectitic, mesic Lithic Argixerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Camaspatch very cobbly silt loam- grassland, on a structural bench with 3 percent slope. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted. All textures are apparent field textures).
A--0 to 3 inches; dark gray (10YR 4/1) very cobbly silt loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; moderate medium and thick platy structure; hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine and fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; 20 percent gravel and 30 percent cobbles, 2 percent surface cobbles; slightly acid (pH 6.4); clear smooth boundary. (2 to 4 inches thick)
Btl--3 to 6 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) very gravelly silty clay loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; very hard, very firm, sticky and plastic; few very fine and fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; few faint clay films lining pores; 30 percent gravel and 10 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 6.8); clear smooth boundary. (3 to 6 inches thick)
Bt2--6 to 15 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) very gravelly clay, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; very hard, very firm, very sticky and very plastic; few very fine and fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; many prominent clay films on faces of peds and in pores; 35 percent gravel and 10 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 6.8); gradual smooth boundary. (4 to l0 inches thick)
Bt3--15 to 18 inches; brown (7.5YR 4/4) very gravelly clay, brown (7.5YR 4/3) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; very hard, very firm, very sticky and very plastic; few very fine and fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; many prominent clay films on faces of peds and in pores; 50 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.8); abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 4 inches thick)
R--18 inches; fractured basalt.
TYPE LOCATION: Yakima County, Washington; about 21 miles south southwest of Toppenish, Washington; about 1,800 feet north and 900 feet west of the southeast corner of section 13, T7N, Rl8E, W.M.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature at the lithic contact is 47 to 51 degrees F. The soils are dry in all parts for 90 to 105 consecutive days during the summer but are moist during winter and spring. Depth to basalt is 12 to 20 inches. The particle-size control section averages 35 to 50 percent clay and 35 to 80 percent rock fragments. The mollic epipedon is 7 to 15 inches thick and includes part or all of the argillic horizon. The soil reaction is slightly acid or neutral throughout.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 3 to 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist and chroma of 1, 2 or 3 dry or moist. Texture is very cobbly loam, very cobbly silt loam, cobbly loam, or very stony clay loam.
The Bt horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 3 to 6 dry, 2 to 4 moist and chroma of 2 to 4 dry or moist. It is very gravelly, very cobbly or extremely gravelly. The fine earth fraction is silty clay loam, clay loam in the upper part and silty clay or clay in the lower part.
COMPETING SERIES: These are Flatron, Gwinly, Laufer, Longcreek, Loomer Lorella, Pioche, Radec, Ruckles, Vantage, and Waterbury. Flatron soils are 50 to 60 percent clay in the particle-size control section and are slightly alkaline in the lower part of the argillic in the lower part of the argillic horizon. Gwinly soils are dry for 60 to 80 consecutive days following the summer solstice. Laufer soils are dry for 80 to 90 consecutive days. Longcreek, Loomer, Pioche, Ruckles and Vantage soils have an aridic moisture regime. Radec soils are dry for 60 to 90 consecutive days. Waterbury soils are 50 to 60 percent clay in the particle-size control section. Lorella soils have a stress oriented fabric in the Bt horizon and are at least partially tuff fragments in the particle-size control section.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Camaspatch soils are on exposed side slopes of ridges and plateaus and on structural benches over fractured basalt or colluvium. Slopes are 0 to 70 percent. Elevation is 1,900 to 4,200 feet. Summers are warm and dry, winters are cool and moist. The mean annual precipitation is 12 to 18 inches. The average January temperature is 25 degrees F. and the average July temperature is 69 degrees F. The mean annual temperature is 45 to 50 degrees F. The frost-free season is 80 to 170 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Badge, Fortyday, Lickskillet, McDaniels, Pumphouse, Rock Creek and Tomith soils. Badge soils are on hillslopes and are loamy-skeletal. Fortyday soils are on ridges and Lickskillet soils are on uplands and both soils are loamy-skeletal. McDaniels soils are on uplands and are deep and loamy-skeletal. Pumphouse soils are on ridges and plateaus and are fine-loamy. Tomith soils are on ridge sideslopes and are more than 20 inches deep to a lithic contact. Rock Creek soils are on plateaus and have an ochric epipedon.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow to rapid runoff; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for domestic livestock grazing. Vegetation is mainly Sandberg bluegrass, Douglas eriogonum and narrow leaf goldenweed with minor amounts of bluebunch wheatgrass and Idaho fescue.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Central Washington. MLRA 8. Series is of small extent.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Yakima County, Washington, Yakima Training Center, 1994.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - the zone from 0 to 7 inches (mixed)
Argillic horizon - the zone from 3 to 18 inches
Lithic contact - the zone beginning at l8 inches
Particle-size control section - the zone from 3 to 18 inches