LOCATION RENSLOW WA+IDEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-silty, mixed, superactive, mesic Calciargidic Argixerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Renslow silt loam - cultivated. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 10 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) silt loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak fine and medium granular structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine roots; few fine tubular pores; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); abrupt smooth boundary. (5 to 13 inches thick)
BA--10 to 18 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) silt loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak medium and coarse prismatic structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine roots; common fine tubular pores; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 22 inches thick)
Bt--18 to 28 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) silt loam, thin organic staining on surfaces of peds, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to moderate fine subangular blocky, hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; thin patchy clay films on peds; common fine roots; many fine tubular pores; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear wavy boundary. (7 to 12 inches thick)
Bk1--28 to 38 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) silt loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine roots; common fine tubular pores; carbonate material in root channels and in matrix; strongly effervescent; strongly alkaline (pH 8.6); clear wavy boundary. (9 to 15 inches thick)
Bk2--38 to 46 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) silt loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine roots; common fine tubular pores; carbonate material in old root channels and in matrix; slightly effervescent; strongly alkaline (pH 8.8); abrupt wavy boundary. (6 to 13 inches thick)
Bk3--46 to 61 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) silt loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; massive; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine roots; many fine tubular pores; with lime coating pores and old root channels; slightly effervescent; strongly alkaline (pH 8.8).
TYPE LOCATION: Lincoln County, Washington; approximately 8 miles south of Wilbur; 310 feet east, 170 feet north of southwest corner sec. 23, T. 25 N., R. 32 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The depth to duripan or bedrock is more than 40 inches and commonly more than 60 inches. The mean annual soil temperature is 47 to 53 degrees F. These soils are dry more than one-half the time between depths of 4 and 12 inches when the soil temperature is above 41 degrees F., about 105 to 120 consecutive days. Depth to secondary carbonates is 20 to 44 inches. The particle-size control section contains 10 to 18 percent clay and averages less than 15 percent fine sand or coarser material. Base saturation (by sum) is assumed to be more than 75 percent throughout the profile.
The A horizon has value of 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist and chroma of 2 to 4 dry and 2 or 3 moist. Reaction is neutral or slightly alkaline.
The Bt horizon has value of 4, 5, or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist and chroma of 3 or 4 moist, 2 to 4 dry. It has weak or moderate prismatic or blocky structure. Reaction is slightly acid to strongly alkaline. Some pedons have a Btk horizon.
The Bk horizon has value of 5 to 7 dry, 3 to 5 moist and chroma of 3 or 4 moist, 2 to 4 dry. It is silt loam, very fine sandy loam, or silt and has weak blocky structure or is massive. Reaction is slightly alkaline through strongly alkaline.
Some pedons have bedrock or a duripan below 40 inches.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Renslow soils are on long, broad ridges, plateaus, hills and stream terraces. Slopes are 0 to 40 percent. Elevation ranges from 900 to 2,800 feet in Washington and 4,850 to 5,300 feet in Idaho. These soils are in a semiarid climate. The mean annual precipitation is 9 to 13 inches. The mean January temperature is 26 degrees F. and the mean July temperature is 70 degrees F. The mean annual temperature is 45 to 51 degrees F. The frost-free season is 130 to 190 days in Washington and 90 to 105 days in Idaho.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Bakeoven, Lickskillet, Ralls, Selah, and Zen and the competing Ritzville and Simcoe soils. Bakeoven soils are less than 10 inches deep to a lithic contact and are on plateaus, hillslopes and canyons Slopes. Lickskillet soils are 10 to 20 inches deep to a lithic contact and are on canyon slopes. Ralls soils are fine-loamy and are on hillslopes. Selah and Willis soils have a duripan at 20 to 40 inches and are located on dissected upland terraces. Simcoe and Zen soils have a lithic contact at a depth of 20 to 40 inches and are on plateaus.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow to rapid runoff; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for cropland and range. Dryland crops are winter wheat, spring wheat, and barley in a summer fallow system and hat crops. Irrigated crops include corn, small grains, vegetables, and fruit. Native vegetation is bluebunch wheatgrass, Idaho fescus, Sandberg bluegrass, and big sagebrush.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Eastern Washington and southwestern Idaho; MLRA 8. Renslow series is of moderate extent.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Kittitas County, Washington, 1939.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizon and features recognized in this pedon include:
Mollic epipedon - from the surface to 10 inches
Argillic horizon - from 18 to 28 inches
Secondary lime accumulation - from 28 to 61 inches that is assumed to have less than 15 percent calcium carbonate equivalent.
ADDITIONAL DATA: Laboratory data are available. Soil survey laboratory Riverside, California, characterization study, Sample No. S61WASH-22-2-1 through 22-2-6 and S87WA-017-005.