Parent Material & some of Seattle s soils ESRM 311/SEFS 507 Week 3 SOILS = f(cl, r, o, p, t) Parent Materials 1) Sedentary a) residual (bedrock weathered in place) b) organic 2) Transported by a) gravity - colluvial downslope movement b) water - alluvial - stream - marine - ocean - lacustrine - lake c) ice - glacial - drift - outwash (sorted) - till (unsorted - ablation, basal) d) wind (eolian) - sand dunes (coarse) - loess (silt, vfs) - volcanic (ash) 2 3 1
4 5 ~ 20,000 yrs ago Lake Columbia Lake Missoula 6 2
7 8 Erratic ice age floods, Sentinel Gap 9 3
N 1 0 11 Glacial effects on deposits and PM 12 4
Organic Parent Material From Wilding et al. (1983) Pedogenesis and Soil Taxonomy Part II: The soil orders. 13 Johannessen and MacLennan 2007 14 Vashon Recessional Outwash Vashon Till Hardpan Sand Loose Colluvial Material The Contact Streambed Typical Seattle geologic cross-section Lawton Clay Alluvial, Depression filling Soil Pre-Vashon Deposits Groundwater seepage 15 15 5
Washington Soil Series http://remotesens.css.wsu.edu/washingtonsoil/ 16 Many counties in the U.S. have a Soil Survey produced by Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Soil Surveys Maps Profile descriptions Tables on soil properties: physical, chemical, engineering, land capabilities, plant growth 17 Alderwood Soil Series Association 18 6
KITSAP INDIANOLA ALDERWOOD 19 ESC311/507 Important Soil Series in Seattle Area ALDERWOOD SERIES The Alderwood series consists of moderately deep, moderately well drained soils formed in glacial till. Alderwood soils are on glacially modified foothills and valleys and have slopes of 0 to 65 percent. The average annual precipitation is about 40 inches, and the mean annual temperature is about 50 degrees F. TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, mesic Vitrandic Durochrepts Lodgement till Ablation till TYPICAL PEDON: Alderwood gravelly loam - forested. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted.) Ap--0 to 7 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) gravelly sandy loam, brown (10YR 5/3) dry; moderate fine granular structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many fine roots; few fine interstitial pores; slightly acid (ph 6.2); abrupt smooth boundary. (3 to 7 inches thick) Bs1--7 to 21 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) very gravelly sandy loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) dry; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many fine roots; many fine tubular and interstitial pores; 35 percent pebbles; diffuse smooth boundary; slightly acid (ph 6.2). Bs2--21 to 30 inches; dark brown (10YR 4/3) very gravelly sandy loam, pale brown (10YR 6/3); dry; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; 40 percent pebbles; slightly acid (ph 6.2); clear wavy boundary. (Bs horizon 15 to 30 inches thick) 20 Lodgement till Ablation till ESC311/507 Important Soil Series in Seattle Area ALDERWOOD SERIES The Alderwood series consists of moderately deep, moderately well drained soils formed in glacial till. Alderwood soils are on glacially modified foothills and valleys and have slopes of 0 to 65 percent. The average annual precipitation is about 40 inches, and the mean annual temperature is about 50 degrees F. TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, mesic Vitrandic Durochrepts TYPICAL PEDON: Alderwood gravelly loam - forested. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted.) Ap--0 to 7 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) gravelly sandy loam, brown (10YR 5/3) dry; moderate fine granular structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many fine roots; few fine interstitial pores; slightly acid (ph 6.2); abrupt smooth boundary. (3 to 7 inches thick) Bs1--7 to 21 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) very gravelly sandy loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) dry; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many fine roots; many fine tubular and interstitial pores; 35 percent pebbles; diffuse smooth boundary; slightly acid (ph 6.2). Bs2--21 to 30 inches; dark brown (10YR 4/3) very gravelly sandy loam, pale brown (10YR 6/3); dry; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; 40 percent pebbles; slightly acid (ph 6.2); clear wavy boundary. (Bs horizon 15 to 30 inches thick) 21 7
INDIANOLA SERIES The Indianola series consists of deep, somewhat excessively drained soils formed in sandy glacial drift and minor amounts of volcanic ash. Indianola soils are on terraces, terrace escarpments, eskers, and kames at elevations of near sea level to 1,000 feet. Slopes are 0 to 90 percent. The mean annual precipitation ranges from 30 to 55 inches and the mean annual temperature is about 50 degrees F. TAXONOMIC CLASS: Mixed, mesic Dystric Xeropsamments TYPICAL PEDON: Indianola loamy sand-forested. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.) A--0 to 6 inches;dark reddish-brown (5YR 3/3) loamy sand, brown (10YR 5/3) dry; weak coarse and medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine and few coarse and medium roots; common fine tubular pores; neutral (ph 6.8); abrupt smooth bounda ry. (1 to 9 inches thick) Bw--6 to 13 inches; dark reddish-brown (5YR 3/4) loamy sand, pale brown (10YR 6/3) dry; weak coarse and medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and few medium roots; few fine tubular pores; neutral (ph 6.8); clear smooth boundary. (3 to 10 inches thick) BC--13 to 25 inches; dark b rown (10YR 4/3) loamy sand, pa le brown (10YR 6/3) dry; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine and fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; 5 percent rounded pebbles; neutral (ph 6.6); clear smooth bounda ry. (3 to 12 inches thick) C1--25 to 35 inches; dark yellowish-brown (10YR 4/4) sand, light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) single grain; loose; few very fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; 5 percent rounded p ebbles; neutral (ph 6.8); gradual wavy bounda ry. (4 to 24 inches thick) 22 INDIANOLA SERIES The Indianola series consists of deep, somewhat excessively drained soils formed in sandy glacial drift and minor amounts of volcanic ash. Indianola soils are on terraces, terrace escarpments, eskers, and kames at elevations of near sea level to 1,000 feet. Slopes are 0 to 90 percent. The mean annual precipitation ranges from 30 to 55 inches and the mean annual temperature is about 50 degrees F. TAXONOMIC CLASS: Mixed, mesic Dystric Xeropsamments TYPICAL PEDON: Indianola loamy sand-forested. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.) A--0 to 6 inches;dark reddish-brown (5YR 3/3) loamy sand, brown (10YR 5/3) dry; weak coarse and medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine and few coarse and medium roots; common fine tubular pores; neutral (ph 6.8); abrupt smooth bounda ry. (1 to 9 inches thick) Bw--6 to 13 inches; dark reddish-brown (5YR 3/4) loamy sand, pale brown (10YR 6/3) dry; weak coarse and medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and few medium roots; few fine tubular pores; neutral (ph 6.8); clear smooth boundary. (3 to 10 inches thick) BC--13 to 25 inches; dark b rown (10YR 4/3) loamy sand, pa le brown (10YR 6/3) dry; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine and fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; 5 percent rounded pebbles; neutral (ph 6.6); clear smooth bounda ry. (3 to 12 inches thick) C1--25 to 35 inches; dark yellowish-brown (10YR 4/4) sand, light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) single grain; loose; few very fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; 5 percent rounded p ebbles; neutral (ph 6.8); gradual wavy bounda ry. (4 to 24 inches thick) 23 KITSAP SERIES The Kitsap series cons ists of deep, moderately well drained soils formed in lacustrine sediments. Kitsap soils are on terraces and terrace escarpments and have slopes of 0 to 70 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 37 inches. The mean annual temperature is about 50 degrees F. TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-silty, mixed, mesic Aquandic Xerochrepts TYPICAL PEDON: Kitsap silt loam - pasture. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted.) Ap--0 to 6 inches; very dark grayish brown (l0yr 3/2) silt loam, grayish brown (l0yr 5/2) dry; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine roots; medium acid (ph 5.8); abrupt smooth bounda ry. (3 to 6 inches thick) B2l--6 to l0 inches; dark brown (l0yr 4/3) silt loam, pale brown (l0yr 6/3) dry; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many ve ry fine roots; few very fine pores; many 2 to 5 mm light brown (7.5YR 6/4) concretions; medium acid (ph 6.0); clear wavy boundary. (3 to l2 inches thick) B22--l0 to l7 inches; brown (l0yr 4/3) silty clay loam, pale brown (l0yr 6/3) dry; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, sticky and plastic; many very fine roots; common very fine pores about 3 percent fine pebbles; few 2 to 5 mm light brown (7.5YR 6/4) concretions; few silt balls; few krotovinas; slightly acid (ph 6.4); clear wavy boundary. (4 to 22 inches thick) 24 8
KITSAP SERIES The Kitsap series cons ists of deep, moderately well drained soils formed in lacustrine sediments. Kitsap soils are on terraces and terrace escarpments and have slopes of 0 to 70 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 37 inches. The mean annual temperature is about 50 degrees F. TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-silty, mixed, mesic Aquandic Xerochrepts TYPICAL PEDON: Kitsap silt loam - pasture. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted.) Ap--0 to 6 inches; very dark grayish brown (l0yr 3/2) silt loam, grayish brown (l0yr 5/2) dry; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine roots; medium acid (ph 5.8); abrupt smooth bounda ry. (3 to 6 inches thick) B2l--6 to l0 inches; dark brown (l0yr 4/3) silt loam, pale brown (l0yr 6/3) dry; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many ve ry fine roots; few very fine pores; many 2 to 5 mm light brown (7.5YR 6/4) concretions; medium acid (ph 6.0); clear wavy boundary. (3 to l2 inches thick) B22--l0 to l7 inches; brown (l0yr 4/3) silty clay loam, pale brown (l0yr 6/3) dry; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, sticky and plastic; many very fine roots; common very fine pores about 3 percent fine pebbles; few 2 to 5 mm light brown (7.5YR 6/4) concretions; few silt balls; few krotovinas; slightly acid (ph 6.4); clear wavy boundary. (4 to 22 inches thick) 25 BELLINGHAM SERIES The Bellingham series consists of deep, poorly drained soils formed in loess, alluvium, and lacustrine sediments. These soils are in depressions. Slopes of 0 to 3 percent. The average annual precipitation is about 48 inches and the mean annual temperature is about 50 degrees F. TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, mixed, nonac id, mesic Typic Epiaquepts TYPICAL PEDON: Bellingham silty clay loam - pasture. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted. All textures are apparent field textures.) Ap--0 to 5 inches; black (10YR 2/1) silty clay loam, dark gray (10YR 4/1) dry; strong fine granular structure; hard, friable, sticky and plastic; many fine roots; moderately acid (ph 5.8): abrupt smooth boundary. (4 to 9 inches thick) Bg1--5 to 8 inches; gray (5Y 5/1) silty clay, light gray (N 7/) dry; few fine distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) mottles; weak medium prismatic structure; very hard, firm, sticky and plastic; many fine roots; many medium tubular and ves icular pores; moderately acid (ph 6.0); clear smooth boundary. (2 to 13 inches thick) Bg2--8 to 14 inches; dark gray (5Y 4/1) silty clay, light gray (N 7/) dry; few fine distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) mottles; moderate medium prismatic structure; very hard, firm, very sticky and very plastic; common fine roots; many medium tubular and interstitial pores; thin patchy pressure faces on peds and lining pores; slightly acid (ph 6.2); clear smooth bounda ry. (4 to 18 inches thick) 26 BELLINGHAM SERIES The Bellingham series consists of deep, poorly drained soils formed in loess, alluvium, and lacustrine sediments. These soils are in depressions. Slopes of 0 to 3 percent. The average annual precipitation is about 48 inches and the mean annual temperature is about 50 degrees F. TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, mixed, nonac id, mesic Typic Epiaquepts TYPICAL PEDON: Bellingham silty clay loam - pasture. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted. All textures are apparent field textures.) Ap--0 to 5 inches; black (10YR 2/1) silty clay loam, dark gray (10YR 4/1) dry; strong fine granular structure; hard, friable, sticky and plastic; many fine roots; moderately acid (ph 5.8): abrupt smooth boundary. (4 to 9 inches thick) Bg1--5 to 8 inches; gray (5Y 5/1) silty clay, light gray (N 7/) dry; few fine distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) mottles; weak medium prismatic structure; very hard, firm, sticky and plastic; many fine roots; many medium tubular and ves icular pores; moderately acid (ph 6.0); clear smooth boundary. (2 to 13 inches thick) Bg2--8 to 14 inches; dark gray (5Y 4/1) silty clay, light gray (N 7/) dry; few fine distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) mottles; moderate medium prismatic structure; very hard, firm, very sticky and very plastic; common fine roots; many medium tubular and interstitial pores; thin patchy pressure faces on peds and lining pores; slightly acid (ph 6.2); clear smooth bounda ry. (4 to 18 inches thick) 27 9
SEATTLE SERIES The Seattle series consists of deep, very poo rly drained organic soils formed in herbaceous and woody deposits in depressions in river valleys and glacial till plains. Slopes are 0 to 1 percent. Average annual precipitation is about 40 inches. Mean annua l temperature is about 50 degrees F. TAXONOMIC CLASS: Euic, mesic Hemic Medisaprists TYPICAL PEDON: Seattle muck, pasture. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted.) Oap--0 to 11 inches; black (5YR 2/1) sapric material, black (10YR 2/1) dry; about 10 percent fibers, less than 1 percent rubbed; strong fine granular structure; hard, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; many roots; strongly acid (ph 5.4); clear smooth bounda ry. (10 to 13 inches thick) Oe1--11 to 17 inches; dark reddish brown (5YR 2/2) hemic material, black (10YR 2/1) and dark brown (10YR 4/3) dry; about 60 percent fibers, 25 percent rubbed; laminar structure; very ha rd, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; common roots; strongly acid (ph 5.1); clear smooth bounda ry. (3 to 12 inches thick) Oa2--17 to 21 inches; black (5YR 2/1) sapric material, black (5YR 2/1) dry; about 5 percent fibers, less than 1 percent rubbed; massive; very hard, very friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; few roots; very strongly acid (ph 4.8); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 6 inches thick) 28 Johannessen and MacLennan 2007 29 Humans can affect our soils & environment SOILS = f (cl, r, o, p, t,..h) But so can the animals Woodway in Seattle - 1997 10
ESRM 311/SEFS 507 Field Trip Week #3, for use with accompanying map and soil descriptions Week 3 Field Trip - Arboretum trip Stop 1. Surprise soil. Stop 2. Urban fill. Mapped as as Inceptisol. Andept. This area is a combination of fill from the Lake Washington ship canal and other landfilling. Notice mottled appearance but lack of high water table in the winter. notice lack of OM Stop 3. Marsh Island, old trail. Mapped as Seattle series. Stop 4. Marsh Island, tall trees. Mapped as Seattle series. Note how most trees are small and spread out this site is an exception. Why? Stop 5. Marsh Island view from floating docks. Island mapped as Seattle series. Glacial action has created the many freshwater bodies in the State of Washington. Sedimentation has filled many in. Marsh Island is apparently the result of organic deposition in an environment where decomposition is slow. In addition, filling nearby areas might have pushed up organic material, forming islands. Note water table. Note appearance of OM. 31 Stop 6. Foster Island. Mapped as Bellingham (upper) and Seattle (lower areas) series. Clay soil; large trees. Note mottling within the soil profile. What caused this? Would this be a good garden soil? Between Stops 6 & 7. Recent construction on bank to prevent duck erosion. Large boulder on other side of the trail (glacial erratic). Stop at Arboretum building (only if necessary). Stop 7. French Drain Azalea Way. Mapped as series. The Arboretum wishes to keep Azalea Way grassed, but not muddy. Unfortunately, the soil situation here encourages subsoil water flow along restrictive layers on the slopes and surfacing on Azalea Way and below. 32 sandy drift compacted layer water flow till original slope Azalea Way cut fill silty sediments A French drain (a drain that is buried) has been cut along the uphill side of Azalea Way to help alleviate this. Water theoretically passes into the drain and under Azalea Way. Is this working? sandy drift compacted layer water flow till silty sediments cut original slope Azalea Way fill drainage under Azalea Way gravel filled french drain Stop 8. Modified French drain. Located at the bottom of the slope as a trench with rock exposed to help drain away (especially) surface water. Mapped as Bellingham series. Note that marks on a map that look like this...( ) could represent what? Some maps may have different symbols to represent the same parameter. What would this mean to the desired uses of the Arboretum? What steps would need to be taken to increase the suitability of this soil for use by the Arboretum. 33 11
University of Washington Arboretum 3.5 mile loop ~8 stops Soil management Soil series Land use Week 3 Field Trip History Washington Park Logged until 1920, then split Ship Canal completed 1934 Lowered Lake Washington 20 feet Lake Washington Southern drainage Fluctuating depth Peat development Today Washington Park Arboretum 12
You will see Today Land use Lowering of Lake Washington Fill Soil Series Constructed series Seattle Bellingham Inceptisol? Dig some pits Texture soils Profile development Ask Questions What are the soils here? Vegetation Drainage Texture Structure Anything stand out? Impacts Bring Drinking Water? Coat (rain)? Rite in the Rain notebook & pencil 13