Description

This resource area is along the coast of the Pacific Ocean. It is characterized by a marine climate and coastal fog belt. The parent material is primarily glacial, marine, or alluvial sediment and some scattered areas of Tertiary sedimentary rock and organic deposits. Glacial deposits are dominant in the northern part of the MLRA in Washington; marine and alluvial deposits and eolian sand are dominant along the southern part of the Washington coast and extending into Oregon. The mean annual precipitation ranges from 52 to 60 inches near the beaches to more than 190 inches in the inland areas of the MLRA. Andisols and Inceptisols are the dominant soil orders in the MLRA, but Spodosols, Entisols, and Histosols are also present. The soils are shallow to very deep and very poorly drained to somewhat excessively drained. They are on hilly marine terraces and drift plains; coastal uplands, hills, and foothills; flood plains; and coastal dunes, marshes, and estuaries. The soil temperature regimes of MLRA 4A are moderated by the proximity to the Pacific Ocean, which eases the differences between the mean summer and winter temperatures. The seasonal differences in temperature are more pronounced in adjacent MLRAs further inland. Included in MLRA 4A are soils in cooler areas at higher elevations or on northerly aspects that have an isofrigid temperature regime. The soil moisture regimes of MLRA 4A are typified by soils that do not have an extended dry period during normal years. Many of the soils further inland in MLRA 2 have a dry period in summer. Soils in low-lying areas and depressions of MLRA 4A are saturated in the rooting zone for extended periods due to a high water table or long or very long periods of flooding or ponding.  

Geographic subunits

Land Resource Unit 1. The Northern Sitka Spruce Belt land resource unit (LRU A) of MLRA 4A is along the northwest coast of the Olympic Peninsula to the Chehalis River in Washington State. The parent material is dominantly glacial deposits derived from continental or alpine sources. This LRU extends from the northwesternmost corner of the Olympic Peninsula south to the northern edge of Grays Harbor. It is bounded on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the east by the Olympic Mountains. Several major rivers carved valleys through the glacially derived landscape and deposited more recent alluvium. These include the Sol Duc, Bogachiel, Hoh, Queets, Quinault, and Humptulips Rivers.

Land Resource Unit 2. The Central Sitka Spruce Belt land resource unit (LRU B) of MLRA 4A is along the west coast of Washington and Oregon. The LRU extends from the Chehalis River in Washington to South Slough in Oregon, and it is bounded on the west by the Pacific Ocean. This area consists of sand dunes, flood plains, and marine terraces that extend a few miles east and are parallel to the Pacific Ocean, and it transitions to steeper and higher elevation ridges and mountainsides of the western slopes of the Coast Range in Oregon. Near the shore in coastal lowland areas, the parent material is dominantly eolian (wind-deposited) sand, alluvium, and marine sediment. Residuum, colluvium, and landslide deposits derived from sedimentary and basaltic sources are on the coastal foothills and mountains, and minor additions of recent alluvium are along the river valleys. Several major rivers carved steep, narrow valleys through the coastal mountains and foothills before entering broader coastal valleys. Subduction zones along the Pacific Coast may cause significant earthquakes and tsunamis, which would disrupt the ecological processes beyond what is described in this ecological site description.

Land Resource Unit 3. The Southern Sitka Spruce Belt land resource unit (LRU C) of MLRA 4A is along the west coast of Oregon. This LRU extends from the northern edge of South Slough to the Chetco River, and it is bounded on the west by the Pacific Ocean. The area consists of sand dunes, flood plains, and marine terraces that extend a few miles east and are parallel to the Pacific Ocean, and it transitions to steeper, higher elevation ridges and foothills of the western slopes of the Coast Range. The soils in the coastal lowland areas dominantly formed in eolian (wind-deposited) sand, alluvium, and marine sediment. The soils in the coastal foothills formed in residuum, colluvium, and landslide deposits derived from sedimentary and basaltic rock. Minor additions of recent alluvium are along the river valleys. Several major rivers that have headwaters in the coastal mountains carved steep, narrow valleys through the foothills before entering the broader coastal valleys. Subduction zones along the Pacific Coast may cause significant earthquakes and tsunamis, which would disrupt the ecological processes beyond what is described in this ecological site description.