LOCATION HELPHENSTEIN OR

Established Series
Rev. AJM-TDT-JVC-JBF
03/2011

HELPHENSTEIN SERIES

The Helphenstein series consists of very deep, somewhat poorly drained soils that formed in lacustrine deposits derived from tuff and basalt with thin surface mantles of eolian sand. Helphenstein soils are on lake terraces and lakebeds. Slopes are 0 to 5 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 200 mm and the annual temperature is about 9 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Sodic Aquicambids

TYPICAL PEDON: Helphenstein fine sandy loam--rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)

An--0 to 18 cm; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) fine sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure parting to weak medium platy; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine and fine roots; common very fine vesicular pores; strongly effervescent (3 percent calcium carbonate); carbonates are disseminated; SAR is 108; EC is 7 mmhos/cm; very strongly alkaline (pH 10.1); abrupt wavy boundary. (5 to 38 cm thick)

2Bn1--18 to 30 cm; light gray (10YR 7/2) loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; strong medium platy structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; common fine and coarse roots; common very fine vesicular pores; strongly effervescent (8 percent calcium carbonate); carbonates are disseminated; SAR is 168; EC is 8 mmhos/cm; very strongly alkaline (pH 9.8); abrupt wavy boundary. (8 to 15 cm thick)

2Bn2--30 to 41 cm; light gray (10YR 7/2) loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; strong very fine angular blocky structure; hard, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; many very fine to coarse roots; violently effervescent (6 percent calcium carbonate); carbonates are disseminated; SAR is 36; EC is 3 mmhos/cm; very strongly alkaline (pH 9.5); clear wavy boundary. (8 to 15 cm thick)

2Bkn1--41 to 91 cm; light gray (10YR 7/2) loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate very fine prismatic structure parting to strong very fine angular blocky; hard, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; few very fine roots; violently effervescent, (6 percent calcium carbonate); secondary carbonates segregated in common fine irregular seams and filaments; SAR is 375; EC is 10 mmhos/cm; very strongly alkaline (pH 9.8); gradual wavy boundary. (25 to 76 cm thick)

3Bkn2--91 to 127 cm; light gray (10YR 7/2) silt loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate thin platy structure parting to strong fine angular blocky; very hard, brittle, firm, nonsticky and nonplastic; strongly effervescent, (7 percent calcium carbonate); secondary carbonates segregated in common fine irregular seams and filaments; SAR is 59; EC is 3 mmhos/cm; very strongly alkaline (pH 9.1); gradual wavy boundary. (25 to 75 cm thick)

3BC--127 to 140 cm; light gray (10YR 7/2) silt loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; slightly effervescent; carbonates are disseminated; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); abrupt wavy boundary. (0 to 13 cm thick)

4C1--140 to 152 cm; white (10YR 8/1) very fine sandy loam, light gray (10YR 7/1) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic, moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); abrupt wavy boundary. (5 to 13 cm thick)

4C2--152 to 165 cm; light gray (10YR 7/2) silt loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; massive; extremely hard, brittle, extremely firm, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine roots; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0).

TYPE LOCATION: Lake County, Oregon; in the Warner Valley about 4.25 miles north-northeast of Plush; in the NE 1/4 of the SE 1/4 of the SW 1/4 of section 3, T. 36 S., R. 24 E.; USGS Plush 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle; latitude 42 degrees 28 minutes 13 seconds N and longitude 119 degrees 52 minutes 38 seconds W; NAD 83.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: Usually dry, moist in winter and early spring; typic aridic soil moisture regime.
Mean annual soil temperature: 8 to 11 degrees C.
Ochric epipedon thickness: 5 to 38 cm..
Depth to base of cambic horizon: 25 to 86 cm.
Depth to bedrock: Greater than 150 cm.

Particle-size control section - Clay content: Averages 18 to 30 percent.
Sand content: 30 to 50 percent sand (mostly fine and very fine sand) with greater than 15 percent coarser than very fine sand.

An horizon
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y.
Value: 6 or 7 dry, 3 or 4 moist.
Chroma: 2 or 3 moist.
Structure: Platy or blocky.
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 1 to 12 percent.
Salinity (EC): 4 to 35 mmhos/cm.
Sodicity (SAR): 20 to 525.

Bn, and Bkn horizons (when present)
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y.
Value: 6 through 8 dry, 2 through 5 moist.
Chroma: 2 or 3 moist.
Texture: Silt loam, loam, clay loam, or silty clay loam.
Clay content: 18 to 30 percent.
Structure: Platy, angular blocky, or prismatic; in some pedons angular blocky structure is inherited from fractured weakly cemented lacustrine deposits.
Pararock fragments: 0 to 15 percent paragravel; pararock fragments consist of weakly cemented lacustrine deposits that are fractured and that do not form a horizon or layer that is root-limiting. The majority of these fragments are water-stable and will not slake after air-drying and soaking in water for at least one hour.
Identifiable secondary carbonates: Occurs in the 2Bkn and 3Bkn horizons as filaments, seams, or coats on faces of peds.
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 1 to 20 percent.
Salinity (EC): 2 to 50 mmhos/cm.
Sodicity (SAR): 20 to 525.

BC and C horizons
Hue: 10YR through 5Y.
Value: 6 through 8 dry, 3 through 7 moist.
Chroma: 1 or 2 dry, 1 through 3 moist.
Texture: Coarsely stratified layers of silt loam, loam, very fine sandy loam, or fine sand with thin strata of white volcanic ash in some pedons.
Pararock fragments: 0 to 15 percent paragravel; pararock fragments consist of weakly cemented lacustrine deposits that are fractured and that do not form a horizon or layer that is root-limiting. The majority of these fragments are water-stable and will not slake after air-drying and soaking in water for at least one hour.
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 0 to 20 percent.
Salinity (EC): 0 to 2 mmhos/cm.
Sodicity (SAR): 2 to 100.

COMPETING SERIES: There are currently no other series in this family.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Helphenstein soils are on lake terraces and lakebeds. These soils formed in lacustrine deposits derived from tuff and basalt with thin surface mantles of eolian sand. Slopes are 0 to 5 percent. Elevations range from 1,265 to 1,465 meters. The climate is arid and characterized by cool, moist winters and warm, dry summers. The mean annual precipitation is 150 to 250 mm, the mean annual temperature is 7 to 10 degrees C, and the frost-free period is 80 to 110 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Icene, Mesman, Reese, and Turpin soils. Icene soils have salic horizons and occur on slightly higher positions on lake terraces. Mesman and Turpin soils are well drained and do not have water tables. Mesman soils have natric horizons. Reese soils have an aquic moisture regime.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Somewhat poorly drained; medium or high surface runoff; slow permeability; moderately slow saturated hydraulic conductivity. Endosaturation is present with an apparent seasonal high water table between 30 and 100 cm (moderately deep and deep free water occurrence classes) between February and April. Cumulative annual duration class is Transitory. Some phases of these soils are susceptible to occasional or frequent ponding for long duration from December through May with water up to 30 cm deep.

USE AND VEGETATION: Helphenstein soils are used for livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. The native vegetation is black greasewood, basin wildrye, and inland saltgrass.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southeastern Oregon. These soils are moderately extensive. The series concept and main acreage is in MLRA 23, while other acreage occurs in MLRA 24.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California.

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Lake County (Southern Part), Oregon, 1991.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - The zone from the soil surface to 18 cm (An horizon).
Cambic horizon - The zone from 18 to 41 cm (2Bn1 and 2Bn2 horizons).
Sodic subgroup feature - The zone from the soil surface to 100 cm (An, 2Bn1, 2Bn2, and 2Bkn1 horizons and part of the 3Bkn2 horizon).
Identifiable secondary carbonates - The zone from 41 to 127 cm (2Bkn1 and 3Bkn2 horizons).
Endosaturation feature - The condition of ground water with an upper boundary between 30 and 100 cm at certain times during normal years (parts of the 2Bkn1 and 3Bkn2 horizons).
Particle-size control section - The zone from 25 to 100 cm (2Bn2 and 2Bkn1 horizons and parts of the 2Bn1 and 3Bkn2 horizons).

ADDITIONAL DATA: The typical pedon at the series type location is reference sampled with partial characterization data by the Soil Survey Laboratory (SSL), Lincoln, NE, as soil survey sample number S86OR-037-002 (pedon # 86P0988).

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.