LOCATION JOSSET OREstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy over sandy or sandy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, frigid Cumulic Haploxerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Josset loam, native pasture (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted.)
A1--0 to 4 inches; very dark brown (10YR 2/2) loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) dry; weak fine platy structure parting to moderate fine and medium granular; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; many very fine and fine roots; many very fine and fine irregular pores; slightly effervescent; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); abrupt smooth boundary. (4 to 7 inches thick)
A2--4 to 11 inches; very dark brown (10YR 2/2) loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) dry; weak medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; many fine roots; many very fine tubular pores; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear wavy boundary. (7 to 12 inches thick)
C1--11 to 22 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) fine sandy loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) dry; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; common fine roots; 5 percent gravel; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); gradual wavy boundary. (6 to 20 inches thick)
2C2--22 to 60 inches; multicolored very gravelly sand; single grain; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; carbonate stains and coatings on bottom of gravel; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0).
TYPE LOCATION: Wallowa County, Oregon; about 1 mile west of Enterprise, Oregon; 100 feet west of the country road center; 1,220 feet east and 1,970 feet south of the NW corner of section 3, T. 2 S., R. 44 E. (Latitude 45 degrees, 25 minutes, 16 seconds N, Longitude 117 degrees, 18 minutes, 23 seconds W).
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature is 44 to 47 degrees F. The soils are usually moist but are dry in the moisture control section for 60 to 90 consecutive days during the summer months. The mollic epipedon is 20 to 30 inches thick. The particle-size control section above the very gravelly sand is a loam or fine sandy loam with about 10 to 18 percent clay and more than 15 percent coarser than very fine sand. The lower part of the control section is sand or loamy sand with 35 to 65 percent gravel. Depth to very gravelly sand is 20 to 36 inches. The solum is slightly to moderately alkaline and calcareous throughout.
The A horizon has value of 2 or 3 moist, 3 to 5 dry and chroma of 2 or 3 moist and dry. It has 0 to 5 percent gravel. It has 1 to 2 percent CaCO3 equivalent.
The C1 horizon has value of 2 or 3 moist, 3 or 4 dry, and chroma of 2 or 3 moist and dry. It is loam or fine sandy loam with 0 to 20 percent gravel. It has 1 to 2 percent CaCO3 equivalent.
The 2C2 horizon is sand or loamy sand and is very gravelly or extremely gravelly. It has 35 to 65 percent gravel and 0 to 10 percent cobbles.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Boesel and Markscreek series. Boesel soils are noncalcareous. Markscreek soils are noncalcareous, dry for 80 to 100 consecutive days, and are well drained.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Josset soils are on flood plains with numerous braided channels. The soils have formed in stratified alluvium weathered from basalt, granite, and limestone with an influence of alluvial loess and volcanic ash in the surface. Slopes are 0 to 2 percent. Elevations are 3,400 to 4,400 feet. The climate is characterized by cold wet winters and hot dry summers. The mean annual precipitation is 13 to 17 inches. The mean annual temperature is 42 to 45 degrees F. The frost-free period is 70 to 100 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the competing Cheval, and the Lostine, Redmount and Sturgill series. Sturgill soils are fine-silty and poorly drained. Lostine and Redmount soils are on slightly higher terraces and lack irregular decrease in organic matter and lack contrasting textures within 40 inches.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Moderately well drained; moderate permeability in the upper coarse-loamy material and very rapid in the sandy-skeletal substratum. A water table fluctuates from 30 to 40 inches from January to June. Occasional flooding for brief periods from January to April.
USE AND VEGETATION: The soils are mainly used for native pasture, and improved hay and pasture. The potential native vegetation is mostly basin wildrye, Idaho fescue, bluegrass, and willow.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Valleys of northeastern Oregon, MLRA 9. The series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Wallowa County, Oregon, 1998.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon include:
Mollic epipedon - from the surface to 22 inches (A1, A2, and C1 horizons)
Cumulic feature - mollic epipedon 20 inches or more thick with an inferred irregular decrease in organic carbon based on the nature of the parent material
Particle-size control section - from 10 to 40 inches (lower A2, C1, and upper 2C2 horizons)