LOCATION OTTMAR WAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-silty, mixed, superactive, mesic Xeric Haplocambids
TYPICAL PEDON: Ottmar silt loam - irrigated cropland (wheat) on a 0 percent slope at an elevation of 1,080 feet. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted).
Ap1--0 to 7 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) silt loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and common fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; neutral (pH 7.2); clear smooth boundary. (4 to 7 inches thick)
Ap2--7 to 17 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) silt loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate coarse platy structure; soft, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and few fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; neutral (pH 7.2); clear smooth boundary. (6 to 10 inches thick)
Bw1--17 to 23 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) silt loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; neutral (pH 7.2); gradual wavy boundary. (4 to 9 inches)
Bw2--23 to 34 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) silt loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate coarse parting to moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, sticky and plastic; common very fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8) clear wavy boundary. (8 to 15 inches)
Bk--34 to 48 inches; pale yellow (2.5Y 8/2) silty clay loam, light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) moist; strong medium subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, sticky and very plastic; common very fine roots; lime segregated in root channels, on ped faces, and also disseminated throughout; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); gradual wavy boundary. (12 to 17 inches thick)
2Cr--48 to 60 inches; pale yellow (2.5Y 7/4) semi-consolidated shale.
TYPE LOCATION: Franklin County, Washington; 5 miles west of Connell; 1,100 feet west and 1,350 feet north of the southeast corner of sec. 31, T. 14 N., R. 31 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Mean annual soil temperature ranges from 50 to 55 degrees F. These soils are continuously dry in all parts between 4 and 12 inches from about May 1 to October 1, unless irrigated. Depth to secondary lime ranges from 16 to 36 inches. Depth to a paralithic contact ranges from 40 to more than 60 inches.
The A horizon has hue of 2.5Y or 10YR, value of 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist, and chroma of 3 or 4 dry and 2 or 3 moist. It has medium granular or coarse platy structure.
The Bw horizon has hue of 2.5Y or 10YR, value of 5 or 6 dry and chroma of 3 or 4 dry. It has coarse prismatic or subangular blocky structure. Reaction is neutral to slightly alkaline.
The Bk horizon has hue of 2.5Y or 10YR, value of 6 through 8 dry, 4 or 5 moist, and chroma of 2 or 3 dry and 3 or 4 moist. It has medium or strong subangular blocky structure or is massive and finely laminated. It is silt loam, silty clay loam, or clay loam. Calcium carbonate equivalent ranges from 2 to 10 percent.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Luce, McLoughlin, Schlomer, and Tulch soils. Luce soils are calcareous throughout and have a 2 to 6 inch layer that is weakly cemented. McLoughlin soils are moderately to strongly saline-alkaline throughout. Schlomer soils are 20 to 40 inches to semi-consolidated material. Tulch soils are very deep.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Ottmar soils occur on terraces and benches. Deep phases of Ottmar are at elevations of 750 to 1,100 feet. Very deep phases occur at elevations of 350 to 500 feet. Slopes range from 0 to 25 percent. They formed in loess mixed with alluvium in the upper part and in alluvium and residuum from Ringold siltstone and shale in the lower part. These soils are over semi-consolidated siltstone and shale sediments of the Ringold Formation. These soils are in an arid climate that borders on xeric with hot, dry summers and cool, moist winters. The annual precipitation is 6 to 9 inches. The mean annual temperature is 50 to 53 degrees F. The frost-free season is 180 to 200 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Wiehl, Warden, Taunton, and Sagehill soils. Wiehl soils are coarse-loamy and are moderately deep to a semi-consolidated sandstone paralithic contact. Warden soils are coarse-silty, very deep and lack a paralithic contact. Sagehill soils are very deep, coarse-loamy and lack a paralithic contact. Taunton soils have a duripan at 20 to 40 inches.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; very slow to medium runoff; moderately slow permeability above the shale and very slow in the shale.
USE AND VEGETATION: Irrigated cropland, range, and wildlife habitat. Native vegetation is bluebunch wheatgrass, Sandberg bluegrass, and big sagebrush.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Western Franklin County, Washington. Series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Franklin County, Washington, 1994.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are an ochric epipedon from the surface to 17 inches, a cambic horizon from 17 to 34 inches, a zone of lime accumulation from 34 to 48 inches, and a paralithic contact at 48 inches. This soil is reclassified based on amendment 17 of Soil Taxonomy.