LOCATION REDCANYON               OR

Established Series
Rev: RJK/TDT/JBF
06/2011

REDCANYON SERIES

The Redcanyon series consists of moderately deep, well drained soils formed in colluvium over basalt and tuff. They are on sideslopes of hills and mountains and are associated with rock outcrop. Slopes are 30 to 50 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 280 mm and the mean annual temperature is about 8 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, mesic Calcidic Haploxerolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Redcanyon extremely bouldery loam, on a south-facing slope of about 45 percent in rangeland. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted).

A--0 to 20 cm; dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) extremely bouldery loam, brown (7.5YR 5/2) dry; weak medium and fine granular structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine, few medium and coarse roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; 40 percent boulders, 10 percent stones, 10 percent cobbles, and 10 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.6); gradual wavy boundary. (18 to 28 cm thick)

AB--20 to 46 cm; dark brown (10YR 3/3) very bouldery loam, brown (10YR 4/3) dry; moderate medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; many very fine and fine, few medium and coarse roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; 25 percent boulders, 15 percent stones, 5 percent cobbles, and 10 percent gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 33 cm thick)

Bw--46 to 74 cm; dark brown (10YR 3/3) extremely bouldery loam, pale brown (10YR 6/3) dry; massive; slightly hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine, few medium and coarse roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; 20 percent boulders, 15 percent stones, 10 percent cobbles, and 20 percent gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); gradual wavy boundary. (20 to 38 cm thick)

Bk--74 to 79 cm; dark brown (10YR 3/3) extremely bouldery loam, light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) dry; massive; very hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few roots; few fine carbonate filaments; carbonate coatings on the underside of rock fragments; violently effervescent; 40 percent boulders, 15 percent stones, 10 percent cobbles, and 15 percent gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); abrupt irregular boundary. (5 to 15 cm thick)

R--79 cm; fractured basalt.

TYPE LOCATION: Lake County, Oregon; about 2 miles northwest of Valley Falls, in the SE1/4 NW1/4 SE1/4 of section 22, T. 35 S., R. 20 E; latitude 42 degrees 31minutes 2 seconds N and longitude 120 degrees 20 minutes 33 seconds W; NAD 83.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: usually dry and are moist in the winter and early spring. The soils are dry throughout the moisture control section from about July through October.
Mean annual soil temperature: 8 to 10 degrees C.
Depth to bedrock: 50 to 100 cm.
Depth to secondary carbonates: 38 to 76 cm.
Mollic epipedon: 18 to 50 cm thick.
Hue: 10YR or 7.5 YR.
Other features: Mollic colors can extend to a depth of over 50 cm but organic matter content is less than 1 percent at these depths and the color is bedrock influenced.

Particle-size control section - Clay content: 18 to 30 percent.
Rock fragments: Averages 50 to 70 percent, dominantly boulders and stones.

A horizon, and AB horizon (when present)
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist.
Chroma: 2 or 3 moist and dry.

Bw horizon
Value: 4 to 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist.
Chroma of 3 or 4 moist and dry.
Texture: Loam or clay loam.
Clay content: 20 to 30 percent.
Rock fragments: 50 to 70 percent..
Reactionn: Neutral or slightly alkaline.

Bk horizon
Value of 5 to 7 dry, 3 or 4 moist.
Chroma of 3 or 4 moist and dry.
Clay content: 18 to 27 percent.
Rock fragments: 60 to 80 percent
Reaction: Slightly or moderately alkaline.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Dustin, Haystack, Heytou, Nighthawk, Olex Peshastin, and Strat series.

Dustin, Haystack, Heytou, Nighthawk, Olex Peshastin, and Strat soils are over 100 cm deep.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Redcanyon soils are on sideslopes of hills and mountains and are associated with rock outcrop. They formed in colluvium over basalt and tuff. Slopes are 30 to 50 percent. Elevations are 1,280 to 1,465 meters. The climate is characterized by cool moist winters and hot dry summers. The mean annual precipitation is 250 to 360 mm. The mean annual temperature is 7 to 9 degrees C. The frost-free period is 70 to 110 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Eglirim and Lorella soils. Eglirim and Lorella soils have an argillic horizon and are clayey-skeletal. In addition, Lorella soils have a lithic contact at 25 to 50 cm and Eglirim soils have a lithic contact at greater than 150 cm.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Well drained; moderately high saturated hydraulic conductivity.

USE AND VEGETATION: The soils are used for livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. Potential native vegetation is bluebunch wheatgrass, Idaho fescue, Wyoming big sagebrush, Sandberg bluegrass and Thurber needlegrass.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southeastern Oregon; MLRA 21. The series is of minor extent.

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

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

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and other features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - The zone from 0 to 46 cm (A and AB horizons).
Cambic horizon - The zone from 46 to 79 cm (Bw and Bk horizons).
Secondary carbonates as filaments and coatings on bedrock at 74 to 79 cm. (Bk horizon).
Lithic contact - The contact at 79 cm (R layer).
Particle-size control section - The zone from 25 to 79 cm (Bw, Bk and part of the AB horizons).

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.