LOCATION STAUFFER                OR

Established Series
Rev. CWL-MPK-JVC-JBF
06/2011

STAUFFER SERIES

The Stauffer series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in eolian materials and lacustrine deposits derived from volcanic ash. Stauffer soils are on lakebeds. Slopes are 0 to 2 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 250 mm and the mean annual temperature is about 7 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Ashy, glassy, frigid Vitritorrandic Argixerolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Stauffer ashy fine sandy loam--on a nearly level lakebed at an elevation of 4,568 feet--rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)

A1--0 to 8 cm; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) ashy fine sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium platy structure parting to moderate medium granular; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine, common fine, and few medium roots; many very fine, common fine, and few medium tubular pores; neutral (pH 7.2); clear smooth boundary. (8 to 13 cm thick)

A2--8 to 20 cm; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) ashy fine sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure parting to moderate medium granular; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine, few fine, and few medium roots; common very fine, many fine, and few medium interstitial and tubular pores; slightly alkaline (pH 7.5); clear smooth boundary. (10 or 13 cm thick)

Bt1--20 to 36 cm; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) ashy sandy clay loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; strong medium subangular blocky structure parting to weak fine angular blocky; hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine, few fine, and few medium roots; few very fine, few fine, and few medium tubular pores; common faint clay films on faces of peds; slightly alkaline (pH 7.5); abrupt wavy boundary. (13 or 15 cm thick)

Bt2--36 to 66 cm; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) ashy clay loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to strong medium angular blocky; hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine, few fine, and few medium roots; few very fine and few fine tubular pores; common distinct clay films on faces of peds; slightly alkaline (pH 7.5); clear wavy boundary. (18 to 30 cm thick)

Btq1--66 to 86 cm; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) ashy sandy loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist, moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine and few fine roots; few very fine and few fine tubular pores; common distinct clay films on faces of peds; 40 percent moderately cemented durinodes; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear smooth boundary. (20 to 40 cm thick)

Btq2--86 to 97 cm; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) ashy very fine sandy loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; strong medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine and few fine roots; few very fine and few fine tubular pores; few distinct clay films on faces of peds; 40 percent moderately cemented durinodes; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 10 cm thick)

Btq3--97 to 114 cm; pale brown (10YR 6/3) ashy clay loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate medium angular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine and few fine roots; few very fine and few fine tubular pores; common distinct clay films on faces of peds; 5 percent moderately cemented durinodes; few fine prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) relict masses of iron accumulation; slightly alkaline (pH 7.7); abrupt smooth boundary. (15 or 18 cm thick)

BCt--114 to 157 cm; pale brown (10YR 6/3) and light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) stratified ashy clay loam and ashy sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) and dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; strong fine prismatic structure parting to strong medium angular blocky; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine and few fine roots; few very fine and few fine tubular pores; common distinct clay films on faces of peds; common fine prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) relict masses of iron accumulation; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 18 cm thick)

C--157 to 168 cm; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) and strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) ashy sandy loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many coarse prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) relict masses of iron accumulation; slightly alkaline (pH 7.5).

TYPE LOCATION: Lake County, Oregon; east of Stauffer Rim and about 0.3 miles west-northwest of Stauffer Well; approximately 4,000 feet south and 3,400 feet west of the northeast corner of section 10, T. 24 S., R. 21 E.; USGS Potato Lake 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle; latitude 43 degrees 30 minutes 09 seconds N and longitude 120 degrees 11 minutes 21 seconds W; NAD 83.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: Usually moist in the moisture control section in winter and early spring, dry in summer and fall; aridic moisture regime that borders on xeric.
Mean annual soil temperature: 7 to 8 degrees C.
Mollic epipedon thickness: 18 to 36 cm; includes the Bt1 horizon in some pedons.
Argillic horizon thickness: 30 to 94 cm.
Depth to base of argillic horizon: 50 to 114 cm.
Volcanic glass content: 35 to 95 percent in coarse silt through fine sand fractions.

Particle-size control section - Clay content: Averages 20 to 30 percent.

A horizons
Chroma: 2 or 3, dry or moist.
Clay content: 9 to 18 percent.
Reaction: Neutral or slightly alkaline.
Organic matter content: 1 to 3 percent.

Bt1 horizon
Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR.
Clay content: 20 to 34 percent.
Organic matter content: 1 to 3 percent.

Bt2 horizon
Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR.
Clay content: 27 to 35 percent.
Texture: Ashy clay loam or ashy sandy clay loam.

Btq horizons
Texture: Ashy sandy loam, ashy very fine sandy loam, or ashy clay loam.
Clay content: 12 to 30 percent.
Secondary silica: 5 to 45 percent weakly or moderately cemented durinodes.

BCt horizon (when present)
Texture: Stratified ashy sandy loam to ashy clay loam.
Clay content: 12 to 30 percent.
Other features: Redoximorphic features are present in some pedons as masses of iron accumulation which are relict redox concentrations.

C horizon
Chroma: 2 through 6 dry, 2 or 3 moist.
Texture: Ashy sandy loam, ashy loam, ashy fine sandy loam, or ashy sandy clay loam.
Clay content: 10 to 24 percent.
Other features: Redoximorphic features are present in some pedons as masses of iron accumulation which are relict redox concentrations.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Ashdos, Ashtre, Lastcall, and Millenium series.

Ashdos and Ashtre soils are moderately deep to paralithic contacts. Lastcall soils are moderately deep to lithic contacts. Millenium soils do not have horizons with durinodes.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Stauffer soils are on lakebeds. These soils formed in eolian materials and lacustrine deposits derived from volcanic ash. Slopes are 0 to 2 percent. Elevations range from 1,375 to 1,405 meters. The climate is semiarid and characterized by cold, moist winters and warm, dry summers. The mean annual precipitation is 250 to 300 mm, the mean annual temperature is 6 to 7 degrees C, and the frost-free period is 50 to 80 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the competing Millenium soil and the Borobey and Raztack soils. Borobey soils do not have argillic horizons and average 8 to 15 percent clay in the particle-size control section. Raztack soils are fine, deep to duripans, and have ochric epipedons.

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

USE AND VEGETATION: Stauffer soils are used for livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. The vegetation is mainly low sagebrush, Idaho fescue, and Thurber's needlegrass.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: South-central Oregon. These soils are not extensive with about 360 acres of the series mapped to date. MLRA 23.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Lake County (Northern Part), Oregon, 2006.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - The zone from the soil surface to 36 cm (A1, A2, and Bt1 horizons).
Argillic horizon - The zone from 20 to 66 cm (Bt1 and Bt2 horizons).
Vitrandic intergrade feature - The zone from the soil surface to 76 cm (A1, A2, Bt1, and Bt2 horizons and part of the Btq1 horizon).
Durinodes - The zone from 66 to 114 cm (Btq1, Btq2, and Btq3 horizons).
Particle-size control section and ashy substitute class with glassy mineralogy - The zone from 20 to 66 cm (Bt1 and Bt2 horizons).

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.