LOCATION THREECENT          OR
Tentative Series
IRD. RJO/DAL
01/2004

THREECENT SERIES


The Threecent series consists of moderately deep, well-drained soils on backslopes of mountains. Threecent soils formed in volcanic ash overlying colluvium from metasedimentary rocks. Slopes are 0 to 70 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 31 inches and the mean annual temperature is about 40 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Ashy over loamy-skeletal, amorphic over isotic, frigid Typic Udivitrands

TYPICAL PEDON: Threecent ashy silt loam - woodland, on a 25 percent north-facing slope at an elevation of 5,440 feet. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted. Soil textures are apparent field textures.)

Oi--0 to 1 inches; needles, twigs and logs

AB--1 to 11 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) ashy silt loam, light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) dry; weak medium and fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic and weakly smeary; common very fine, fine, and medium, and few coarse roots; few very fine tubular pores; 10 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.8); clear wavy boundary. (4 to 10 inches thick)

Bw--11 to 19 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) gravelly ashy silt loam, very pale brown (10YR 7/3) dry; weak medium and fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic and weakly smeary; common very fine, fine, medium and coarse roots; few very fine tubular pores; 15 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.8); abrupt wavy boundary. (4 to 12 inches thick)

2Eb--19 to 28 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) very gravelly sandy loam, light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) dry; weak fine and very fine subangular blocky structure; soft, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine, fine and medium, and few coarse roots; common very fine and few fine irregular pores; 35 percent gravel and 10 percent cobbles; slightly acid (pH 6.5); gradual smooth boundary. (3 to 9 inches thick)

2Bwb--28 to 39 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) very gravelly sandy loam, light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) dry; weak fine and very fine subangular blocky structure; soft, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and few fine and medium roots; common very fine and few fine irregular pores; 45 percent gravel, and 15 percent cobbles; slightly acid (pH 6.5); abrupt irregular boundary. (9 to 19 inches thick)

2R--39 inches; fractured argillite bedrock

TYPE LOCATION: Grant County, Oregon
Section 34 (SE , SE , SW ), T. 7 S., R. 35 E.
UTM Zone 11; 4,973,780 northing; 382,520 easting
Latitude: 44 degrees, 54 minutes, 27 seconds N
Longitude: 118 degrees, 29 minutes, 17 seconds W
USGS Quadrangle: Trout Meadows

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil Temperature: frigid regime
Mean Annual Soil Temperature: 40 to 45 degrees F
Mean Summer Soil Temperature: 48 to 55 degrees F
Mean Winter Soil Temperature: 32 to 37 degrees F
Soil Moisture: udic regime, dry 30 to 40 days in summer

Particle-size Control Section: mineral soil surface to bedrock
Upper part (ashy): 14 to 18 inches thick
Clay content: 6 to 13 percent
Rock fragment content: 1 to 15 percent
Lower part (loamy-skeletal): 11 to 20 inches thick
Clay content: 4 to 12 percent
Rock fragment content: 40 to 70 percent

Diagnostic Horizons and Features:
andic soil properties: upper boundary at the mineral surface; 14 to 18 inches thick
A1 + 1/2Fe(aox): 1.0 to 3.0 percent
bulk density: 0.65 to 1.0 g/cc
P retention: 40 to 90 percent
0.02-2.0 mm fraction: 40 to 60 percent of fine earth
glass content in the 0.02-2.0 mm fraction: 60 to 90 percent
water content at 1500 kPa (air dried): 5 to 12 percent
8Si + 2Fe (aox): 5 to 12 percent
8Si - 2Fe (aox): 4 to 8 percent
ochric epipedon: 4 to 10 inches thick
cambic horizons:
upper: 4 to 12 inches thick
lower: 10 to 19 inches thick
lithic contact depth: 20 to 40 inches

Major Horizons:
A horizon (may include AB horizons)
color, moist: 7.5YR 2.5/2, 3/2, 3/4, 4/3; 10YR 4/3, 4/4
color, dry: 7.5YR 5/3, 6/4; 10YR 5/4, 6/4
texture: ASHY-SIL, GR-ASHY-SIL
clay content: 6 to 14 percent
rock fragment content: 1 to 15 percent
gravel: 1 to 10 percent
cobbles: 0 to 5 percent
reaction: slightly acid to neutral; pH: 6.1 to 7.3
organic carbon: 1.0 to 5.0 percent

Bw horizon
color, moist: 7.5YR 3/4, 4/3; 10YR 3/4, 4/4, 5/4, 5/6
color, dry 7.5YR 5/4, 6/4; 10YR 7/3, 7/4
texture: ASHY-SIL, GR-ASHY-SIL
clay content: 6 to 12 percent
rock fragment content: 1 to 15 percent
gravel: 1 to 15 percent
reaction: slightly acid to neutral; pH: 6.1 to 7.3
organic carbon: 0.6 to 1.0 percent

2Eb horizon
color, moist: 7.5YR 5/4; 10YR 4/2, 4/3
color, dry: 7.5YR 7/4; 10YR 6/2, 7/2
texture: GRV-SL, GRV-L
clay content: 4 to 12 percent
rock fragment content: 40 to 45 percent
gravel: 30 to 35 percent
cobbles: 5 to 10 percent
reaction: slightly acid to neutral; pH: 6.1 to 7.3

2Bwb horizon
color, moist: 7.5YR 3/3, 4/3, 4/4; 10YR 4/2, 4/3
color, dry: 7.5YR 5/3, 6/4, 7/4; 10YR 6/2, 6/3
texture: GRV-L, CBV-SIL, CBX-L, GRV-SL
clay content: 4 to 12 percent
rock fragment content: 40 to 75 percent
gravel: 40 to 65 percent
cobbles: 0 to 30 percent
stones: 0 to 10 percent
reaction: slightly acid to neutral; pH: 6.1 to 7.3

COMPETING SERIES:
Threecent (T) -- moderately deep (20 to 40 inches) to a lithic contact; ashy part of the pscs has 60 to 90 percent glass in the 0.02 to 2.0 mm fraction; loamy-skeletal part of pscs has 4 to 12 percent clay; formed in volcanic ash over colluvium and residuum from metasedimentary rock

Boulderjud -- deep (40 to 60 inches) to a paralithic contact of weathered granite; ashy part of the pscs has 30 to 65 percent glass in the 0.02 to 2.0 mm fraction; has 2Bt horizons below the ash mantle; formed in coarse-silty volcanic ash over colluvium and residuum from granitic rocks
Bulgar (T) -- very deep (>60 inches); ashy part of the pscs has 60 to 90 percent glass in the 0.02 to 2.0 mm fraction; ash mantle with greater than 5 percent rounded rock fragments; has 2EBb, 2Ab, 2AEb, or 2Eb buried surface horizon below the ash mantle; loamy-skeletal throughout the series control section (to 80 inches); glacial rock fragments in lower pscs are rounded; formed in volcanic ash over, mostly granitic, till
Bullroar (T) -- very deep (>60 inches); ashy part of the pscs has 60 to 90 percent glass in the 0.02 to 2.0 mm fraction; ash mantle with less than 5 percent rounded rock fragments; texture in 2BC horizon is loam, sandy loam or loamy sand (loamy-skeletal); has 2EBb, 2ACb, or 2Eb buried surface horizon below the ash mantle; coarse sand and gravel in lower part of series control section (60 to 80 inches); rounded alluvial fragments in lower pscs; formed in volcanic ash over mixed alluvium
Deardorf (T) -- moderately deep (20 to 40 inches) to a lithic contact; ashy part of the pscs has 60 to 90 percent glass in the 0.02 to 2.0 mm fraction; loamy-skeletal part of pscs has 12 to 17 percent clay; formed in volcanic ash over colluvium and residuum from andesitic basalt
Ferguson -- very deep (>60 inches); texture of ash is very fine sandy loam; ashy part of the pscs has 30 to 55 percent glass in the 0.02 to 2.0 mm fraction; has 2Bw horizon; depth to 2C horizon with loamy coarse sand or sand (sandy-skeletal) is 40 to 60 inches; formed in volcanic ash over, mostly granitic, glaciofluvial deposits
Gutridge (T) -- deep (40 to 60 inches) to a lithic contact; ashy part of the pscs has 60 to 90 percent glass in the 0.02 to 2.0 mm fraction; rock fragments in the loamy-skeletal part are subangular; formed in volcanic ash over colluvium from metasedimentary rock
Stalter (T) -- moderately deep (20 to 40 inches) to a paralithic contact of weathered granite; ashy part of the pscs has 60 to 90 percent glass in the 0.02 to 2.0 mm fraction; formed in volcanic ash over colluvium and residuum from granite
Twobit (T) -- moderately deep (20 to 40 inches) to a lithic contact; ashy part of the pscs has 60 to 90 percent glass in the 0.02 to 2.0 mm fraction; loamy-skeletal part of pscs has 18 to 27 percent clay; formed in volcanic ash over colluvium and residuum from metavolcanic rock

Similar soils with mixed mineralogy.
Bonnash -- very deep (>60 inches); ashy part of the pscs has 5 to 30 percent glass in the 0.02 to 2.0 mm fraction; has 2E/Bw horizon; depth to 2C horizon with loamy coarse sand (sandy-skeletal) is 25 to 45 inches, formed in volcanic ash over mixed alluvium or glaciofluvial deposits
Bouldercreek -- very deep (>60 inches); ashy part of the pscs has 15 to 65 percent glass in the 0.02 to 2.0 mm fraction; Bw horizon has 0 to 25 percent subangular rock fragments; has 2BC and 2C horizons below the ash mantle that contain mica flakes; formed in volcanic ash and loess over colluvium from schist, gneiss, granitic or quartzite bedrock
Dewberry -- very deep (>60 inches); ashy part of the pscs has 12 to 20 percent glass in the 0.02 to 2.0 mm fraction; texture in 2C horizon is sandy loam (loamy-skeletal), does not have 2EBb, 2ACb, or 2Eb buried surface horizon below the ash mantle; formed in volcanic ash over mixed alluvium
Stevie -- very deep (>60 inches); ashy part of the pscs has 12 to 20 percent glass in the 0.02 to 2.0 mm fraction; Bw horizon has 15 to 30 percent rock fragments; has 2E/Bw horizon below the ash mantle, excessively drained; formed in volcanic ash over colluvium

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform: volcaniclastic depositional and relatively stable backslopes of metasedimentary mountains
Slope gradient: 0 to 70 percent
Parent material: volcaniclastic volcanic ash overlying colluvium
Lithology: Mount Mazama volcanic ash over metasedimentary rocks
Elevation: 4,000 to 5,600 feet
Climate: cold, wet winters and warm, dry summers
Mean annual precipitation: 25 to 38 inches
Mean annual air temperature: 38 to 43 degrees F
Frost-free period: 35 to 80 days

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS:
Btree: occur on concave to planar, mid to lower backslopes; 40 to 60 inches to a paralithic contact; >35 percent clay in lower part of pscs; has argillic layer
Carbeleek (T): occur on steeper, mid to lower backslopes; >60 inches to bedrock; <14 inches volcanic ash mantle; 18 to 31 percent clay in pscs
Flycreek: occur on concave to planar toeslopes; 20 to 40 inches to a lithic contact; has argillic horizon; >35 percent clay in lower pscs
Gutridge (T): occur on planar to concave, mid to lower backslopes; 40 to 60 inches to a lithic contact
Kingbolt (T): occur on ridges, benches and shoulders with a more southerly aspect or lower elevation; 20 to 40 inches to a lithic contact; 45 to 60 dry days
Pasturecreek (T): occur on planar to convex backslopes; >60 inches to bedrock; <14 inches of volcanic ash

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY:
Drainage: well drained
Permeability: moderately rapid

USE AND VEGETATION:
Use: timber production, wildlife habitat, recreation, watershed, and livestock grazing
Native vegetation: Grand fir, western larch, lodgepole pine, Douglas fir, ponderosa pine, big huckleberry, grouse huckleberry; common princes pine, longtube twinflower, white hawkweed, sidebells pyrola, bigleaf sandwort, pinegrass, western fescue, northwest sedge and elk sedge.
Ecological site: ABGR/LIBOL2

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT:
MLRA E43c
Distribution: South Central Blue Mountains of Eastern Oregon
Extent: moderate

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon

SERIES PROPOSED: Grant County, Oregon, 2003. The name is derived from a spring.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
ochric epipedon: 1 to 11 inches (AB horizon)
cambic horizon:
upper: 11 to 19 inches (Bw horizon)
lower: 28 to 39 inches (2Bwb horizon)
particle-size control section:
ashy part: 1 to 19 inches (A and Bw horizons)
loamy-skeletal part: 19 to 39 inches (2Eb and 2Bwb horizons)
lithic contact: 39 inches (2R layer)


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.