LOCATION ALICEL OREstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Pachic Haploxerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Alicel loam, cultivated. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted.)
Ap--0 to 8 inches; very dark brown (10YR 2/2) loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) dry; weak fine granular structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine roots; many very fine tubular pores; mildly alkaline (pH 7.4); abrupt smooth boundary. (6 to 10 inches thick)
A12--8 to 18 inches; very dark brown (10YR 2/2) loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) dry; weak medium prismatic and weak coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine roots; many very fine tubular pores; neutral (pH 7.2); clear smooth boundary. (8 to 18 inches thick)
B1--18 to 31 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) dry; weak medium prismatic and weak coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine roots; many very fine tubular pores; neutral (pH 7.0); abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 18 inches thick)
B2--31 to 47 inches; dark brown (10YR 4/3) clay loam, yellowish
brown (10YR 5/4) dry; moderate medium prismatic and moderate medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, sticky and plastic; few very fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; dark organic coatings in some pores; neutral (pH 7.2); abrupt smooth boundary. (8 to 20 inches thick)
IIC--47 to 100 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) fine sandy loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) dry; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine roots; few very fine in pores; moderately alkaline (pH 7.9).
TYPE LOCATION: Union County, Oregon; about 1.2 miles east of Alicel; 113 feet south of Alicel Market Road, 588 feet west of section line; SE1/4 NE1/4 section 8, T.2S., R.39E.
RANGE OF CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature ranges from 49 degrees to 53 degrees F. The mean summer soil temperature at a depth of 20 inches ranges from 63 degrees to 68 degrees F. These soils are usually moist but are dry for 60 to 80 consecutive days in all parts between depths of 4 and 12 inches during the four-month period following the summer solstice. Thickness of the solum ranges from 36 to 60 inches. The depth to bedrock is more than 60 inches. The mollic epipedon is about 20 to 36 inches thick. The sola are neutral or mildly alkaline and the C horizon is neutral to moderately alkaline.
The A horizon has value of 2 or 3 moist and chroma of 1 through 3 moist and dry. It is loam, silt loam or fine sandy loam.
The B2 horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 3 or 4 moist, 5 or 6 dry and chroma of 2 or 4 moist and dry. It is sandy clay loam or clay loam and averages 20 to 35 percent clay.
The IIC horizon has value of 3 through 5 moist, 5 or 6 dry, and chroma of 3 or 4 moist and dry. It is loam, fine sandy loam or sandy loam.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Anaverde, Calimus, Linville, Nook, Sinamox, Sweeney and Watama series. Anaverde soils have more than 5 percent rock fragments, have 20 to 40 percent mica, and a mean annual soil temperature of about 57 degrees F. Calimus soils are usually dry, dominantly have loam B2 horizons and formed in lacustrine sediments. Linville soils have silt loam or silty clay loam B2 horizons with 15 to 35 percent rock fragments. Nook soils have loam B2 horizons. Sinamox soils are usually dry and have silt loam sola and gravelly IIC horizons. Sweeney soils have mean annual soil temperature of about 59 degrees F. Watama soils are 20 to 40 inches deep to bedrock.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Alicel soils are on undulating valley terraces at elevations of 2,600 to 3,000 feet with slopes of 1 to 15 percent. The soils formed in eolian material weathered mainly from basalt and andesite. The climate is subhumid with warm dry summers and cool moist winters. The mean annual precipitation is 16 to 24 inches. The mean annual temperature is 47 degrees to 51 degrees F. The average January temperature is 34 degrees F. The average summer temperature is 65 degrees to 69 degrees F. The frost-free period is 120 to 160 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Imbler, Palouse and Spofford soils. Imbler soils are sandy loam to coarse sandy loam. Palouse soils are fine-silty. Spofford soils are sodic and have natric horizons.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow runoff; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Alicel soils are used primarily for small grains, alfalfa, green peas, and grass seed production under dryland farming and irrigation. Native vegetation dominantly is threadleaf sedge, giant wildrye and bluebunch wheatgrasses.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Grande Ronde Valley of eastern Oregon. Series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon