LOCATION AXFORD OREstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Calciargidic Argixerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Axford silt loam - rangeland, on a 45 percent slope. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted.)
A--0 to 5 inches; very dark brown (10YR 2/2) silt loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) dry; weak fine subangular blocky structure parting to weak fine granular; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine, fine and few medium roots; many very fine, fine and few medium irregular pores; 5 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.4); clear smooth boundary.
AB--5 to 11 inches; very dark brown (10YR 2/2) silt loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) dry; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine, fine and few medium roots; many very fine, fine and few medium tubular pores; 5 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.6); clear smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the A horizon is 9 to 14 inches)
Bt1--11 to 15 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) clay loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) dry; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, firm, sticky and plastic; many very fine, fine and few medium roots; many very fine, fine and few medium tubular pores; common distinct clay films on faces of peds; 5 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.0); gradual smooth boundary.
Bt2--15 to 24 inches; dark brown (10YR 4/3) clay loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) dry; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, firm, sticky and plastic; few very fine, fine and medium roots; few very fine, fine and medium tubular pores; common distinct clay films on faces of peds; 5 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.0); clear smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bt horizon is 11 to 19 inches)
2Bk1--24 to 33 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) silt loam, pale brown (10YR 6/3) dry; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine, fine and medium roots; few very fine, fine and medium tubular pores; slightly effervescent; soft masses of segregated lime in blotches; 10 percent gravel; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear smooth boundary.
2Bk2--33 to 46 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) gravelly silt loam, very pale brown (10YR 7/3) dry; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine and fine roots; few very fine and fine tubular pores; strongly effervescent; soft masses of segregated lime in blotches; 10 percent cobbles and 20 percent gravel; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); gradual smooth boundary. (combined thickness of the 2Bk horizon is 19 to 27 inches))
2Cr--46 inches; weathered basalt; violently effervescent with disseminated lime on rock fractures.
TYPE LOCATION: Wasco County, Oregon, about 2050 feet north and 3000 feet east of the SW corner of section 11, T.8 S., R.13 E. (Warm Springs Indian Reservation). (Latitude 44 degrees, 51 minutes, 21 seconds N, Longitude 121 degrees, 8 minutes, 31 seconds E)
RANGE OF CHARACTERISTICS: These soils are usually dry and are dry in all parts of the moisture control section more than half the time (cumulative) that the soil temperature at a depth of 20 inches is above 41 degrees F. The mean annual soil temperature is 52 to 54 degrees F. Depth to bedrock is 40 to 60 inches. The particle-size control section averages 27 to 35 percent clay, and 15 to 30 percent fine sand and coarser. The mollic epipedon is 10 to 20 inches thick. Depth to secondary carbonates is 20 to 30 inches.
The A horizon has value of 2 or 3 moist, 3 or 4 dry, and chroma of 1 or 2 moist and dry. It contains 0 to 10 percent gravel. The soil reaction is slightly acid to neutral.
The Bt horizon has value of 3 or 4 moist, 5 or 6 dry and chroma of 2 through 4 moist and dry. It is silty clay loam or clay loam and contains 0 to 10 percent gravel and 0 to 5 percent cobbles. The soil reaction is neutral to mildly alkaline.
The 2Bk horizon has value of 4 or 5 moist, 6 or 7 dry and chroma of 3 or 4 moist and dry. It is loam, silt loam or gravelly loam, and contains 10 to 20 percent gravel and 0 to 10 percent cobbles. It is slightly to strongly effervescent and moderately to strongly alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: Competing series are the Babbington, Bamos (T), Benwy (T), Bidwell, Brogan (T), Caliralls (T), Doyce, Drybed (T), Haw, Lucero (T), and Zen series. Babbington soils have a mean annual soil temperature of 47 to 52 degrees F., and are more than 60 inches to alluvium. Bamos soils have a mean annual soil temperature of 45 to 51 degrees F. and are 20 to 40 inches to bedrock. Benwy soils have a duripan at 40 to 60 inches. Bidwell soils have a mean annual soil temperature of 48 to 50 degrees F. and are more than 60 inches to bedrock. Brogan soils have a mean annual soil temperature of 49 to 51 degrees F. and are 25 to 40 inches to lacustrine sediments. Caliralls and Doyce soils are more than 60 inches to bedrock. Drycreek soils are greater than 60 inches to bedrock and 10 to 20 inches to secondary carbonates. Haw soils are more than 60 inches to old sediments. Lucero soils have a mean annual soil temperature of 50 to 52 degrees F. and are more than 60 inches to bedrock. Zen soils have a mean annual soil temperature of 50 to 52 degrees F. and are 20 to 40 inches to bedrock.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Axford soils are on gently sloping to steep north-facing side slopes of canyons. Elevation is 1200 to 2800 feet. Slopes are 2 to 55 percent. The soil formed in residuum and colluvium derived dominantly from basalt with an influence of loess in the surface. The climate is characterized by cool, moist winters and hot, dry summers. The mean annual precipitation is 9 to 12 inches. The mean annual temperature is 50 to 52 degrees F. The frost-free period is 110 to 160 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Bakeoven, Maupin, Ruckles, Ruclick and Walsey soils. Bakeoven soils are on patterned ground, loamy-skeletal, and very shallow to bedrock. Ruckles soils are on south facing slopes, clayey-skeletal, and shallow to bedrock. Ruclick soils are on south facing slopes, clayey-skeletal, and moderately deep to bedrock. Maupin soils are on patterned ground and are moderately deep to bedrock. Walsey soils are on north facing slopes, loamy-skeletal, and moderately deep to bedrock.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. Permeability is moderately slow.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. The native vegetation is Idaho-fescue, bluebunch wheatgrass, milkvetch, and Wyoming big sagebrush.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: North-central Oregon; MLRA 10. The soils of this series are of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Warm Springs Indian Reservation, Wasco County, Oregon, 1993.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - from the surface of the soil to 15 inches (A, AB and Bt1 horizons).
Argillic horizon - from 11 to 24 inches (Bt1, Bt2 horizons).
Calcic feature - from 24 to 46 inches (2Bk1, 2Bk2 horizons) having secondary accumulations of calcium carbonate.
Particle-size control section - from 11 to 24 inches (Bt1, Bt2 horizons)
Aridic feature - dry for more than 120 days.
ADDITIONAL DATA: Partial laboratory data is available for this soil. Reference sample S91OR-065-000, Pedon # 91P254 from WASCO, Co., Oregon, sampled by NSSL, Lincoln, NE, 5/91.