LOCATION BITTERCREEK             OR

Established Series
Rev. SCW/RWL
03/2013

BITTERCREEK SERIES

The Bittercreek series consists of very deep, poorly drained soils formed in stratified mixed alluvium with an influence of volcanic ash in the surface horizons. Bittercreek soils are on flood plains in narrow canyons. Slopes are 0 to 3 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 28 inches, and the mean annual temperature is about 43 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy over sandy or sandy-skeletal, isotic over mixed, frigid Aquandic Endoaquolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Bittercreek ashy silt loam - meadow, on a 2 percent slope at an elevation of 3,670 feet (When described on August 11, 1992, the soil was moist to a depth of 26 inches with standing water below. Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted.)

A--0 to 11 inches; very dark brown (10YR 2/2) ashy silt loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) dry; moderate medium granular structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine and many very fine roots; few fine and common very fine irregular pores; few fine distinct brown (10YR 5/3) masses of iron and manganese accumulations and few concentrations; slightly acid (pH 6.5); abrupt wavy boundary. (10 to 18 inches thick)

AC--11 to 19 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) ashy very fine sandy loam, light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) dry; weak very coarse subangular blocky structure parting to massive; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; few very fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; common medium prominent strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) masses of iron and manganese accumulations and few concentrations; neutral (pH 6.6); abrupt wavy boundary. (5 to 28 inches thick)

2C1--19 to 39 inches; dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) very cobbly loamy sand, grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) dry; single grain; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) masses of iron and manganese accumulations; 25 percent cobbles and 30 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.5); clear wavy boundary. (6 to 20 inches thick)

2C2--39 to 60 inches; multicolored extremely cobbly loamy coarse sand; single grain; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; 30 percent cobbles and 30 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.5).

TYPE LOCATION: Wallowa County, Oregon, about 4 miles south of the town of Lostine along the Lostine River; 2,000 feet west and 1,320 feet south of the NE corner of section 3, T. 2 S., R. 43 E. (Latitude 45 degrees, 25 minutes, 28 seconds N. and longitude 117 degrees, 25 minutes, 15 seconds W.)

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature is 44 to 47 degrees F. The soil has aquic conditions present between depths of 6 to 18 inches as indicated by redoximorphic concentrations. The soil profile is saturated in all layers below 6 inches down to a depth of 80 inches from March to July. The particle size control section has less than 18 percent clay and 35 to 55 percent sand of which less than 50 percent is fine sand or coarser in the upper portion and less than 15 percent clay and more than 70 percent sand in the lower portion. Rock fragments in the lower particle-size control section range from 0 to 70 percent. Depth to bedrock is greater than 60 inches. The thickness of the mollic epipedon is 10 to 20 inches. Depth to the strongly contrasting substratum is 15 to 30 inches. The soil reaction is slightly acid or neutral throughout.

The A horizon has value of 2 or 3 moist, 4 or 5 dry. It has 5 to 20 percent volcanic glass and 0.5 to 1.0 percent acid oxalate extractable aluminum plus one-half iron. It is ashy silt loam with 10 to 18 percent clay.

The AC horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 or 5 moist, 5 or 6 dry, and chroma of 2 or 3 moist and dry. It has texture of ashy loam, ashy very fine sandy loam, or ashy silt loam with 10 to 18 percent clay. It has 0 to 10 percent gravel. It has 5 to 20 percent glass and 0.5 to 1.0 percent acid oxalate extractable aluminum plus one-half iron.

The 2C horizon is multicolored. It has texture of loamy sand or loamy coarse sand with 3 to 10 percent clay. Rock fragments range from 0 to 30 percent cobbles and 0 to 40 percent gravel.

COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Bittercreek soils are on flood plains in narrow canyons and have slopes of 0 to 3 percent. Elevation is 3,100 to 4,800 feet. The soils formed in stratified mixed alluvium with an influence of volcanic ash in the surface horizons. The climate is characterized by cold wet winters and hot dry summers. The mean annual precipitation is 17 to 40 inches, and the mean annual temperature is 42 to 45 degrees F. The frost-free period is 70 to 100 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Linecreek, Mippon, Rondowa, Tamarackcanyon, Threebuck, and Tolo soils. Linecreek, Tamarackcanyon, and Threebuck soils are north-facing hill sides. Linecreek soils are ashy-skeletal and are greater than 60 inches to bedrock. Tamarackcanyon soils are clayey-skeletal and 20 to 40 inches to bedrock. Threebuck soils are medial over clayey-skeletal and 40 to 60 inches to bedrock. Tolo soils are on fan terraces just above the flood plains, are ashy over loamy, and are greater than 60 inches to bedrock. Mippon soils are also on flood plains but are upstream from Bittercreek soils. Mippon soils are sandy-skeletal and moderately well drained. Rondowa (T) soils are on moraines, loamy-skeletal, and well drained.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Poorly drained; moderate permeability in the upper portion but rapid below; seasonal water table is as high as a depth of 0.5 to 1.5 feet from the soil surface at some time from March through July.

USE AND VEGETATION: The soils are used for livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. The native vegetation is mainly tufted hairgrass, sedges, and rushes.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Streams valleys of northeastern Oregon; MLRA 9. The series is of small extent.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Wallowa County, Oregon, 1998. The name is derived from Bitter Creek which flows out of the Eagle Cap Wilderness into the Lostine Canyon and is located about 4 miles south of the town of Lostine.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:

Mollic epipedon - from surface to 11 inches (A horizon)

Particle-size control section - zone from 10 to 40 inches (lower part of A, AC, and upper part of 2C1 and 2C2 horizon)

Aquandic feature - from the surface to 19 inches having 7 percent volcanic glass, and acid oxalate extractable Al + 1/2 Fe of 0.7 percent)

Aquic conditions are the result of endosaturation

Fluvaquentic feature - having an irregular decrease in organic carbon from 10 to 60 inches.

ADDITIONAL DATA: Partial reference soil sample submitted to NSSL in Lincoln on 12/93 # S 93 OR 063 2.

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.