LOCATION BUCKBERT OREstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Vitritorrandic Haploxerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Buckbert ashy sandy loam - cropland, in a nearly level swale at 2700 feet elevation. (When described (7/23/85), the soil was moist throughout after irrigation. Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
Ap--0 to 8 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) ashy sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist, weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine roots; common very fine irregular pores; neutral (pH 6.8); gradual smooth boundary. (5 to 11 inches thick)
AB--8 to 21 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) ashy sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine irregular pores; neutral (pH 7.2); gradual wavy boundary. (5 to 12 inches thick)
2Bw1--21 to 40 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) loam, dark brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; few very fine irregular pores; 5 percent pumice gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); abrupt wavy boundary.
2Bw2--40 to 52 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) loam; dark brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; many medium distinct, very dark grayish brown mottles; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine tubular pores; 5 percent pumice gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bw horizon is 23 to 39 inches)
2C--52 to 60 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine tubular pores; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6).
TYPE LOCATION: Deschutes County, Oregon; 1000 feet south and 100 feet west of the northeast corner of the northwest quarter of section 17, T. 14 S., R. 12 E. (Latitude 44 degrees, 21 minutes, 39 seconds N, 121 degrees, 19 minutes, 14 seconds W)
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The soil moisture control section is usually dry and is dry in all parts for 120 to 150 days (cumulative). The mean annual soil temperature is about 48 to 52 degrees F. Depth to bedrock is 60 inches or more. The particle-size control section averages 18 to 25 percent clay. It is slightly alkaline or neutral. The mollic epipedon is 10 to 15 inches thick. Base saturation is 80 to 100 percent. The profile contains 15 to 30 percent glass and glass-coated aggregate, and the acid oxalate aluminum plus one half the acid oxalate iron is 0.40 to 0.80 percent. Phosphate retention is 15 to 25 percent.
The A and AB horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 2 or 3 moist, 5 dry and chroma of 2 or 3 moist and dry. Organic matter content is less than 1 percent below a depth of about 15 inches.
The Bw horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 3 or 4 moist, 5 or 6 dry, and chroma of 3 or 4 moist and dry. It contains 0 to 10 percent gravel-size pumice. It has 18 to 25 percent clay.
The C horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 3 or 4 moist, 5 or 6 dry and chroma of 3 or 4 moist and 4 dry. It contains 0 to 10 percent gravel-size pumice. Faint to distinct mottles are present in most pedons due to irrigation. It is sandy loam or loam with 10 to 20 percent clay.
COMPETING SERIES: This is the Redmond Series. Redmond soils are 20 to 40 inches deep to a lithic contact.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Buckbert soils are in swales on lava plains at elevations of 2,500 to 3,200 feet. Slopes are 0 to 3 percent. The soils formed in colluvium and ash. 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 47 to 52 degrees F. The frost-free period is 70 to 100 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Deschutes, Lafollette, and Stukel soils. Deschutes soils are on volcanic uplands and have bedrock at 20 to 40 inches. Lafollette soils are on terraces and have less than 18 percent clay in the particle-size control section. Stukel soils are on volcanic uplands and have bedrock at 10 to 20 inches.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for irrigated crops, hay, pasture, livestock grazing, and wildlife habitat. Potential native vegetation is western juniper, mountain big sagebrush, antelope bitterbrush, Idaho fescue, and needleandthread.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Deschutes Basin of central Oregon; MLRA 10, pumice zone. The series is not extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Deschutes County (Upper Deschutes River Area), Oregon, 1992.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features in the pedon are:
mollic epipedon - from the soil surface to 12 inches (Ap, and part of the AB horizon). Organic matter is assumed to be less than 1 percent in the lower part of the AB horizon.
cambic horizon - from 21 inches to 52 inches (Bw1, Bw2 horizons).
Vitritorrandic - the very fine sand fraction contains about 19 percent glass and glass-coated aggregate. The acid oxalate aluminum plus one-half the acid oxalate iron is 0.40 to 0.80 percent. Laboratory data is based on the associated Deschutes Series, pedon S87OR-017-002.
The ash material is from Mt. Mazama.