LOCATION BUCKCREEK OREstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, frigid Pachic Ultic Haploxerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Buckcreek silt loam, rangeland. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted.)
A--0 to 11 inches; black (10YR 2/1) silt loam, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) dry; strong very fine and fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine roots; many very fine irregular pores; 5 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.6); clear wavy boundary. (10 to 18 inches thick)
BA--11 to 23 inches; black (10YR 2/1) cobbly silt loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) dry; strong fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; 10 percent gravel and 15 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 6.8); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 12 inches thick)
2Bw--23 to 36 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) very cobbly silty clay loam, brown (10YR 5/3) dry; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; 25 percent gravel and 30 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 7.0); abrupt wavy boundary. (7 to 16 inches thick)
3R--36 inches; hard basalt.
TYPE LOCATION: Umatilla County, Oregon, in the SW1/4, NE1/4 SW1/4 section 18, T. 2 S., R. 33 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The soils are usually moist, but are dry throughout between depths of 4 to 12 inches for 60 to 80 consecutive days. The mean annual soil temperature is 43 to 47 degrees F. Depth of basalt is 20 to 40 inches. Thickness of the mollic epipedon ranges from 20 to 30 inches. The control section averages 35 to 60 percent rock fragments and 20 to 35 percent clay.
The A horizon has value of 3 or 4 when dry and chroma of 1 or 2 when dry.
The BA horizon, when present is silt loam, cobbly silt loam or cobbly silty clay loam. It has 10 to 35 percent rock fragments. It has value of 3 or 4 when dry and chroma of 1 or 2 when dry.
The 2Bw horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 4 or 5 when dry, chroma of 2 or 3 when moist and 2 to 4 when dry. It has 20 to 30 percent gravel and 25 to 40 percent cobbles. Structure is moderate to strong.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Lamondi, Moweba, Piersonte, Scoap and Umatilla series. These soils are over 60 inches deep.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Buckcreek soils are on uplands at elevations of 2,000 to 4,500 feet. Slopes range from 45 to 70 percent. The soils formed in loess and colluvium from basalt mixed with small amounts of volcanic ash. The mean annual temperature is 41 to 45 degrees F. The mean annual precipitation is 20 to 30 inches. The frost-free period is 60 to 100 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Gwin, Gwinly, Kahler and Tolo soils. Gwin and Gwinly soils are less than 20 inches deep. Kahler soils are greater than 40 inches deep, and are fine-loamy. Tolo soils are medial over loamy.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; very rapid runoff; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Buckcreek soils are used for range and wildlife habitat. Native vegetation is Idaho fescue, ninebark and snowberry.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Along the foothills of the Blue Mountains in northeastern Oregon; the series is inextensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Umatilla County, Oregon, 1985.
ADDITIONAL DATA: Reference sample numbers 82T7686-7688.