LOCATION DEE                OR
Established Series
Rev. DFA/AON/RWL
11/97

DEE SERIES


The Dee series consists of very deep, somewhat poorly drained soils that formed in deep mud flows high in pyroclastic materials. Dee soils are on uplands. Slopes are 0 to 12 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 40 inches and the mean annual temperature is about 47 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Ashy, amorphic, mesic Aquic Vitrixerands

TYPICAL PEDON: Dee silt loam, cultivated. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted.)

Ap--0 to 8 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) silt loam, light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) dry; weak fine granular structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine roots; many very fine irregular pores; slightly acid (pH 6.4); clear wavy boundary. (7 to 9 inches thick)

Bw--8 to 19 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) loam, light gray (10YR 7/2) dry; common fine distinct brown (7.5YR 4/4 and 5/2) mottles; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine roots; many very fine irregular and tubular pores; slightly acid (pH 6.2); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 12 inches thick)

Bw2--19 to 34 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) loam, very pale brown (10YR 7/3) dry; many fine distinct grayish brown and brown (10YR 5/2, 7.5YR 4/4 and 5/4) mottles; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many fine roots; many very fine tubular pores; 3 percent gravel 2 to 3 mm. in diameter; slightly acid (pH 6.2); gradual smooth boundary. (10 to 20 inches thick)

Bw3--34 to 45 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) loam, very pale brown (10YR 7/3) dry; many medium distinct brown and grayish brown (7.5YR 5/2, 4/4, and 5/4) mottles; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, slightly brittle when moist, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine roots; many very fine tubular pores; 5 percent gravel 2 to 3 mm in diameter; moderately acid (pH 6.0); gradual smooth boundary. (10 to 14 inches thick)

C--45 to 72 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) sandy loam, very pale brown (10YR 7/3) dry; many medium distinct brown (7.5YR 5/2 and 4/4) mottles; massive; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; 10 percent gravel 2 or 3 mm in diameter; moderately acid (pH 6.0).

TYPE LOCATION: Hood River County, Oregon; NW1/4 NE1/4 SW1/4 sec. 33, T.1N., R.10E.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The soils are usually moist but are dry in the control section during the summer for more than 45 to 60 days in most years. The mean annual soil temperature is 47 to 51 degrees F. The solum is 30 to 50 inches thick and is slightly to moderately acid. Depth to bedrock is greater than 60 inches. The particle-size control section has 18 to 25 percent clay. It has greater than 85 percent phosphate retention, acid oxalate extractable aluminum plus one-half iron of 2 to 3 percent, and 9 to 12 percent 15-bar moisture based on an air-dried sample.

The A horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 3 or 4 moist, 6 or 7 dry, and chroma of 2 or 3 dry and moist. It is silt loam or loam.

The Bw horizon has value of 4 or 5 moist, 6 or 7 dry and chroma of 2 or 3 moist and dry. Chroma of 3 is in some part between depth of 7 and 20 inches. The Bw horizon has many fine to medium distinct to prominent mottles with value of 4 or 5 and chroma of 2 through 6 when moist. It has mottles with chroma of 2 or less between 20 and 40 inches. It has field estimated clay of 20 to 25 percent and has 2 to 10 percent gravel 2 to 3 mm in diameter.

The C horizon has value of 4 or 5 moist, 6 or 7 dry, and chroma of 2 through 4 moist and dry. It is loam, sandy loam, or sandy clay loam with 5 to 20 percent gravel 2 to 3 mm in diameter. On steeper slopes the amount of larger gravel and cobbles can range up to 35 percent.

COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Dee soils are on nearly level to strongly sloping uplands. These soils formed in flows high in pyroclastic materials. Slopes are 0 to 12 percent. Elevations are 1,000 to 2,500 feet. The climate is characterized by cool wet winters and hot dry summers. The mean annual precipitation is 35 to 45 inches. The mean annual temperature is 45 to 49 degrees F., the mean January temperature is 29 to 33 degrees F., and the mean July temperature is 61 to 65 degrees F. The frost-free period is 100 to 120 days .

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Parkdale soils. Parkdale soils have umbric epipedons, are well drained, and are on more steeply sloping uplands.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat poorly drained; moderate permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: Dee soils are used mainly for irrigated crops, hay and pasture. Native vegetation is mainly Douglas fir, grand fir, ponderosa pine, vine maple, wild cherry, red alder, golden chinquapin, dogwood and other forbs and shrubs.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Upper Hood River Valley, Oregon; MLRA 6. The series is inextensive.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Hood River County, Oregon, 1975.

REMARKS: This draft reflects a change in classification from Medial, mesic Aquic Vitrandepts based on the Andisol Order.

Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon:

Ochric epipedon - from 0 to 8 inches with umbric colors too thin to qualify for an umbric epipedon (Ap horizon)

Cambic horizon - from 8 to 45 inches (Bw1, Bw2, and Bw3 horizons)

Particle-size control section - from the surface to 40 inches (Ap, Bw1, and Bw2 horizons, and the upper 6 inches of the Bw3 horizon)

Andic properties - throughout and based on laboratory data from the associated Parkdale series.


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.