LOCATION DEZELLEM           WA
Established Series
Rev. PAD/TLA
01/2007

DEZELLEM SERIES


The Dezellem series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in loess, volcanic ash and glacial till over glacial till. Dezellem soils are on till plains, and moraines on glaciated plateaus. Slopes are 0 to 70 percent. Average annual precipitation is about 13 inches and average annual air temperature is about 48 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Ashy over loamy-skeletal, glassy over mixed, superactive, mesic Vitrandic Haploxerolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Dezellem very stony ashy fine sandy loam, rangeland on a convex, westerly aspect with a 15 percent slope at 2,300 feet elevation. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated. All textures are apparent field textures.)

Ap--0 to 4 inches: gray (10YR 5/1) very stony ashy fine sandy loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; weak medium granular structure; soft, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine roots; common very fine tubular parting to few very fine irregular pores; 5 percent ash 0.5 to 2.0mm in diameter; 15 percent gravel, 10 percent cobbles and 10 percent stones; neutral (pH 7.0); gradual wavy boundary. (4 to 9 inches thick)

A--4 to 18 inches: grayish brown (10YR 5/2) gravelly ashy fine sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak moderate, subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine roots; common very fine tubular parting to common very fine irregular pores; 3 percent ash 0.5 to 2.0mm in diameter; 15 percent gravel and 10 percent cobbles; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); gradual wavy boundary. (10 to 14 inches thick)

2Bw1--18 to 24 inches: grayish brown (10YR 5/2) very gravelly sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak moderate subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, firm, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine tubular pores; less than 3 percent ash 0.5 to 2.0 mm in diameter; 20 percent gravel and 20 percent cobbles; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); gradual wavy boundary. (6 to 10 inches thick)

2Bw2--24 to 36 inches: grayish brown (10YR 5/2) cobbly sandy loam; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, firm, nonsticky and nonplastic; few, very fine roots; common very fine irregular and very fine tubular pores; 15 percent gravel and 15 percent cobbles; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); gradual wavy boundary. (12 to 17 inches thick)

2Bk--36 to 60 inches: grayish brown (10YR 5/2) extremely gravelly sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; massive; slightly hard, firm, nonsticky and nonplastic; 40 percent gravel, 20 percent cobbles and 5 percent stones; common distinct secondary carbonatic coatings on undersides of rock fragments; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2).

TYPE LOCATION: Douglas County, Washington. Approximately 6 miles southeast of Sims Corner; 600 feet west of northeast corner of section 36, T.27N., R.28E. (Longitude 47 degrees 48 minutes 02 seconds N, Latitude 119 degrees 14 minutes 07 seconds W)

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The average annual soil temperature is 49 to 51 degrees F. These soils are usually moist in the moisture control section but are dry for 90 to 105 consecutive days following the summer solstice. The mollic epipedon is 14 to 20 inches thick and has an estimated moist bulk density of 1.10 to 1.35 g/cc, volcanic glass content of 30 to 60 percent, including 2 to 15 percent ash, 0.5 to 2.0 mm. in diameter, acid-oxalate extractable aluminum plus one-half of the acid oxalate extractable iron of 0.15 to 0.40 percent, 15-bar water retention of 5 to 10 percent, and 5 to 14 percent apparent field textured clay content. The lower part of the particle-size control section contains from 35 to 45 percent rock fragments and 5 to 15 percent field estimated clay. Depth to secondary carbonates is 30 to 44 inches. Depth to the loamy-skeletal discontinuity is 14 to 20 inches.

The Ap horizon has value of 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist and chroma of 1 or 2 moist.

The A horizon has hue from 10YR to 2.5Y dry, value of 2 or 3 moist and chroma of 1 or 2 moist. Textures are gravelly ashy fine sandy loam or very stony ashy loam. Reaction is neutral to slightly alkaline.

The 2Bw1 has a hue from 5Y to 10YR moist, value of 1 or 2 dry, 2 to 3 moist and chroma of 1 or 2 dry or moist. Textures are very gravelly sandy loam, very cobbly loam or very gravelly fine sandy loam. Reaction is slightly to moderately alkaline.

The 2Bw2 horizon has hue of 5Y to 10YR dry or moist, value of 2 to 3 moist and chroma of 1 or 2 dry or moist. Textures are very cobbly fine sandy loam, cobbly sandy loam, or very gravelly sandy loam. Reaction is slightly to moderately alkaline.

The 2Bk horizon has hue of 5Y to 10YR dry or moist, value of 2 to 3 moist and chroma of 1 or 2 dry or moist. Texture is extremely gravelly sandy loam or extremely cobbly sandy loam. Reaction is slightly to moderately alkaline. It has 1 to 8 percent calcium carbonate.

COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series. Similar soils in other families are the Borgeau, Eaglespring Garrison, Louiecreek, Raisio, Vanbrunt, Wagberg and Whitestone series. None of the above series has a mollic epipedon over 20 inches deep and Raisio and Vanbrunt series are 20 to 40 inches deep to a lithic contact.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Dezellem soils are on till plains and moraines on glaciated plateaus. Slopes are 0 to 70 percent. These soils formed in glacial till mixed with loess and volcanic ash. Elevation is from 1,200 to 3,200 feet. The semiarid climate is characterized by warm, dry summers and cool, moist winters. Average annual precipitation is 11 to 18 inches. Average annual temperature is 47 to 50 degrees F. Average January temperature is about 26 degrees F and average July temperature is about 70 degrees F. Frost-free season is 110 to 170 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Brazlan, Siweeka, and Timentwa soils. These soils are found on till plains on basalt plateaus. The Brazlan and Siweeka soils have a duripan at 20 to 40 inches. Timentwa soils are ashy over loamy.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained, very slow to very rapid runoff; moderately rapid permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: Livestock grazing and dryland crop production. Wheat and barley are the principal crops. Native vegetation includes bluebunch wheatgrass, Sandberg bluegrass, thurber needlegrass, Idaho fescue, and threetip sagebrush.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Douglas County, Washington. Series is of small extent.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Douglas County, Washington, 1998.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are a mollic epipedon from the surface to 18 inches, a cambic horizon from 18 to 60 inches. The particle-size control section is the zone from 10 to 40 inches (part of the A1, the 2Bw1, 2Bw2 and part of 2Bk horizon) and averages 37 percent rock fragments. The mollic colors of the 2Bw and 2Bk are litho-chromatic.

ADDITIONAL DATA: Partial data available from NSSL, pedon number 90P349.


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.