LOCATION DRAKCE ORTentative Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Clayey-skeletal, smectitic, mesic Pachic Argixerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Drakce very stony loam--on a 30 percent slope at an elevation of 4,700 feet--forestland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted. The soil was dry to 14 inches and slightly moist below 14 inches when it was described on September 2, 1998.) About 2 percent of the soil surface is covered with basalt stones.
A1--0 to 3 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) very stony loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure parting to strong medium granular; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and common fine roots; common fine and medium interstitial and tubular pores; 15 percent pebbles, 15 percent cobbles, and 10 percent stones; neutral (pH 6.8); clear smooth boundary. (2 to 4 inches thick)
A2--3 to 9 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) very cobbly clay loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure parting to moderate fine subangular blocky; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine, common fine, and few medium roots; common fine and common medium tubular pores; 15 percent pebbles, 15 percent cobbles, and 10 percent stones; neutral (pH 6.8); abrupt smooth boundary. (4 to 10 inches thick)
Bt1--9 to 14 inches; gray (10YR 5/1) very cobbly clay loam, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) moist; strong medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine, few fine, few medium, and few coarse roots; common fine and medium tubular pores; common faint and few distinct clay films on faces of peds; 15 percent pebbles, 20 percent cobbles, and 10 percent stones; neutral (pH 7.0); clear smooth boundary. (3 to 6 inches thick)
Bt2--14 to 21 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) very cobbly clay, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium angular blocky structure parting to strong fine angular blocky; hard, firm, moderately sticky and very plastic; few very fine, few fine, few medium, and few coarse roots; few very fine and few fine tubular pores; common distinct clay films on faces of peds; 15 percent pebbles, 25 percent cobbles, and 10 percent stones; neutral (pH 7.2); clear smooth boundary. (6 to 14 inches thick)
Bt3--21 to 44 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) extremely cobbly clay, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist; strong coarse angular blocky structure parting to moderate medium angular blocky; hard, firm, moderately sticky and very plastic; few fine and few medium roots; few very fine and few fine tubular pores; common distinct clay films on faces of peds; 20 percent pebbles, 30 percent cobbles, and 10 percent stones; neutral (pH 7.2); clear smooth boundary. (10 to 24 inches thick)
2R--44 inches; basalt.
TYPE LOCATION: Klamath County, Oregon; about 0.5 miles southwest of Adobe Reservoir and 1.5 miles south of Miller Creek; 2,150 feet north and 2,300 feet west of the southeast corner of section 3, T. 40 S., R. 14 E.; USGS Goodlow Mountain 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle; 42 degrees 07 minutes 42 seconds north latitude and 121 degrees 09 minutes 46 seconds west longitude, NAD 27.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture - Usually moist in winter and spring and dry in summer and fall; xeric moisture regime that borders on aridic.
Mean annual soil temperature - 47 to 49 degrees F.
Mean summer soil temperature - 60 to 62 degrees F.
Mollic epipedon thickness - 20 to 26 inches.
Argillic horizon thickness - 20 to 42 inches.
Depth to base of argillic horizon - 40 to 50 inches.
Depth to bedrock - 40 to 50 inches to a lithic contact.
Particle-size control section - Clay content: 35 to 50 percent; Rock fragments: 35 to 50 percent, mainly cobbles. Lithology of fragments is basalt.
A1 horizon - Value: 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist.
Chroma: 2 or 3, dry or moist.
Clay content: 20 to 27 percent.
Rock fragments: 35 to 55 percent.
Organic matter content: 2 to 4 percent.
A2 horizon - Value: 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist.
Chroma: 2 or 3, dry or moist.
Texture: Very cobbly loam or very cobbly clay loam.
Clay content: 24 to 35 percent.
Rock fragments: 35 to 50 percent.
Organic matter content: 2 to 4 percent.
Bt1 horizon - Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR.
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist.
Chroma: 1 through 4 dry, 1 through 3 moist.
Texture: Cobbly clay loam or very cobbly clay loam.
Clay content: 35 to 40 percent.
Rock fragments: 30 to 45 percent, mainly as cobbles.
Organic matter content: 1 to 3 percent.
Bt2 horizon - Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR.
Value: 3 through 5 dry, 3 or 4 moist.
Chroma: 2 or 3, dry or moist.
Clay content: 40 to 50 percent.
Rock fragments: 35 to 50 percent, mainly as cobbles.
Reaction: Neutral or slightly alkaline.
Organic matter content: 1 or 2 percent.
Bt3 horizon - Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR.
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist.
Chroma: 3 or 4, dry or moist.
Texture: Very cobbly clay or extremely cobbly clay.
Clay content: 40 to 55 percent.
Rock fragments: 40 to 65 percent, mainly as cobbles.
Reaction: Neutral or slightly alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Dosie, Gurdane, Kishwalk, Mallory, Tablerock, and Thiessen series.
Dosie soils have an aridic moisture regime that borders on xeric. Gurdane, Kishwalk, Mallory, and Thiessen soils are moderately deep to lithic contacts. Tablerock soils are very deep.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Drakce soils are on escarpments on plateaus. These soils formed in colluvium derived from basalt and tuff. Slopes are 15 to 65 percent. Elevations range from 4,400 to 5,300 feet. The climate is characterized by cold, moist winters and warm, dry summers. The mean annual precipitation is 14 to 18 inches. The mean annual temperature is 45 to 47 degrees F., mean January temperature is 27 to 30 degrees F., and the mean July temperature is 58 to 62 degrees F. The frost-free period is 60 to 90 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Casebeer, Dranket, Norcross, and Schnipps soils. Casebeer and Norcross soils are clayey, shallow to duripans over bedrock, and have argillic horizons. Dranket soils are fine, moderately deep to duripans over bedrock, and have argillic horizons. Schnipps soils are fine, deep to paralithic contacts, and have a frigid temperature regime.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; very high surface runoff; slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Drakce soils are used for livestock grazing, wood production, wildlife habitat, and recreation. The native vegetation is a forest canopy of western juniper with an understory of Idaho fescue, bluebunch wheatgrass, and mountain big sagebrush.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: South-central Oregon. These soils are not extensive. MLRA 21.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California.
SERIES PROPOSED: Klamath County (Gerber Block of Fremont National Forest Area), Oregon, 1998. The name is coined.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - The zone from the soil surface to 21 inches (A1, A2, Bt1, and Bt2 horizons).
Argillic horizon - The zone from 9 to 44 inches (Bt1, Bt2, and Bt3 horizons).
Lithic contact - The boundary at 44 inches to underlying hard bedrock (R layer).
Particle-size control section - The zone from 9 to 29 inches (Bt1 and Bt2 horizons and part of the Bt3 horizon).