LOCATION DRAKESPEAK OREstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive Xeric Humicryepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Drakespeak very gravelly coarse sandy loam--on a 31 percent southwest facing slope--rangeland. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted.)
A1--0 to 6 inches; very dark brown (10YR 2/2) very gravelly coarse sandy loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) dry; weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many roots; many very fine and fine irregular pores; 35 percent gravel; moderately acid (pH 5.9); gradual wavy boundary. (4 to 7 inches thick)
A2--6 to 21 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) very gravelly coarse sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) dry, weak and moderate fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many roots; many very fine irregular pores; 50 percent gravel; moderately acid (pH 5.9); clear wavy boundary. (10 to 18 inches thick)
A3--21 to 26 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) very gravelly coarse sandy loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) dry; weak fine and medium granular structure; soft, loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; common roots; many very fine and fine irregular pores; 45 percent gravel; moderately acid (pH 5.9); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 6 inches thick)
Bw--26 to 37 inches; light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) very gravelly coarse sandy loam, light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) dry; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and fine roots and few medium; 50 percent gravel; moderately acid (pH 5.9); gradual wavy boundary. (10 to 18 inches thick)
C1--37 to 47 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) very gravelly coarse sandy loam, light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) dry; massive; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few roots; 50 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.6); gradual wavy boundary. (8 to 20 inches thick)
C2--47 to 60 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) very gravelly coarse sandy loam, light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) dry; massive; hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few roots; 5 percent cobbles and 50 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.8).
TYPE LOCATION: Lake County, Oregon; on the Fremont National Forest northeast of Lakeview; in the NE 1/4 of the SE 1/4 of section 6, T. 38 S., R. 22 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture - These soils are moist in winter and spring; dry for 45 to 60 consecutive days after the summer solstice; Xeric moisture regime.
Mean annual soil temperature - 41 to 43 degrees F.
Mean summer soil temperature - 55 to 57 degrees F.
Umbric epipedon thickness - 20 to 30 inches.
Depth to base of cambic horizon - 25 to 50 inches.
Depth to bedrock - 60 inches or more.
Base saturation - 30 to 50 percent throughout the A and B horizons.
Particle-size control section - Clay content: 2 to 10 percent;
Rock fragments: Averages 35 to 60 percent, 0 to 10 percent cobbles and stones, 35 to 60 percent gravel.
A horizon
Value: 2 or 3, moist or dry.
Chroma: 2 or 3, moist or dry.
Reaction: Moderately acid or slightly acid.
Bw horizon
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y.
Value: 3 through 5 moist, 5 through 7 dry.
Chroma: 3 or 4, moist or dry.
Texture: Very gravelly coarse sandy loam.
Rock fragments: 35 to 60 percent; 35 to 60 percent gravel, 0 to 10 percent cobbles.
Reaction: Moderately acid or slightly acid.
C horizon
Value: 4 through 6, moist or dry.
Chroma: 3 or 4, moist or dry.
Rock fragments: 35 to 60 percent; 35 to 50 percent are gravel, 0 to 10 percent are cobbles and stones.
COMPETING SERIES: This is the Moohoo series. Moohoo soils are deep (40 to 60 inches) to a lithic contact.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Drakespeak soils are on mountains. These soils formed in colluvium and residuum derived mainly from rhyolite. Slopes are 20 to 50 percent. Elevations range from 7,500 to 8,300 feet. The climate is characterized by cold, moist winters and cool, dry summers. The mean annual precipitation is 30 to 34 inches, the mean annual temperature is 39 to 41 degrees F., and the frost-free period is 20 to 50 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Chocktoot, Hallihan, Kittleson, Longjohn, and Twelvemile soils. Chocktoot soils have a mollic epipedon. Hallihan and Longjohn soils are ashy-skeletal. Kittleson soils are ashy. Twelvemile soils are ashy-skeletal and have a frigid soil temperature regime.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; medium surface runoff; moderately rapid permeability (high saturated hydraulic conductivity).
USE AND VEGETATION: Drakespeak soils are used for livestock grazing, watershed, wildlife habitat, and recreation. The vegetation is primarily alpine low sagebrush, red fescue, and granite gilia.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: South-central Oregon. These soils are not extensive with about 1,900 acres of the series mapped to date. MLRA 21.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California.
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Lake County, Oregon, Southern Part, 1991.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Umbric epipedon - The zone from the soil surface to 26 inches (A1, A2, and A3 horizons).
Cambic horizon - The zone from 26 to 37 inches (Bw horizon).
The revision of December 2006 updated the taxonomic class from Xeric Dystrocryepts based on the tenth edition of the Keys to Soil Taxonomy, 2006.
ADDITIONAL DATA: Laboratory data for four horizons, (A1, A2, A3, Bw) S87OR-037-006; Forest Service site SS-49-21.