LOCATION DUCKCLUB OREstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Sodic Aquicambids
TYPICAL PEDON: Duckclub loamy fine sand, rangeland, on a 1 percent slope at 4098 feet elevation. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated. When described on October 27, 1993, the soil was moist from the surface to the 60 inch depth.)
A1--0 to 5 inches; dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) loamy fine sand, grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) dry; moderate coarse granular structure parting to very fine granular; loose, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine, fine, and medium roots; many very fine, fine, medium, and coarse irregular pores; strongly effervescent with disseminated lime; strongly alkaline (pH 9.0); gradual smooth boundary.
A2--5 to 27 inches; dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) loamy fine sand, light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) dry; weak medium and fine subangular blocky structure; loose, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; common faint organic matter coatings on the faces of peds; strongly effervescent with disseminated lime; very strongly alkaline (pH 9.2); gradual smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the A horizon is 15 to 30 inches)
2Bw1--27 to 32 inches; dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) fine sandy loam, light gray (2.5Y 7/2) dry; weak coarse and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; strongly effervescent with disseminated lime; very strongly alkaline (pH 9.2); abrupt wavy boundary. (5 to 15 inches thick)
2Bw2--32 to 41 inches; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) sandy clay loam, light gray (2.5Y 7/2) dry; moderate medium prismatic structure; very hard, firm, very sticky and very plastic; common very fine and fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; common faint coatings lining pores; common fine faint gray (5Y 6/1) redoximorphic depletions on the faces of peds; strongly effervescent with disseminated lime, 9 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; very strongly alkaline (pH 9.2); gradual smooth boundary. (5 to 15 inches thick)
2Bkq1--41 to 51 inches; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) loam, light gray (2.5Y 7/2) dry; weak fine prismatic structure; hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine roots; common very fine tubular and common very fine irregular pores; few fine distinct dark brown (7.5YR 4/4) iron concentrations; 30 percent durinodes; common lime in 1 to 5 mm wide filaments; strongly effervescent with disseminated lime; very strongly alkaline (pH 9.2); clear wavy boundary.
2Bkq2--51 to 63 inches; olive brown (2.5Y 4/3) loamy fine sand, light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) dry; massive; slightly hard, firm, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; 60 percent durinodes; common lime in 5 to 10 mm wide filaments and lining pores; strongly effervescent in filaments, noneffervescent in matrix; common fine faint dark brown (10YR 4/3) redoximorphic iron concentrations; strongly alkaline (pH 9.0).
TYPE LOCATION: Harney County, Oregon, about 3 miles northeast of the Narrows townsite, about 2800 feet south, 700 feet east of the northwest corner of section 4 T. 26 S. R. 32 E. (Latitude 43 degrees 20 minutes 41 seconds N, Longitude 118 degrees 53 minutes 43 seconds W)
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature is 45 to 47 degrees F. The soils are dry for one half to three fourths the time when the soil temperature is above 41 degrees F. Depth to bedrock is greater than 60 inches. The particle-size control section averages 10 to 18 percent clay. Depth to redoximorphic features are 20 to 40 inches. Depth to durinodes or duric layer is 45 to over 60 inches. SAR is 13 to 30 throughout the solum. A water table is present at 2 to 4 feet from March to June.
The A horizon has a value of 5 or 6 dry, 3 through 5 moist, and a chroma of 1 or 2. It is moderately alkaline to very strongly alkaline.
The Bw horizon has a hue of 10YR, 2.5Y, or 5Y. It has a value of 6 through 8 dry, 4 through 6 moist, and a chroma of 1 or 2. It is sandy loam, fine sandy loam and sandy clay loam with 10 to 30 percent clay. It is strongly alkaline or very strongly alkaline.
The 2Bkq horizon is loamy fine sand, sandy loam or loam, with 5 to 20 percent clay. It is strongly or very strongly alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Duckclub soils are on lake terraces and have slopes of 0 to 2 percent. The soils formed in lacustrine sediments with an admixture of eolian deposits. Elevations are 4090 to 4105 feet. The climate is characterized by cool, moist winters, and hot, dry summers. The mean annual precipitation is 8 to 10 inches. The mean annual temperature is 43 to 45 degrees. The frost free period is 50 to 80 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Ausmus, Thenarrows, and Sandgap soils. Ausmus soils are on higher lake terraces and have a natric horizon. Thenarrows soils are on slightly lower terraces and are poorly drained. Sandgap soils are psamments on sand dunes.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat poorly drained, slow runoff, moderately slow permeability. An intermittent water table is at a depth of 2 to 4 feet during March to June. Ponding is rare.
USE AND VEGETATION: The soils are used for wildlife habitat and livestock grazing. The potential native vegetation is black greasewood inland saltgrass and alkaligrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Closed lake basins of southeast Oregon; MLRA 23,24. Series is not extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Harney County, Oregon, 1997.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon
Ochric epipedon
Cambic horizon: From 27 to 41 inches (2Bw1 and 2Bw2)
Sodic subgroup: SAR greater 13 from the surface to a depth of 41 inches
Durinodic: Over 30 percent durinodes in a non-brittle matrix from 41 to 63 inches.
Aridic/Xeric: The soils are dry for one half to three-forths of the time when the soil temperature is above 41 degrees F.