LOCATION EAGLESPRING OREstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, mesic Vitrandic Haploxerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Eaglespring channery loam - on a steep north-facing slope at an elevation of 3600 feet, rangeland. (Colors are for moist soils unless otherwise noted.)
A--0 to 7 inches; black (10YR 2/1) channery loam, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) dry; weak fine granular structure; soft, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine, fine and common medium roots; many very fine, fine and common medium irregular pores; 30 percent channers; neutral (pH 6.6); clear smooth boundary. (5 to 10 inches thick)
AB--7 to 13 inches; very dark brown (10YR 2/2) very channery loam, dark gray (10YR 4/1) dry; moderate medium subangular blocky structure parting to weak fine granular; soft, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine, fine and common medium roots; many very fine, fine and common medium tubular pores; 45 percent channers; neutral (pH 6.6); clear smooth boundary. (5 to 10 inches thick)
Bw1--13 to 31 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) extremely channery sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) dry; weak very fine and fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine, fine and few medium roots; common very fine, fine and few medium tubular pores; 70 percent channers; neutral (pH 6.8); clear smooth boundary.
Bw2--31 to 43 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) extremely channery loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) dry; weak very fine and fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine and fine roots; few very fine and fine tubular pores; 75 percent channers; neutral (pH 6.8); clear wavy boundary. (combined thickness of the Bw horizon is 20 to 40 inches)
R--43 inches; fractured sedimentary bedrock.
TYPE LOCATION: Wasco County, Oregon, about 2000 feet west and 250 feet north of the SE corner of section 25, T.7 S., R.12 E. (Latitude 44 degrees, 55 minutes, 37 seconds N, Longitude 121 degrees, 14 minutes, 36 seconds W) Warm Springs Indian Reservation.
RANGE OF CHARACTERISTICS: These soils are usually moist, but are dry in all parts of the moisture control section for 60 to 90 consecutive days with in the four months that follow the summer solstice. The mean annual soil temperature is 50 to 52 degrees F. Depth to fractured bedrock is 40 to 60 inches. The mollic epipedon is 20 to 35 inches thick and may include the upper part of the Bw horizon. The particle-size control section averages 18 to 25 percent clay and 40 to 70 percent channers. The upper 7 to 14 inches is estimated to have 20 to 40 percent volcanic glass and glass coated aggregate and acid oxalate extractable aluminum plus one-half iron of 0.4 to 1.0 percent.
The A horizon has value of 2 or 3 moist, 3 or 4 dry and chroma of 1 or 2 moist and dry. It has 15 to 30 percent channers and 2 to 3 percent organic matter.
The AB horizon has color similar to the A horizon and has 25 to 50 percent channers.
The Bw horizon has value of 3 or 4 moist, 4 or 5 dry and chroma of 2 to 4 moist and dry. It is sandy loam or loam with 18 to 25 percent clay and has 60 to 75 percent channers. Acid oxalate extractable aluminum plus one-half iron is estimated to be 0.15 to 0.35 percent based on associated soils.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Borgeau, Garrison, Louiecreek, Raisio, Vanbrunt, Wagberg (T), and Whitestone series. Borgeau soils are very deep, have a mollic epipedon 7 to 17 inches thick, and have 3 to 8 percent clay in the particle-size control section. Garrison soils have a mollic epipedon 12 to 20 inches thick and are 24 to 36 inches to sand, gravel, and cobbles. Louiecreek soils have a mollic epipedon 7 to 15 inches thick and less than 18 percent clay in the particle-size control section. Raisio soils are moderately deep. Vanbrunt soils are moderately deep and have 3 to 8 percent clay in the particle-size control section. Wagberg soils are very deep and are dry for 90 to 105 days. Whitestone soils have a mollic epipedon 10 to 18 inches thick and have 3 to 8 percent clay in the particle-size control section.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Eaglespring soils are on strongly sloping to very steep north-facing side slopes of mountains. The soil formed in residuum and colluvium derived dominantly from sedimentary rock with an influence of volcanic ash. Slopes are 12 to 80 percent. Elevations are 1600 to 3800 feet. The climate is characterized by cool and wet winters and hot and dry summers. The mean annual precipitation is 12 to 16 inches. The mean annual temperature is 48 to 50 degree F. The frost-free period is 100 to 140 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Kaskela, Mutton, Oldsferry, Prill, and Venator soils. Kaskela soils are on adjacent foothills and are very fine, montmorillonitic. Mutton soils are on adjacent forested north-facing slopes and are ashy-skeletal. Oldsferry soils are on adjacent south-facing slopes and are moderately deep to fractured sedimentary bedrock. Prill soils are on foothills and are fine, montmorillonitic and moderately deep to volcanic tuff. Venator soils are on south-facing slopes and are shallow to fractured sedimentary bedrock.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. Permeability is moderate.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. The native vegetation is bluebunch wheatgrass, Idaho fescue, and Sandberg bluegrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Mutton Mountains of North-central Oregon; MLRA 10. The soils of this series are not extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Wasco County (Warm Springs Indian Reservation), Oregon, 1993.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - The zone from the surface of the soil to a depth of 31 inches (A, AB, and Bw1 horizons).
Pachic feature - The zone from the surface of the soil to a depth of 31 inches (A, AB, and Bw1 horizons).
Vitrandic feature - The zone from the surface of the soil to a depth of 13 inches.
Particle-size control section - The zone from 10 to 40 inches (lower 3 inches of the AB horizon, Bw1, and upper 9 inches of the Bw2 horizon)
Cambic horizon - The zone from 31 to 43 inches (Bw2 horizon)