LOCATION FLARM OREstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, mixed, superactive, frigid Ultic Palexeralfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Flarm loam - woodland, on a 2 percent slope at 3600 feet elevation. (When described (8/29/85), the soil was dry below 17 inches. Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted)
Oi--4 inches to 0; litter of ponderosa pine needles and twigs.
A--0 to 4 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) dry; moderate very fine platy structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine, medium, and coarse roots; many very fine interstitial pores; 5 percent rounded gravel; 20 percent estimated clay; neutral (pH 6.8); clear wavy boundary. (4 to 7 inches thick).
2Btb1--4 to 17 inches; dark brown (10YR 4/3) clay loam, pale brown (10YR 6/3) dry; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; hard, very firm, sticky and plastic; few medium and coarse roots; common fine and medium tubular pores; many prominent clay films in pores and on ped faces; 5 percent gravel; 40 percent estimated clay; neutral (pH 7.0); clear wavy boundary.
2Btb2--17 to 30 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) gravelly clay loam, light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) dry; common fine distinct dark brown (7.5YR 4/4) mottles; moderate very coarse subangular blocky structure; very hard, very firm, sticky and plastic; few coarse roots; common medium tubular pores; many prominent clay films in pores and on ped faces; 15 percent rounded gravel; 40 percent estimated clay; neutral (pH 7.0); gradual irregular boundary.
2Btb3--30 to 42 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) gravelly clay loam, pale brown (10YR 6/3) dry; common fine distinct dark brown (7.5YR 4/4) mottles; massive; very hard, very firm, sticky and plastic; few coarse roots; few fine tubular pores; many prominent clay films in pores; 15 percent gravel; 40 percent estimated clay; neutral (pH 7.0); gradual irregular boundary. (Combined thickness of the 2Btb horizon is 30 to 45 inches).
3C1--42 to 56 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) sandy loam, pale brown (10YR 6/3) dry; common fine distinct dark brown (7.5YR 4/4) mottles; massive; hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine tubular pores; 55 percent saprolitic gravel size and 25 percent saprolitic cobble size fragments; neutral (pH 7.0), gradual irregular boundary. (12 to 18 inches thick).
3C2--56 to 65 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) loam, light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) dry; massive; hard, firm, sticky and slightly plastic; few medium tubular pores; 55 percent saprolitic gravel size and 25 percent saprolitic cobble size fragments; neutral (pH 7.2).
TYPE LOCATION: Jefferson County, Oregon; 0.2 miles west of the junction of USFS roads 1180 and 1100, 1000 feet east and 500 feet north of the southwest corner of section 2, T. 12 S., R. 10 E. (Latitude 44 degrees, 33 minutes, 14 seconds N, Longitude 121 degrees, 30 minutes, 14 seconds W)
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The soil moisture control section is usually moist but is dry in all parts for 60 to 90 days after the summer solstice. The mean annual soil temperature is 42 to 47 degrees F. The depth to bedrock is greater than 60 inches. The soil is neutral throughout. There is an absolute increase in clay content of 20 to 30 percent between the A and 2Btb horizon. Depth to mottles is 15 to 30 inches.
The Oi horizon is 3 to 4 inches thick, except where disturbed.
The A horizon has a value of 3 moist and 4 or 5 dry and chroma of 2 or 3 moist or dry. It is 15 to 25 percent clay. It has 0 to 10 percent rounded gravel. It has 10 to 20 percent glass and glass coated aggregates and acid oxalate aluminum plus one-half the acid oxalate iron of 0.40 to 1.0 percent.
The 2Btb horizon has chroma of 3 or 4 moist or dry. It is a clay loam, clay or gravelly clay loam with 35 to 50 percent clay. It has 5 to 25 percent rounded gravel and 0 to 10 percent rounded and subrounded cobbles. Total rock fragment content ranges from 5 to 35 percent. Base saturation is 50 to 75 percent throughout.
The 3C horizon has hue of 7.5YR and 10YR, value of 4 or 5 moist and 6 dry, and chroma of 3 or 4 moist or dry. It is a sandy loam or loam with 10 to 20 percent clay. The soft fragments range from 50 to 80 percent and are weathered tuff or basalt.
COMPETING SERIES: This is the Friedlander series. Friedlander soils have a 7 to 14 inch thick ash mantle, contain 2 to 15 percent granitic rock fragments, and lack mottles due to drainage.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Flarm soils are in depressions and swales on uplands. Elevation is 2500 to 4000 feet. Slopes are 0 to 15 percent. They formed in ash over colluvium from tuffaceous sediments. The climate is characterized by cold, wet winters and hot, dry summers. The mean annual precipitation is 15 to 25 inches and the mean annual temperature is 40 to 47 degrees F. The frost-free period is 50 to 90 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Smiling and Parrego soils. The Smiling soils are on uplands, are well drained and have andic soil properties in the ash mantle which is over 14 inches thick. Parrego soils are on uplands, are moderately deep to bedrock, well drained and are fine-loamy.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat poorly drained; moderately slow permeability. A high water table is present at 0.5 to 2.0 feet from April to May.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for timber production, livestock grazing, and wildlife habitat. Potential native vegetation is ponderosa pine, white fir, snowberry, and twinflower.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: East slopes of Green Ridge, north of Sisters in Central Oregon; MLRA 6. The series is not extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Jefferson County (Upper Deschutes River Area), Oregon, 1992.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features in this pedon are:
ochric epipedon -
argillic horizon - the zone from 4 to 42 inches. (2Btb1, 2Btb2, 2Btb3)
Pale feature - clay increase of 20 percent (absolute) between the A and 2Btb1 horizons.
Ultic subgroup - placement based on Smiling Series laboratory data; S87OR-031-004.