LOCATION GELSINGER OREstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, mesic Calcic Pachic Argixerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Gelsinger silt loam - cropland, on a 4 percent slope at an elevation of 3,220 feet. (When described on March 28, 1990, the soil was moist throughout. Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 10 inches; very dark brown (10YR 2/2) silt loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) dry; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine roots; few very fine irregular pores; neutral (pH 6.8); clear wavy boundary.
AB--10 to 14 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) silty clay loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) dry; moderate medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, sticky and plastic; common very fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; neutral (pH 6.9); clear wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of A horizon is 11 to 23 inches)
Bt--14 to 21 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) silty clay, brown (10YR 5/3) dry; moderate medium and coarse prismatic structure; very hard, firm, very sticky and very plastic; few very fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; common distinct clay films on ped faces; neutral (pH 7.0); abrupt wavy boundary. (9 to 20 inches thick)
Btk--21 to 36 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) silty clay loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) dry; moderate fine and medium prismatic structure; very hard, firm, sticky and plastic; few very fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; continuous prominent clay films on ped faces and lining pores; soft powdery lime in seams; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear irregular boundary. (10 to 15 inches thick)
BC--36 to 45 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) clay loam, brown (10YR 5/3) dry; weak medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; soft, friable, sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 10 inches thick)
C--45 to 51 inches; brown (7.5YR 4/3) loam, pale brown (10YR 6/3) dry; massive; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine tubular pores; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); abrupt wavy boundary. (6 to 10 inches thick)
2Btb--51 to 60 inches; brown (7.5YR 4/4) clay loam, light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) dry; strong very fine and fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, sticky and plastic; few very fine tubular pores; many distinct clay films on ped faces; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0)
TYPE LOCATION: Wallowa County, Oregon, about 3 miles NW of the town of Lostine; 150 feet south and 150 feet east of the NW corner of section 5, T. 1 S., R. 43 E. (Latitude 45 degrees, 30 minutes, 54 seconds N., and Longitude 117 degrees, 28 minutes, 39 seconds W.)
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature is 47 to 52 degrees F. The soils are usually moist, but are dry in all parts of the moist control section for 60 to 90 days during the summer in most years. The particle size control section has 35 to 50 percent clay and averages 0 to 15 percent rock fragments. Depth to bedrock is 60 inches or more. Thickness of the mollic epipedon is 20 to 30 inches and may include all or part of the argillic horizon. Depth to soft powdery secondary lime is 20 to 35 inches.
The A and AB horizon has value of 2 or 3 moist, 3 to 5 dry, and chroma of 1 or 2 moist and dry.
The Bt horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 2 to 4 moist, 3 to 5 dry, and chroma of 2 or 3 moist and dry. The soil structure is prismatic or angular blocky. The texture is silty clay or clay with 40 to 50 percent clay. The soil reaction is neutral or slightly alkaline.
The Btk horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 3 to 5 moist, 4 to 6 dry, and chroma of 2 to 4 moist and dry. The soil structure is prismatic or angular blocky. The texture is silty clay loam, clay loam, or clay with 35 to 45 percent clay. It has 0 to 5 percent cobbles and 0 to 10 percent gravel. The soil reaction is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline. It has 5 to 10 percent CaCO3 equivalent.
The BC and C horizons have hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 3 or 4 moist, 5 or 6 dry, and chroma of 3 or 4 moist and dry. The texture is loam or clay loam with 25 to 35 percent clay. It has 0 to 5 percent cobbles and 0 to 5 percent gravel. The soil reaction is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline.
The 2Btb horizon, when present, has similar colors, textures, and reactions as the C horizon. Rock fragments range from 0 to 5 percent cobbles and 0 to 20 percent gravel.
COMPETING SERIES: These are Avon, Geoconda, McMurdie, and Neconda soils. The Avon and McMurdie soils lack rock fragments. In addition, Avon soils have hue of 2.5Y in the Bt horizon. Geoconda soils lack a C horizon and are strongly alkaline in the subsoil. McMurdie soils are neutral or slightly alkaline in the subsoil. Neconda soils are 20 to 40 inches to bedrock and lack a C horizon.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Gelsinger soils are on fans and toe slopes. Slopes are 2 to 25 percent. The soils formed in loess over clay colluvium or residuum derived from basalt. Elevation is 2,600 to 3,400 feet. The climate is characterized by cool wet winters and hot dry summers. The mean annual precipitation is 13 to 17 inches, and the mean annual temperature is 45 to 50 degrees F. The frost-free period is 100 to 160 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Conley, Hershal, Langrell, Phys, and Ramo soils. All these soils lack any secondary lime accumulation. Conley soils are on alluvial fans or old lake basins and are somewhat poorly drained. Hershal soils are on flood plains, poorly drained, and coarse-silty over sandy or sandy-skeletal. Langrell soils are on outwash terraces and are loamy-skeletal. Phys soils are on alluvial fans and are loamy-skeletal. Ramo soils are on foot slopes and lack a pachic epipedon.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow permeability
USE AND VEGETATION: The soils are used for wheat, alfalfa hay, and pasture. The native vegetation is Idaho fescue and bluebunch wheatgrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Blue Mountains of northeast Oregon; MLRA 9. The series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Wallowa County, Oregon, 1998. The name is from the Gelsinger Ranch located near the town of Wallowa, Oregon.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Pachic epipedon - from surface to 21 inches (Ap, A, and Bt horizons)
Argillic horizons - zone from 14 to 36 inches (Bt and Btk horizons)
Calcic feature - zone from 21 to 36 inches (Btk horizon)
Particle size control section - zone from 14 to 34 inches (Bt and upper portion of Btk horizon)