LOCATION HACK OREstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Calcic Argixerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Hack loam, rangeland; on a 3 percent slope at 2,840 foot elevation. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted.)
A1--0 to 3 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) dry; moderate thin platy structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine roots; many very fine pores; 10 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.2); clear smooth boundary. (2 to 6 inches thick)
A2--3 to 11 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) loam, brown (10YR 5/3) dry; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine roots; many very fine and few medium tubular pores; 10 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.0); clear smooth boundary. (5 to 10 inches thick)
AB--11 to 14 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) gravelly loam, brown (10YR 5/3) dry; weak fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; 15 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.2); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 5 inches thick)
Bt--14 to 22 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) gravelly clay loam, brown (10YR 5/3) dry; moderate fine and very fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, moderately sticky and slightly plastic; common fine roots; common very fine and medium tubular pores; common faint clay films; 20 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.2); clear wavy boundary. (5 to 10 inches thick)
Btk--22 to 30 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) gravelly clay loam, brown (10YR 5/3) dry; moderate fine and very fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common fine roots; many very fine and fine tubular pores; common faint and few prominent clay films; strongly effervescent with many medium white soft masses of segregated lime; 15 percent gravel with white lime coatings; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); gradual smooth boundary. (5 to 10 inches thick)
Bk--30 to 60 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) loam, brown (10YR 5/3) dry; massive; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine roots; few fine pores; strongly effervescent, common fine white soft masses of segregated lime; 10 percent subrounded gravel; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2).
TYPE LOCATION: Grant County, Oregon; 2.4 miles west of town of Mt. Vernon; 100 feet south of U.S. Highway 26, near S.W. corner of large turnout; 600 feet west and 1,500 feet south of the NW corner of section 30, T.13S., R.30E. Latitude 44 degrees, 24 minutes, 47 seconds North; Longitude 119 degrees, 09 minutes, 41 seconds West.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature is 47 to 53 degrees F. The soils are usually moist but are dry in the control section for 70 to 90 consecutive days. Depth to bedrock is more than 60 inches. Depth to soft powdery secondary lime is 20 to 43 inches. Mollic epipedon is 10 to 20 inches thick.
The A and AB horizons have value of 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist and chroma of 2 or 3 moist and dry. It is loam or silt loam with 15 to 27 percent clay. It has 0 to 5 percent cobbles and 5 to 25 percent gravel.
The Bt and Btk horizons are loam or clay loam with 20 to 35 percent clay. Calcium carbonate equivalent is 0 to 5 percent. It has color value of 4 to 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist and chroma of 3 or 4 moist and dry. It has 0 to 5 percent cobbles and 5 to 25 percent gravel. It is neutral to moderately alkaline.
The Bk horizon has value of 5 to 7 dry, 4 or 5 moist and chroma of 3 or 4 moist and dry. Calcium carbonate equivalent is 3 to 10 percent. It is slightly or moderately alkaline. It has 0 to 5 percent cobbles and 5 to 25 percent gravel.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Bamos, Colockum, Doyce, Lucero, Pollynot, Timpanogos and Tirod series. Bamos soils are 20 to 40 inches deep to a lithic contact. Doyce, Pollynot, Timpanogos and Tirod soils have a calcic horizon. Colockum and Lucero soils are similar to Hack. Colockum soils have an argillic horizon that extends to 60 inches or more. Lucero soils have a Bk horizon that is moderately to very strongly alkaline and pinyon pine is typically in the plant community.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Hack soils are on low alluvial fans, terraces and footslopes. Slopes range from 2 to 20 percent. Elevations range from 1,800 to 3,800 feet. The soils formed in mixed alluvium. The soils are in a semiarid climate having hot dry summers and cool moist winters. Mean annual temperature ranges from 45 to 51 degrees F.; the mean January temperature is about 31 degrees F.; and the mean July temperature is about 67 degrees F. The mean annual precipitation ranges from 12 to 18 inches. The frost free period is about 100 to 150 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Boyce, Courtrock, Ricco and Veazie soils. Boyce and Ricco soils are poorly drained and are on adjacent lower fans and floodplains. Courtrock soils are coarse-loamy and usually dry. Veazie soils are on floodplains and are coarse-loamy over sandy-skeletal.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow to medium runoff; moderately slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used mainly for the production of, alfalfa hay, irrigated pasture, and livestock grazing. Some dryland grain and hay is produced. Native vegetation is bluebunch wheatgrass, Idaho fescue and big sagebrush.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: East central Oregon; MLRA 10. The series is of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Grant County, Oregon, 1975.
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