LOCATION JORDY WAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Vitrandic Argixerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Jordy ashy fine sandy loam - cropland, on a 10 percent northwest facing slope at 3,000 feet elevation. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated. All textures are apparent field textures.)
Ap--0 to 5 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) ashy fine sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine and fine roots; common fine irregular pores; 25 percent ash, 0.5 to 2.0 mm. in diameter; slightly acid (pH 6.4); clear wavy boundary.
A--5 to 12 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) ashy fine sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine roots; common fine irregular pores: 30 percent ash, 0.5 to 2.0 mm. in diameter; neutral (pH 6.6); clear smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of A horizon is 7 to 18 inches.)
2Bt1--12 to 18 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) silt loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine roots; few fine tubular pores; few faint clay films on faces of peds; 5 percent ash, 0.5 to 2.0 mm. in diameter; neutral (pH 7.2); clear smooth boundary.
2Bt2--18 to 21 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) silt loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots; few fine irregular and tubular pores; few faint clay films on faces of peds and common distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) dry clay films on rock fragments; 5 percent ash, 0.5 to 2.0 mm. in diameter; 5 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.2); gradual wavy boundary.
2Bt3--21 to 23 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) gravelly silt loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots; few fine irregular and tubular pores; few faint clay films on faces of peds and common distinct strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) dry and yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) dry clay films on rock fragments; 5 percent ash, 0.5 to 2.0 mm. in diameter; 15 percent gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); abrupt smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the 2Bt horizon is 12 to 24 inches.)
3R--23 inches; basalt
TYPE LOCATION: Douglas County, Washington; about 4 miles northwest of Waterville; about 2,100 feet north, 3,500 feet west of the southeast corner of section 36, T. 26 N., R. 21 E. (Latitude 47 degrees 42 minutes 54 seconds N, Longitude 120 degrees 08 minutes 48 seconds W)
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature is 49 to 51 degrees F. These soils are usually moist in the moisture control section but are dry for 90 to 105 consecutive days following the summer solstice. The mollic epipedon is 10 to 18 inches thick and has an estimated moist bulk density of 1.10 to 1.35 g/cc, volcanic glass content of 30 to 60 percent, including 10 to 30 percent sand-size pumice, 0.5 to 2.0 mm. in diameter, acid-oxalate extractable aluminum plus one half of the acid-oxalate extractable iron of 0.15 to 0.40 percent, 15-bar water retention of 5 to 10 percent, 0 to 3 percent basalt gravel, and an apparent field estimated clay content of 5 to 14 percent. The particle size control section contains 10 to 18 percent clay and has 15 percent or more fine sand coarser. Depth to bedrock is 20 to 40 inches.
The A horizon has chroma of 2 or 3 dry and moist. Reaction is moderately acid or neutral.
The 2Bt horizon has value of 5 or 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist and chroma of 3 or 4 dry or moist. It has 0 to 15 percent gravel. Reaction is neutral to slightly alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: This is the Beca series. Beca soils have a mollic epipedon 20 to 25 inches thick.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Jordy soils formed in post-Wisconsin age loess mixed with volcanic ash over Wisconsin to pre-Wisconsin age loess underlain by basalt on nonglaciated plateaus at elevations of 2,400 to 3,200 feet. Slopes are 0 to 30 percent. These soils usually occur on aspects other than north. The climate is characterized by warm, dry summers and cool, moist winters. Average annual precipitation is 12 to 15 inches. Average January temperature is about 26 degrees F.; average July temperature is about 70 degrees F. and average annual air temperature is 47 to 49 degrees F. Frost-free season is 110 to 165 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Argabak, Dougville, Camaspatch, and the competing Beca soils. Argabak soils are on ridgetops, hill slopes and benches of uplands, are loamy-skeletal and are very shallow to a lithic contact. Dougville soils are on side slopes of uplands and are deep or very deep. Camaspatch soils are hillslopes, escarpments and canyon walls and are clayey-skeletal.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow to medium runoff; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used mainly for crop production. Wheat and barley are the principal crops. A small amount is used for livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. The potential native vegetation is bluebunch wheatgrass, Idaho fescue, threetip sagebrush and Wyoming big sagebrush.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Douglas County, Washington. The series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Douglas County, Washington, 1998.
REMARKS; Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are a mollic epipedon from the surface to 12 inches, an argillic horizon from 12 to 23 inches and a lithic contact at 23 inches. There is 25 to 30 percent sand-size pumice, 0.5 to 2.0 mm. in diameter in the A horizon with an estimated 30 to 60 percent volcanic glass. The particle size control section is the entire argillic horizon (the 2Bt1, 2Bt2 and 2Bt3 horizons)