LOCATION KASKELA OR

Established Series
Rev. TMP/RWL
02/2011

KASKELA SERIES

The Kaskela series consist of deep and very deep, well drained soils on foothills. They formed in residuum and colluvium derived dominantly from sedimentary rock. Slopes are 0 to 30 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 14 inches and the mean annual temperature is about 49 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Very-fine, smectitic, mesic Typic Haploxererts

TYPICAL PEDON: Kaskela clay - on a 3 percent slope at an elevation of 3500 feet, rangeland. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted.)

A--0 to 4 inches; dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) clay, dark gray (5YR 4/1) dry; moderate very fine and fine subangular blocky structure; very hard, very firm, very sticky and very plastic; common very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; neutral (pH 7.0); clear smooth boundary. (4 to 11 inches thick)

Bt--4 to 10 inches; dark reddish brown (5YR 3/2) clay, dark gray (5YR 4/1) dry; strong fine and medium subangular blocky structure; extremely hard, extremely firm, very sticky and very plastic; common very fine, fine and medium roots; common very fine, fine and medium tubular pores; continuous prominent clay films on faces of peds and lining pores; neutral (pH 6.8); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 10 inches)

Bss1--10 to 19 inches; dark reddish brown (5YR 3/2) clay, dark gray (5YR 4/1) dry; strong medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; extremely hard, extremely firm, very sticky and very plastic; few fine and medium roots; few very fine, fine and medium tubular pores; common intersecting slickensides; neutral (pH 6.8); clear smooth boundary.

Bss2--19 to 31 inches; reddish brown (5YR 4/3) clay, dark reddish gray (5YR 4/2) dry; strong medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; very hard, very firm, sticky and plastic; few fine and medium roots; few fine and medium tubular pores; common intersecting slickensides; neutral (pH 6.6); clear smooth boundary. (combined thickness of the Bss horizon is 20 to 30 inches)

Bk--31 to 42 inches; reddish brown (5YR 4/4) clay loam, reddish brown (5YR 4/3) dry; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine and fine roots; few very fine and fine tubular pores; strongly effervescent with disseminated lime; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear smooth boundary. (10 to 13 inches thick)

Cr--42 inches; weathered sedimentary bedrock.

TYPE LOCATION: Wasco County, Oregon, about 400 feet west and 1700 feet north of the SE corner of section 13, T.7 S., R.12 E. (Latitude 44 degrees, 57 minutes, 36 seconds N, Longitude 121 degrees, 13 minutes, 45 seconds W) Warm Springs Indian Reservation.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: These soils have cracks 5mm or more wide that open and close each year and remain open for 60 to 90 consecutive days. The mean annual soil temperature is 50 to 52 degrees F. The mollic epipedon is 10 to 20 inches thick and may include the upper part of the B horizon. Depth to bedrock is 40 to over 60 inches. Hue is 2.5YR to 7.5YR. The particle-size control section averages 60 to 70 percent clay. Depth to the Bk horizon is 30 to 45 inches.

The A horizon has value of 2 or 3 moist, 4 or 5 dry and chroma of 1 or 2 moist and dry. It is clay or cobbly clay and has 0 to 10 percent gravel and 0 to 30 percent cobbles.

The Bt horizon has value of 3 or 4 moist and dry and chroma of 1 or 2 moist and dry. It has 0 to 10 percent gravel and 0 to 5 percent cobbles.

The Bss horizon has color similar to the Bt horizon. It is moderate to strong blocky structure with common to many intersecting slickensides and when dry, very coarse irregular prismatic structure with prominent vertical cracking. It has 0 to 10 percent gravel and 0 to 5 percent cobbles.

The Bk horizon has value of 3 or 4 moist, 4 or 5 dry and chroma of 3 or 4 moist and dry. It is silty clay loam or clay loam withy 30 to 40 percent clay. Soil reaction is slightly alkaline to strongly alkaline.

COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Kaskela soils are on gently sloping benches to moderately steep side slopes of foothills. The soil is formed in residuum and colluvium derived dominantly from sedimentary bedrock. Slopes are 0 to 30 percent. Elevations are 2400 to 4200 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 degrees F. The frost-free period is 100 to 140 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Fawnspring, Littlefawn and Prill soils. Fawnspring soils are are on adjacent forestland and have an ashy surface 7 to 14 inches thick (vitrandic). Littlefawn soils are on adjacent forestland and are moderately deep to sedimentary bedrock. Prill soils are moderately deep to volcanic tuff.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. Permeability is slow.

USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. The native vegetation is antelope bitterbrush, arrowleaf balsamroot, bluebunch wheatgrass, Idaho fescue and scattered Oregon white oak.

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 - from the surface to 19 inches (A, Bt, and Bss1 horizons)

Xeric moisture regime with 60 to 90 dry days.

Particle-size control section - from 10 to 40 inches (Bss1, Bss2, and upper 2 inches of Bk horizon)

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.