LOCATION KIESEL OREstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, mesic Xeric Natrargids
TYPICAL PEDON: Kiesel silt loam, greasewood range. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A1--0 to 4 inches; light gray (10YR 7/2) silt loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine pores; few very fine and fine roots; weakly effervescent; strongly akaline (pH8.6); abrupt smooth boundary. (4 to 7 inches thick)
B21t--4 to 7 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) silty clay, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; thin light gray (10YR 7/2) and grayish brown (10YR 5/2) silt coatings; weak fine prismatic parting to moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, very sticky and very plastic; many very fine tubular pores; common very fine roots; common thin and few moderately thick clay films; strongly effervescent; very strongly alkaline (pH 9.6 and higher); clear smooth boundary. (2 to 4 inches thick)
B22t--7 to 11 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) silty clay, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; strong very fine subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, sticky and very plastic; many very fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; common thin and few moderately thick clay films; strongly effervescent; very strongly alkaline (pH 9.6 and higher); clear smooth boundary. (3 to 5 inches thick)
B23t--11 to 22 inches; light gray (10YR 7/2) silty clay, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; strong fine subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, sticky and very plastic; common very fine roots; many very fine tubular pores; common thin and few moderately thick clay films; strongly effervescent; very strongly alkaline (pH 9.6 and higher); clear smooth boundary. (7 to 11 inches thick)
C1ca--22 to 40 inches; light gray (10YR 7/1) heavy silt loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and plastic; few fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; violently effervescent; very strongly alkaline (pH 9.6 and higher); clear wavy boundary. (10 to 20 inches thick)
C2ca--22 to 40 inches; light gray (10YR 7/1) loam and very fine sandy loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; strongly effervescent; very strongly effervescent (pH 9.6 and higher).
TYPE LOCATION: Malheur County, Oregon; 3 miles north of Nyssa; 400 feet south and 100 feet west of the NE corner section 8, T.19S., R.47E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature ranges from 53 to 56 degrees F. In most years the soils are usually dry but are moist in some parts between depths of 4 to 12 inches for a cumlative period equal to more than one quarter of the time the soil temperature exceeds 41 degrees F. and moist for 60 days or more out of the 120 days following the winter solstice. They are very strongly saline alkali and sodium saturation exceeds 15 percent in the B horizon and remains constant with depth to depth of 40 inches. Layers of strongly contrasting textures are lacking within the upper 40 inches of the soil, but horizons of loose sand or gravel; are below depth of 40 inches in some pedons. Bedrock is at depths of 60 inches or more.
The A horizon has value of 6 or 7 dry and chroma of 2 or 3 moist.
The B2t horizon has value of 6 or 7 dry and chroma of 2 or 3 dry and moist. It is silty clay or clay and averages 40 or 50 percent clay. This horizon has weak prismatic or columnar structure parting to moderate or strong subangular blocky structure.
The Cca horizon has value of 6 or 7 dry and chroma of 1 or 2 dry and 2 or 3 moist. It is silt loam or silty clay loam in the Cl horizon and silt loam. loam or very fine sandy loam in the C2 horizon.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Bullion, Calneva, Couch, Harding, Omak, Standish, Tomera, and White Swan series. Bullion, Harding and White Swan soils have mixed mineralogy. Also, Bullion soils have hue redder than 5YR. Harding soils are 8 to 16 inches to the bottom of the B2t horizon. White Swan soils are underlain by stratified and laminated lacustrine sediments with some very firm layers at depths of less than 40 inches. Calneva soils have distinct mottles at depths of 20 to 30 inches. Couch soils have an A2 horizon 1 to 3 inches thick, have moderate or strong columnar structure in the B2t horizon, and have mean annual soil temperature of 49 to 52 degrees F. Omak soils have A2 horizons 7 to 14 inches thick and have faint to distinct mottles in the B2 and C horizons. Standish soils are stratified and have loam, sandy loam or sand textures above depth of 40 inches. Tomera soils are noncalcareous in the A and B2t horizons and are gravelly or very gravelly in the lower B and C horizons.
GRAPHIC SETTING: Kiesel soils are on low terraces adjacent to the Snake River with slopes of 0 to 2 percent of the elevations of 2,100 to 2,200 feet. They formed in mixed alluvium weathered from acidic and basic igneous rocks and contain visible mica. The climate characteristically has hot dry summers and cold moist winters. The mean annual temperature is about 51 to 53 degrees F; the mean winter temperature is about 32 degrees F.; and the mean summer temperature is about 72 degrees F. The average annual precipitation ranges from 9 to 11 inches. The frost free period ranges from 150 to 170 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Baldock, Stanfield and Umapine series. All of these soils lack natric horizons and have less than 35 percent clay.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; medium runoff; slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Range and irrigated pasture is the principal use. The vegetation is mainly saltgrass, greasewood and rabbitbrush. Some areas have been cleared and leveled for surface irrigation for the most alkali tolerant plants and small grains.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Malheur County, Oregon. The series is inextensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Malheur County, Oregon, 1975.
NSTH 17, RECLASSIFICATION ONLY, 3/95