LOCATION KRACKLE OR
Established Series
Rev. CFL/TDT/JVC/JBF
12/2022
KRACKLE SERIES
The Krackle series consists of moderately deep, well drained soils that formed in colluvium derived from igneous rocks. Krackle soils are on mountains. Slopes are 3 to 65 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 500 mm and the mean annual temperature is about 5 degrees C.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive Xeric Haplocryolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Krackle cobbly clay loam--on a south-facing slope of 24 percent--rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A--0 to 10 cm; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) cobbly clay loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, moderately sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and many fine roots; many very fine irregularly shaped pores; 5 percent stones, 10 percent cobbles, and 15 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.0); clear wavy boundary. (8 to 18 cm thick)
Bw--10 to 38 cm; brown (10YR 5/3) very stony clay loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, firm, moderately sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and many fine roots; many very fine irregularly shaped pores; 20 percent stones, 15 percent cobbles, and 10 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.0); gradual wavy boundary. (18 to 33 cm thick)
C--38 to 76 cm; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) very stony clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist; massive; slightly hard, firm, moderately sticky and slightly plastic; common fine roots; many very fine irregularly shaped pores; 20 percent stones, 20 percent cobbles, and 10 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.0); abrupt irregular boundary. (25 to 50 cm thick)
2R--76 cm; fractured basalt.
TYPE LOCATION: Harney County, Oregon; about 0.5 mile west of Big Trout Creek and 1.2 miles northeast of Catlow Peak in the NE1/4 of the NW1/4 of section 6, T. 41 S., R. 38 E. ; latitude 42 degrees 2 minutes 52 seconds N and longitude 118 degrees 18 minutes 22 seconds W; NAD 83.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: Moist in winter and spring and continuously dry in all parts for significant periods in summer and fall ; xeric moisture regime that borders on aridic.
Mean annual soil temperature: 6 to 8 degrees C.
Mean summer soil temperature: 13 to 15 degrees C.
Mollic epipedon thickness: 25 to 50 cm, includes all or part of the Bw horizon.
Depth to bedrock: 50 to 100 cm to a lithic contact.
Particle-size control section - Clay content: 25 to 35 percent.
Rock fragments: 35 to 50 percent, mainly stones and cobbles. Lithology of fragments are igneous rocks such as basalt.
A horizon
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist.
Organic matter content: 1 to 3 percent.
Bw horizon
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist.
Texture: Very cobbly clay loam, very stony clay loam, or very cobbly loam.
Organic matter content: 1 or 2 percent.
C horizon - Value of 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist.
Texture: Very stony clay loam or very cobbly loam
Clay content: 25 to 35 percent.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the
Basinpeak,
Berrycreek,
Decram,
Fairydell,
Foxmount,,
Gaia,
Klug,
Lag,
Middlehill,
Rockabin,
Steepshrub,
Sup,
Timmercrek, and
Wareagle series.
Basinpeak,
Berrycreek,
Fairydell,
Gaia,
Klug,
Lag,
Sup,
Steepshrub,
Timmercrek, and
Wareagle soils are very deep.
Decram soils have cambic horizons and 18 to 25 percent clay in the particle-size control section.
Foxmount and
Rockabin soils are moderately deep to paralithic contacts.
Middlehill soils have 5 to 18 percent clay in the particle-size control section and have horizons with identifiable secondary carbonates.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Krackle soils are on mountains. They typically occur on summit, shoulder, and backslope positions. These soils formed in colluvium derived from igneous rocks. The main parent material is also influenced by deposits of loess derived from mixed sources. Slopes are 3 to 65 percent. Elevations range from 1,650 to 2,960 meters, The climate is semiarid with cold, moist winters and cool, dry summers. The mean annual precipitation is typically 300 to 400 mm, but ranges to 1000 mm at highest elevations such as the summit of Steens Mountain. The mean annual temperature is 4 to 6 degrees C. The frost-free period is 30 to 60 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the
Baconcamp,
Clamp,
Lonegrave, and
Hackwood soils. Clamp soils are shallow to lithic contacts. Baconcamp soils have thick mollic epipedons. Hackwood soils are very deep and have thick mollic epipedons. Lonegrave soils have ochric epipedons, cambic horizons, and a mesic temperature regime.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; very high surface runoff; moderately slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Krackle soils are used for livestock grazing. The present vegetation is mainly Idaho fescue, bluebunch wheatgrass, mountain big sagebrush, and antelope bitterbrush. Cusick's bluegrass and sheep fescue occur at highest elevations.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southeastern Oregon. These soils are moderately extensive. MLRA 23.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California.
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Harney County, Oregon, 1997.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - The zone from the soil surface to 38 cm (A and Bw horizons).
Lithic contact - The boundary at 76 cm to underlying hard bedrock (2R layer).
Particle-size control section - The zone from 25 to 76 cm (C horizon and part of the Bw horizon).
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.