LOCATION LATHER OREstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Diatomaceous, euic, frigid Limnic Haplohemists
TYPICAL PEDON: Lather peaty muck, pasture. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted.)
Oe1--0 to 6 inches; black (N 2/) rubbed, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) and very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) broken face, hemic material, very dark gray (N 3/) dry; about 70 percent fibers, 20 percent rubbed; weak thin platy structure; slightly hard, spongy; many very fine roots; slightly acid (pH 6.4 in water); abrupt smooth boundary. (5 to 12 inches thick)
Oe2--6 to 13 inches; dark brown (7.5YR 3/2 rubbed and pressed; 7.5YR 3/4 broken face), hemic material, dark brown (7.5YR 4/2 and 7.5YR 3/2) dry; about 50 percent fibers, 10 percent rubbed; massive; slightly hard, firm; many very fine roots; slightly acid (pH 6.4 in water); abrupt smooth boundary. (5 to 12 inches thick)
Ldi--13 to 15 inches; black (N 2/) broken face and rubbed, limnic material, gray (N 5/) and white (N 8/) dry; about 30 percent fibers, 10 percent rubbed; massive; slightly hard, firm; patches and lenses of diatomaceous silt comprise about 60 percent of the volume; common very fine roots; slightly acid (pH 6.4 in water); abrupt smooth boundary. (2 to 4 inches thick)
Oe3--15 to 70 inches; dark brown (7.5YR 3/4 rubbed; 7.5YR 3/2 pressed; 7.5YR 4/4 broken face), hemic material, very dark brown (7.5YR 2/2) dry; about 80 percent fibers, 35 percent rubbed; massive; slightly hard, spongy; few very fine roots; water table at depth of 28 inches; slightly acid (pH 6.4 in water).
TYPE LOCATION: Klamath County, Oregon; about 6 miles south of Fort Klamath; 800 feet south and 50 feet east of the NW corner section 18, T.34S., R.7-1/2E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Mean annual soil temperature ranges from 43 degrees to 47 degrees F. The soils have an aquic moisture regime and are saturated with water throughout the year. Organic materials are primarily from herbaceous plants. Organic matter content of the surface tier ranges from about 35 to 62 percent and is about 62 percent in the subsurface tier as determined by loss on ignition of oven dry samples. The subsurface tier is medium acid to neutral and the bottom tier is strongly to slightly acid. The control section extends to a depth of 52 inches and dominantly is hemic material. Diatomaceous silt layers are 2 to 4 inches thick and one or more of these layers occur at depths between 12 to 52 inches.
The surface tier has value of 2 or 3 moist, 3 or 4 dry, and chroma of 0 through 2 moist and dry. It has 50 to 90 percent fibers and about 10 to 30 percent when rubbed.
The subsurface tier has about 35 to 80 percent fibers and 10 to 40 percent after rubbing.
The limnic layer has value of 2 through 4 moist and 5 through 8 dry, and chroma of 0 to 1 moist and dry. These layers are diatomaceous silt. The bottom tier has about 40 to 95 percent fibers and 20 to 50 percent after rubbing.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Carlos and Millerville series. Carlos soils have limnic layers that are nearly and which effervesce with dilute HC1. Millerville soils are very strongly acid.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Lather soils ar eon drained mashes. Elevations are 4,130 to 4,145 feet. The soils formed in organic material from herbaceous plants containing thin layers of diatomaceous silt. The climate is cool and subhumid. The average annual precipitation is 18 to 23 inches. Mean January temperature is 25 degrees F.; the mean July temperature is 61 degrees F.; the average annual temperature is 42 degrees to 44 degrees F.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Chock and Kirk soils. These soils lack organic horizons. Chock soils have loam and sandy loam control sections and have formed in ash. Kirk soils have loam and sandy loam A horizons and cindery and ashy C horizons.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Very poorly drained; very slow runoff or ponded; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: The soils are used mainly for irrigated pasture and wildlife habitat. Native plants on adjacent marsh are mainly bullrush, tules, and lily.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Basins in south-central Oregon adjacent to the Cascades. The soils are moderately extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Klamath County, Oregon, 1977.