LOCATION LONELY                  OR

Established Series
Rev. RDK/TDT
12/2022

LONELY SERIES

The Lonely series consists of moderately deep, well drained soils that formed in colluvium overlying igneous bedrock. Lonely soils are on dissected rock pediments and mountain sideslopes and have slopes of 2 to 30 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 10 inches and the mean annual temperature is about 43 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Xeric Haplocambids

TYPICAL PEDON: Lonely cobbly clay loam on a 15 percent slope, rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)

A--0 to 4 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) cobbly clay loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, moderately sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine, fine and medium roots; many very fine tubular and irregular pores; 10 percent cobbles, 5 percent stones and 10 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.0); gradual wavy boundary. (3 to 6 inches thick)

Bw1--4 to 16 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) clay loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, firm, moderately sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine, fine and medium roots; many very fine tubular and irregular pores; 10 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.3); gradual wavy boundary. (11 to 16 inches thick)

Bw2--16 to 24 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) gravelly clay loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, firm, moderately sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine, fine and medium roots; many very fine tubular and irregular pores; 5 percent cobbles, 25 percent gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); abrupt irregular boundary. (6 to 18 inches thick)

R--24 inches; igneous bedrock.

TYPE LOCATION: Harney County, Oregon; 1/4 mile south of Oreanna Creek in the SE1/4NE1/4 section 10, T. 40 S., R. 36 E.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The soils are dry in all parts of the moisture control section one-half to three-fourths of the time when the temperature is greater than 41 degrees F. The soil temperature is above 41 degrees from mid-April through mid-November. The mean annual soil temperature is 44 to 47 degrees F. and the mean summer soil temperature is 60 to 63 degrees F. Depth to bedrock and solum thickness is 20 to 40 inches. Rock fragments in the particle-size control section range from 5 to 35 percent and are primarily gravel. Clay content in the particle-size control section ranges from 27 to 35 percent.

The A horizon has value of 6 or 7 dry and 3 to 4 moist, and chroma of 2 to 3 dry or moist.

The Bw horizon has value of 5 to 6 dry and 3 to 4 moist, and chroma of 2 to 3 dry or moist. It is clay loam or gravelly clay loam. It has 5 to 35 percent gravel and 0 to 5 percent cobbles. It is neutral or slightly alkaline.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Akercan, Burntriver and Woodpass series. Akercan, Burntriver and Woodpass soils are very deep.

GEOGARPHIC SETTING: Lonely soils are dissected rock pediments and mountain sideslopes at elevations of 4,300 to 6,300 feet. Slopes are 2 to 30 percent. The soils formed in colluvium overlying igneous bedrock. The soil is characterized by cold moist winters and cool dry summers. The mean annual precipitation is 10 to 12 inches. The mean annual temperature is 43 to 45 degrees F. The frost-free period is 50 to 80 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Doyn, Lonegrave, Fourwheel, and Robson series. Doyn and Robson soils are shallow to a lithic contact. Lonegrave soils are loamy-skeletal. Fourwheel soils are fine.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; medium to very rapid runoff; moderately slow permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: The soil is used for rangeland. Vegetation commonly is big sagebrush, bluebunch wheatgrass, Sandberg bluegrass, bottlebrush squirreltail, and Thurber needlegrass.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southeastern Oregon; MLRA 23. The series is of moderate extent.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Harney County, Oregon; 1997.

REMARKS:

Diagnostic horizons and other features

Ochric eipiedon

Cambic horizon - 4 to 24 inches

Particle-size control section - average 21 percent coarse fragments and 30 percent clay.

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.