LOCATION LYEFLAT                 OR

Established Series
Rev. GGG-MPK-JVC-JBF
04/2011

LYEFLAT SERIES

The Lyeflat series consists of shallow, well drained soils that formed in eolian material and colluvium derived from volcanic rocks. Lyeflat soils are on hills. Slopes are 2 to 50 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 230 mm and the mean annual temperature is about 8 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Lithic Haplocambids

TYPICAL PEDON: Lyeflat very cobbly sandy loam--on a hill at an elevation of 1,317 meters --rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)

An--0 to 8 cm; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) very cobbly sandy loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; moderate medium platy structure parting to moderate very fine granular; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine roots; common fine vesicular pores; 25 percent gravel, 15 percent cobbles, and 5 percent stones; violently effervescent; very strongly alkaline (pH 9.6); abrupt smooth boundary. (5 to 18 cm thick)

Bn--8 to 28 cm; pale brown (10YR 6/3) gravelly sandy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; weak very fine and fine subangular blocky structure parting to moderate very fine and fine granular; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine roots; common fine tubular pores; 20 percent gravel and 5 percent cobbles; violently effervescent; very strongly alkaline (pH 9.6); abrupt wavy boundary. (20 to 43 cm thick)

R--28 cm; unweathered basalt.

TYPE LOCATION: Lake County, Oregon; about 1 mile north of Lake Abert and east of Alkali Flat; approximately 1,100 feet north and 200 feet west of the southeast corner of section 2, T. 33 S., R. 21 E.; USGS Lake Abert North 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle; latitude 42 degrees 44 minutes 04 seconds N and longitude 120 degrees 11 minutes 58 seconds W; NAD 83.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: Usually moist in winter and spring, dry in summer and fall; typic aridic soil moisture regime.
Mean annual soil temperature: 8 to 11 degrees C.
Depth to bedrock: 25 to 50 cm to a lithic contact.
Effervescence: Slightly effervescent through violently effervescent.

Particle-size control section - Clay content: 12 to 18 percent;
Rock fragments: 10 to 35 percent by weighted average. Lithology of fragments are volcanic rocks such as basalt.

An horizon
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y.
Value: 6 or 7 dry, 3 through 5 moist.
Chroma: 2 or 3, dry or moist.
Reaction: Moderately alkaline through very strongly alkaline (up to pH 10.0).
Salinity (EC): 2 to 8 mmhos/cm.
Sodicity (SAR): 5 to 30.

Bn horizon
Value: 6 or 7 dry, 3 or 4 moist.
Chroma: 3 or 4, dry or moist.
Texture: Sandy loam, loam, gravelly sandy loam, or gravelly loam.
Rock fragments: 0 to 30 percent, mainly gravel.
Reaction: Strongly alkaline or very strongly alkaline (up to pH 10.0).
Salinity (EC): 4 to 8 mmhos/cm.
Sodicity (SAR): 13 to 30.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Epikom and Leanto series.

These soils have sodium adsorption ratios of less than 13, are intermittently moist in some part during summer months, and have hues redder than 10YR.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Lyeflat soils are on hills and escarpments. These soils formed in mixed eolian material and colluvium and residuum derived from volcanic rocks such as basalt or welded tuff. Slopes are 2 to 50 percent. Elevations range from 1,295 to 1,700 meters. The climate is arid and characterized by cold, moist winters and warm, dry summers. The mean annual precipitation is 200 to 250 mm, the mean annual temperature is 7 to 10 degrees C, and the frost-free period is 80 to 100 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Catlow, Osoll, and Panlee soils. Catlow soils are loamy-skeletal, very deep, and are on lake terraces. Osoll soils are loamy-skeletal, shallow to indurated duripans overlying lithic contacts, and are on hills. Panlee soils are loamy-skeletal, deep to indurated duripans overlying lithic contacts, and are on hills.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Well drained; very high surface runoff; moderate permeability; moderately high or high saturated hydraulic conductivity.

USE AND VEGETATION: Lyeflat soils are used for livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. The historic plant community is shadscale, bud sagebrush, black greasewood, Indian ricegrass, and bottlebrush squirreltail.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: South-central Oregon. These soils are not extensive with about 8,600 acres of the series mapped to date. MLRA 23.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Lake County (Northern Part), Oregon, 2006.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - The zone from the soil surface to 18 cm (An horizon and part of the Bn horizon).
Cambic horizon - The zone from 8 to 28 cm (Bn horizon).
Lithic contact - The boundary at 28 cm to underlying hard, unweathered bedrock (R layer).
Particle-size control section - The zone from the soil surface to 28 cm (An and Bn horizons).

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.