LOCATION MEAUFUN                 OR

Tentative Series
IRD. RAW/JLW/DAL
12/2011

MEAUFUN SERIES

The Meaufun series consists of deep, well drained soils on backslopes of mountains. Meaufun soils formed in volcanic ash mixed with colluvium overlying clay-producing tuffs or olivine basalt. Slopes are 0 to 60 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 20 inches and the mean annual temperature is about 42 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, frigid Vertic Palexerolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Meaufun ashy loam - woodland, on a 28 percent southwest-facing slope at an elevation of 3,980 feet. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted. Andic soil materials are apparent field textures.)

Oi--0 to 1 inches; slightly decomposed twigs and needles.

A--1 to 14 inches; black (7.5YR 2.5/1) ashy loam, brown (7.5YR 5/2) dry; weak medium subangular blocky structure parting to weak fine subangular blocky; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; common very fine and fine and few medium roots throughout; common very fine irregular and common very fine tubular pores; 2 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.4); clear wavy boundary. (10 to 14 inches thick)

E--14 to 19 inches; brown (7.5YR 4/2) sandy clay loam, pinkish gray (7.5YR 6/2) dry; weak fine subangular blocky structure parting to weak very fine granular; slightly hard, friable, moderately sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine, fine, and medium roots throughout; common very fine irregular and few fine tubular pores; 10 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.4); abrupt smooth boundary. (4 to 12 inches thick)

Bt--19 to 33 inches; brown (7.5YR 4/2) clay, brown (7.5YR 5/3) dry; moderate coarse subangular blocky structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; very hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; many moderately thick clay films on ped faces; few very fine, fine, medium, and coarse roots throughout; common very fine irregular and few very fine tubular pores; 5 percent gravel and 5 percent cobbles; slightly acid (pH 6.4); clear wavy boundary. (12 to 32 inches thick)

BCt--33 to 60 inches; brown (7.5YR 4/4) clay loam, brown (7.5YR 5/4) dry; common coarse subangular blocky structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; hard, firm, moderately sticky and slightly plastic; common thin clay bridges between mineral grains, few medium roots throughout; common very fine irregular and few very fine tubular pores; 8 percent gravel and 5 percent cobbles; slightly acid (pH 6.5); abrupt wavy boundary. (0 to 33 inches thick)

2Cr--60 inches; weathered andesite tuff.

TYPE LOCATION: Crook County, Oregon,
Section 9 (NE 1/4, NE 1/4, NW 1/4), T. 12 S., R. 17 E.
Latitude 49 degrees, 34 minutes, 87 seconds N.
Longitude 6 degrees, 83 minutes, 19 seconds E.
USGS Quadrangle: Dutchman Creek

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil Temperature: frigid regime
Mean Annual Soil Temperature: 42 to 46 degrees F
Mean Summer Soil Temperature: 50 to 55 degrees F
Mean Winter Soil Temperature: 34 to 38 degrees F
Soil Moisture: xeric regime, dry 60 to 75 consecutive days in summer

Particle-size Control Section: the upper 20 inches of the argillic horizon
Clay content: 40 to 50 percent
Rock fragment content: 5 to 30 percent

Diagnostic Horizons and Features:
andic soil properties: upper boundary at the mineral surface; 10 to 14 inches thick
Al+1/2Fe(aox): 0.4 to 1.0 percent
bulk density: 0.85 to 1.2 g/cc
P retention: 30 to 50 percent
0.02-2.0 mm fraction: 20 to 40 percent of fine earth
glass content in the 0.02-2.0mm fraction: 20 to 50 percent
water content at 1500 kPa (air dried): 10 to 20 percent
8Si + 2Fe (aox): 1 to 5 percent
mollic epipedon: 10 to 16 inches thick
depth to paralithic contact: 40 to 60 inches
depth to abrupt textural change (Bt): 15 to 25 inches

Major Horizons:
A horizon; some pedons have AB horizons:
color, moist: 5YR 2.5/2, 3/2 ; 7.5YR 2.5/1, 2.5/2, 3/2
color, dry: 5YR 3/3, 4/2, 4/3, 5/2; 7.5YR 4/2, 5/2, 5/3
texture: L, SIL, SICL
clay content: 12 to 30 percent
rock fragment content: 0 to 15 percent
gravel: 0 to 15 percent
cobbles: 0 to 5 percent
reaction: slightly acid to neutral pH: 6.1 to 7.3
base saturation: 65 to 95 percent

E horizon:
color, moist: 5YR 4/2; 7.5YR 2.5/2, 3/2, 4/2
color, dry: 7.5YR 4/2, 5/3, 6/2, 6/3
texture: GR-L, SCL, SIL, CB-L
clay content: 18 to 27 percent
rock fragment content: 5 to 30 percent
gravel: 5to 25 percent
cobbles: 0 to 15 percent
reaction: slightly acid to neutral pH: 6.1 to 7.3
base saturation: 70 to 90 percent

Bt horizon:
color, moist: 5YR 3/4, 4/2, 4/3, 4/4; 7.5YR 3/3, 4/2, 4/3; 10YR 4/2
color, dry: 5YR 4/6; 5/2; 7.5YR 3/3, 4/3, 5/3, 5/4; 10YR 5/4, 5/6
texture: C, CB-C, CB-CL, GR-CL, CL, SIC, SICL
clay content: 35 to 50 percent
rock fragment content: 5 to 30 percent
gravel: 5 to 15 percent
cobbles: 0 to 20 percent
reaction: slightly acid to neutral pH: 6.1 to 7.3
base saturation: 70 to 90 percent

BCt horizon:
color, moist: 5YR 4/4; 7.5YR 4/2, 4/4
color, dry: 5YR 4/6; 7.5YR 4/4, 4/6, 5/3, 5/4
texture: GR-C, CL, GR-L, C
clay content: 25 to 45 percent
rock fragment content: 10 to 30 percent
gravel: 10 to 25 percent
cobbles: 0 to 5 percent
reaction: slightly acid to neutral pH: 6.1 to 7.3
base saturation: 70 to 90 percent

COMPETING SERIES:

Booth - moderately deep to paralithic weathered tuff; no ash influence; dry for 80 to 110 days in summer;
Campcreek - very deep;
Carryback - moderately deep to lithic basalt; no ash influence; aridic soil moisture regime;
Crowcamp - very deep; mollic epipedon 20 to 30 inches thick; no ash influence; duric Bkq horizon; dry 75 to 90 days in summer;
Golars - moderately deep to lithic basalt; mollic epipedon 20 to 30 inches thick; vitrandic subgroup properties less than 7 inches thick;
Hankins - mollic epipedon 20 to 40 inches thick; vitrandic subgroup properties 7 to 13 inches thick;
Jesh - no ash influence; dry 45 to 60 days in summer;
Joenchris - vitrandic subgroup properties 7 to 13 inches thick; 15 to 25 percent gravel in upper part of argillic; dry 75 to 90 days in summer;
Kidnapspring - very deep; vitrandic subgroup properties 7 to 13 inches thick; dry 45 to 60 days in summer;
Locrol - no ash influence; episaturation at 7 to 16 inches from March to May;
Longbarn - deep to lithic tuff; vitrandic subgroup properties 7 to 13 inches thick; dry 75 to 90 days in summer;
Peaviner - deep to lithic tuff; mollic epipedon 16 to 26 inches thick; vitrandic subgroup properties 7 to 13 inches thick; dry 45 to 60 days in summer;
Tippett - vitrandic subgroup properties 7 to 13 inches thick;
Warpaint - very deep; vitrandic subgroup properties 7 to 13 inches thick; less than 15 percent gravel in upper part of argillic; aridic soil moisture regime;
Zumwalt - moderately deep to lithic basalt; vitrandic subgroup properties 7 to 13 inches thick;

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform: convex to planar, mid to upper, erosional and depositional mountain backslopes of water dissected soft pyroclastic flows
Slope gradient: 0 to 60 percent
Parent material: volcaniclastic volcanic ash mixed with colluvium overlying colluvium and residuum
Lithology: Mazama ash mixed with andesitic tuff breccia over Clarno formation
Elevation: 3,800 to 5,000 feet
Climate: cold, wet winters; warm, dry summers
Mean annual precipitation: 19 to 21 inches
Mean annual air temperature: 40 to 44 degrees F.
Frost-free period: 40 to 100 days

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS:
Kidnapspring (T): on concave to planar, mid-slope to toe slope depositional positions of mountain slopes and basins;
Humarel (T): on eroding backslopes of andesitic tuff breccia mudflow deposits; moderately deep to bedrock with an influence of volcanic ash;
Lamulita (T): on eroding backslopes of mountains and hills; moderately deep to bedrock with an influence of volcanic ash;
Maule (T): on rolling plateau crests and, south and west aspect mountain sideslopes with a thin volcanic ash mantle; 20 to 40 inches to bedrock;

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY:
Drainage: well drained
Permeability: moderate over slow

USE AND VEGETATION:
Use: Woodland, range, recreation, wildlife, watershed
Native vegetation: Grand fir, Douglas-fir, ponderosa pine, western juniper, service berry, baldhip rose, western hawkweed, mountain strawberry, vetch, Virginia strawberry, heartleaf arnica, pinegrass, elk sedge and western fescue.
Plant association: Dominant: PSME/CARU, but may include: PSME/CAGE; dry phase - dominant PIPO/SYAL may include PIPO/CAGE

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT:
Blue Mountains, MLRA E43c
Distribution: South Central Blue Mountains in Middle Fork and North Forks of John Day River.
Extent: Moderate

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon

SERIES PROPOSED: Crook County, Oregon; 2007 The name was coined.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
mollic epipedon: 1 to 14 inches; A
vitrandic subgroup feature: 1 to 14 inches; A
particle-size control section: 19 to 39 inches; Bt, BCt
argillic horizon: 19 to 60 inches; Bt, BCt

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.