LOCATION PARMELE ORTentative Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Aquic Natrargidic Natridurids
TYPICAL PEDON: Parmele ashy sandy loam, on a 1 percent slope in greasewood and inland saltgrass pasture at elevation of 4,009 feet. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted. When described, the soil was moist.)
A--0 to 3 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) ashy sandy loam, light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) dry; moderate thin platy structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine roots; many vesicular pores, few dendritic tubular pores; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear smooth boundary. (3 to 10 inches thick)
2Btn--3 to 9 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) clay loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) dry; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; many very fine and roots; many fine dendritic tubular pores; common distinct clay films on faces of peds and pore linings; slightly effervescent; very strongly alkaline (pH 9.6); abrupt smooth boundary. (4 to 12 inches thick)
2Btnq1--9 to 16 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) sandy clay loam, light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) dry; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine roots; common fine and very fine dendritic tubular pores; few faint clay films on faces of peds and pore linings; few faint thin silica coats bridging sand grains; violently effervescent; very strongly alkaline (pH 9.6); clear wavy boundary. (4 to 10 inches thick)
2Btnq2--16 to 30 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) coarse sandy loam, light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) dry; moderate coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine and few medium roots; common very fine and fine dendritic tubular pores; common faint clay films bridging sand grains; few faint silica coats on faces of peds and bridging sand grains; violently effervescent; strongly alkaline (pH 9.0); abrupt wavy boundary. (4 to 20 inches thick)
2Btkqm1--30 to 45 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) clay loam, light gray (10YR 7/2) dry; moderately cemented duripan; common distinct clay films on faces of peds; common carbonate masses in cracks; common distinct silica coats on faces of peds; few fine distinct brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) masses of iron accumulation on faces of peds; violently effervescent; strongly alkaline (pH 8.8); gradual wavy boundary. (5 to 30 inches thick)
2Btkqm2--45 to 61 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) clay loam, light gray (10YR 7/2) dry; moderately cemented duripan; few distinct clay films on faces of peds; many carbonate masses in cracks; common distinct silica coats on faces of peds; few fine distinct brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) masses of iron accumulation on faces of peds; violently effervescent; strongly alkaline (pH 8.8).
TYPE LOCATION: Crook County, Oregon; about 9 miles southeast of the town of Paulina, Oregon, located about 2570 feet west and 1440 feet south of the northeast corner of section 34, T. 17 S., R 24 E. (Latitude 44 degrees 3 minutes 24.1 seconds N., Longitude 119 degrees 49 minutes 45.2 seconds W. NAD83) Angell Butte, Oregon USGS Quadrangle; UTM 273383 meters E., 4882062 meters N., Zone 11, NAD83.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The soils are usually saturated for one month or more within 40 inches of the soil surface during winter and spring. The mean annual soil temperature is 42 to 47 degrees F. Depth to a weakly to strongly cemented duripan is 20 to 40 inches. The particle-size control section averages 18 to 35 percent clay. Depth to the natric horizon is 3 to 10 inches
The A horizon has value of 3 through 5 moist and 5 through 7 dry, and chroma of 2 or 3 moist and dry. It is ashy sandy loam, ashy loam, or ashy silt loam. It is moderately to strongly alkaline. It has an SAR of 13 to 20. It has 10 to 30 percent glass and ammonium oxalate aluminum plus one-half the iron is 0.2 to 0.7.
The 2Btn horizon has value of 3 through 5 moist and 5 through 7 dry, and chroma of 2 or 3 moist and dry. It is clay loam, sandy clay loam, or loam and contains 0 to 10 percent gravel and 18 to 35 percent clay. It has an SAR of 20 to 50.
The 2Btnq horizon are sandy loam, or sandy clay loam and contain 0 to 10 percent gravel and 18 to 35 percent clay. It has an SAR of 13 to 50.
The 2Btkqm horizon is a weakly to strongly cemented continuous duripan. It is sandy clay loam or clay loam and has 0 to 15 percent gravel and 20 to 35 percent clay. Carbonate masses may or may not be present.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no other series in this family.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Parmele soils are on stream terraces at elevations of 3,700 to 4,200 feet. Slopes range from 0 to 3 percent. The soils formed in alluvium from mixed igneous sources with an influence of volcanic ash in the surface. The climate is characterized by cold wet winters and hot dry summers. The mean annual precipitation is 10 to 12 inches. The mean annual temperature is 40 to 46 degrees F. The frost-free period is 50 to 90 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Roschene, Markscreek, and Cogginsflat soils. Roschene soils are moderately well drained. Markscreek soils are coarse-loamy and well drained. Cogginsflat soils have more than 7 inches of ash on the surface and are on adjacent foothills.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat poorly drained; very slow runoff; permeability is moderate above the duripan and slow in the duripan.
USE AND VEGETATION: Parmele soils are used for livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. Native vegetation mainly is black greasewood and inland saltgrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: East-Central Oregon; MLRA 10. This series is not extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES PROPOSED: Prineville District Area, BLM, Crook County, Oregon, 1980.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and other features:
Ochric epipedon
Natric horizon (argillic)- from a depth of 3 to 30 inches.
Duripan continuous moderately cemented layer from a depth of 30 to 61 inches.
SAR of over 13 throughout the profile.
In 2008 the type location for the Parmele series was moved from southern Crook County, Oregon (NE1/4 SE1/4 SW1/4 section 23, T. 21 S., R. 22 E) to east-central Crook County, Oregon.
The Parmele series was previously classified as Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, calcareous, frigid Duric Halaquepts. Based on additional field investigation the series was reclassified but the concept of the soil remains the same, landscape position and associated vegetation remain the same.