LOCATION PUZZLECREEK OREstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, isotic Haploxerandic Humicryepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Puzzlecreek very stony ashy very fine sandy loam, rangeland, on a 40 percent southwest-facing slope at an elevation of 7,320 feet. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted. Andic soil material textures are apparent field textures.)
A--0 to 10 inches; dark brown (7.5YR 3/3) very stony ashy very fine sandy loam, brown (7.5YR 4/4) dry; weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many fine and very fine and few medium roots; common fine irregular and few fine tubular pores; 15 percent gravel, 10 percent cobbles, and 10 percent stones; moderately acid (pH 6.0); gradual smooth boundary. (7 to 12 inches thick.)
Bw1--10 to 20 inches; dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) very stony very fine sandy loam, brown (7.5YR 4/4) dry; weak fine and very fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many fine and very fine and few medium roots; few fine tubular pores; 15 percent gravel, 10 percent cobbles, and 10 percent stones; moderately acid (pH 6.0); gradual smooth boundary.
Bw2--20 to 25 inches; dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) very stony very fine sandy loam, brown (7.5YR 4/4) dry; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; soft, friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; common fine and very fine and few medium roots; few fine tubular pores; 20 percent gravel, 15 percent cobbles, and 15 percent stones; moderately acid (pH 6.0); abrupt irregular boundary. (Combined thickness of Bw horizon is 9 to 30inches.)
R--25 inches; basalt
TYPE LOCATION: Baker County, Oregon, 1,320 feet west and 1,320 feet north of the southwest corner of section 31, T. 6 S., R. 45 E., USGS Quadrangle Spartabutte; (44 degrees, 59 minutes, 59 seconds Latitude, 117 degrees, 15 minutes, 28 seconds Longitude.)
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture - usually moist but are dry for 45 to 60 consecutive days in summer
Mean annual soil temperature - 34 to 39 degrees F
Mean winter soil temperature - 27 to 36 degrees F
Mean summer soil temperature - 40 to 46 degrees F
Particle-size control section - 5 to 15 percent clay and 35 to 65 percent rock fragments
Depth to bedrock - 20 to 40 inches
Umbric epipedon - 7 to 12 inches
Andic subgroup properties - 7 to 12 inches thick
Bulk density - 0.8 to 1.0 g/cc
Acid-oxalate extractable aluminum plus 1/2 iron - 1 to 2 percent
Phosphate retention - 50 to 80percent
Particles of 0.02 to 2.0 mm - 40 to 60 percent
Glass content - 20 to 50 percent
15-bar water retention on air-dried sample - 5 to 15 percent
A horizon
Hue - 7.5YR or 10YR
Value - 3 moist, 3 to 5 dry
Chroma - 2 or 3 moist, 3 to 5 dry
Texture - STV-ASHY-VFSL, CBV-ASHY-SIL
Rock fragments - 35 to 45 percent total with 15 to 25 percent gravel, 5 to 20 percent cobbles, and 0 to 20 percent stones
Clay - 5 to 15 percent
Reaction - 5.6 to 6.5
Organic matter - 2 to 8 percent
Base saturation - 25 to 50 percent by ammonium acetate
Bw1 horizon
Hue - 7.5YR or 10YR
Value - 3 or 4 moist, 3 to 5 dry
Chroma - 3 or 4 moist, 4 to 6 dry
Texture - STV-VFSL, STV-SIL, STV-L, CBV-VFSL, CBV-L, CBV-SIL
Rock fragments - 35 to 55 percent total with 15 to 25 percent gravel, 10 to 20 percent cobbles, and 10 to 20 percent stones
Clay - 5 to 15 percent
Base saturation - 35 to 65 percent by ammonium acetate.
Reaction - 5.6 to 6.5
Bw2 horizon
color - similar to Bw1
Texture - STV-VFSL, STV-SIL, STX-VFSL, STX-SIL, STX-L, CBX-SIL, CBV-SIL, CBX-L
Rock fragments - 40 to 75 percent total with 15 to 25 percent gravel, 15 to 25 percent cobbles, and 10 to 25 percent stones
Clay - 10 to 15 percent
Base saturation - 55 to 75 percent by ammonium acetate.
Reaction - 5.6 to 6.5
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Clarkscreek, Growden, Rockcreekbutte, Rustlerpeak series.
Puzzlecreek: moderately deep to a lithic contact; formed in colluvium from basalt mixed with volcanic ash and loess in surface horizons; cambic horizon; 5 to 15 percent clay in pscs; rock fragments are angular to subangular; base saturation (NH4OAc) 50 to 75 percent in more than one-half the thickness between 25 and 75 centimeters;
Clarkscreek (T): formed in till from mixed rocks, mixed with volcanic ash and loess; rock fragments are rounded or subrounded; base saturation (NH4OAc) 50 to 75 percent in more than one-half the thickness between 25 and 75 centimeters;
Growden: very deep, formed in colluvium from siliceous rocks with a mantle of volcanic ash; no cambic horizon; base saturation (NH4OAc) less than 50 percent in one-half or more of the thickness between 25 and 75 centimeters;
Rockcreekbutte (T): moderately deep to a lithic contact; formed in colluvium from granite mixed with volcanic ash in surface horizons; 3 to 11 percent clay in pscs; rock fragments are subangular to subrounded in shape; base saturation (NH4OAc) 20 to 40 percent between 25 and 75 centimeters;
Rustlerpeak: moderately deep to a paralithic contact; 20 to 35 percent clay in the particle-size control section; base saturation (NH4OAc) less than 50 percent in one-half or more of the thickness between 25 and 75 centimeters;
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Puzzlecreek soils occur on back slopes of mountains. Elevations are 5,400 to 7,500 feet. Slopes are 15 to 60 percent. The soil is formed in colluvial material derived from basalt mixed with volcanic ash and loess in the surface. The climate is characterized by cold, wet winters and warm, dry summers. The mean annual precipitation is 30 to 60 inches. The mean annual air temperature is 32 to 41 degrees F. The frost-free period is 45 to 70 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are Cornucopiapeak and Burgerbutte soils. Cornucopiapeak soils are associated with more gentle slopes of mountains and are not skeletal. Burgerbutte soils are shallow and associated with convex positions of mountains.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: The Puzzlecreek series is well drained and permeability is moderate.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for watershed, wildlife habitat, livestock grazing and recreation. The native vegetation is big sagebrush, mountain snowberry, creamy buckwheat, spurred lupine, alpine knotweed, common yarrow, green fescue, mountain brome, sedges, bluegrass and elk sedge.
Plant Association - FEVI/LULA3 (green fescue/spurred lupine)
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Blue Mountains of northeastern Oregon; MLRA 43c. The soils are of limited extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Baker County, Oregon 1998.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Umbric epipedon - the zone from 0 to 10 inches (A horizon)
Cambic horizon - the zone from 10 to 25 inches (Bw1 and Bw2 horizons)
Andic subgroup feature - the zone from 0 to 10 inches (A horizon)
Particle-size control section - the zone from 10 to 25 inches (Bw1 and Bw2 horizons)