LOCATION SYRUPCREEK OREstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Ashy over loamy-skeletal, amorphic over isotic, frigid Alfic Udivitrands
TYPICAL PEDON: Syrupcreek ashy silt loam - Woodland, on a 3 percent planar northeast-facing slope at an elevation of 4385 feet. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted.)
Oi--0 to 2 inches; partially decomposed needles and cone scales, with some surface moss
A--2 to 6 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) ashy silt loam, very pale brown (10YR 7/3) dry; weak fine subangular blocky structure parting to weak medium granular; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many fine and common medium roots; common fine irregular pores; neutral (pH 7.0); gradual smooth boundary. (3 to 6 inches thick)
Bw1--6 to 15 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) ashy silt loam, very pale brown (10YR 7/4) dry; weak medium subangular blocky structure parting to fine subangular blocky; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common fine and medium, and few coarse roots; common fine irregular pores; neutral (pH 7.0); gradual smooth boundary.
Bw2--15 to 22 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) ashy silt loam, very pale brown (10YR 8/3) dry; weak medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common fine, medium, and coarse roots; common fine irregular pores; neutral (pH 7.0); abrupt irregular boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bw horizon is 11 to 22 inches)
2EBb--22 to 26 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) very cobbly loam, pale brown (10YR 6/3) dry; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many fine and coarse, and common medium roots; many fine irregular and common fine tubular pores; few faint clay films lining pores; 20 percent gravel, 30 percent cobbles, and 5 percent stones; moderately acid (pH 6.0); gradual irregular boundary. (0 to 8 inches thick)
2Btb1--26 to 30 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) extremely cobbly loam, brown (10YR 5/3) dry; moderate coarse subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, sticky and plastic; common fine and medium roots; common fine irregular pores; many distinct clay films on faces of peds; 20 percent gravel, 40 percent cobbles, and 5 percent stones; moderately acid (pH 6.0); gradual smooth boundary.
2Btb2--30 to 33 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) extremely cobbly loam, brown (10YR 5/3) dry; weak medium subangular blocky structure; hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine roots; few fine irregular pores; common distinct clay films on faces of peds; colloid stains on mineral grains; 15 percent gravel, 30 percent cobbles, and 20 percent stones; moderately acid (pH 6.0); abrupt irregular boundary. (Combined thickness of the 2Bt horizon is 6 to 18 inches)
2R--33 inches; basalt
TYPE LOCATION: Union County, Oregon; 240 feet north and 2400 feet east of the southwest corner of Section 18, T.2S., R.36E. (Latitude 45 degrees, 16 minutes, 15 seconds N; Longitude 117 degrees, 0 minutes, 42 seconds W.)
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The soils are usually moist but are dry in all parts between 8 and 29 inches for 30 to 45 days during the summer. The mean annual soil temperature is 42 to 45 degrees F. Depth to bedrock is 20 to 40 inches. The upper 14 to 28 inches of the 0 to 40 particle-size control section has 35 to 50 percent phosphate retention, 1 to 2 percent acid oxalate extactable aluminum plus one-half iron, 25 to 45 percent volcanic glass, 5 to 10 percent 15-bar moisture (air dried), and 5 to 12 percent clay. The lower 6 to 18 inches of the particle-size control section has 0.1 to 0.4 percent acid oxalate extractable aluminum plus one-half iron, 5 to 15 percent volcanic glass, 35 to 75 percent rock fragments, and 18 to 30 percent clay.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 3 to 5 moist, 5 to 7 dry and chroma of 2 to 4 moist or dry. It is ashy silt loam with 5 to 15 percent clay and 0 to 10 percent gravel. Reaction is moderately acid to neutral.
The Bw horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 3 to 6 moist, 6 to 8 dry and chroma of 2 to 4 moist or dry. It is ashy silt loam, ashy loam, or ashy very fine sandy loam with 5 to 15 percent clay. It has 0 to 10 percent rock fragments with 0 to 10 percent gravel and 0 to 10 percent cobbles. Reaction is moderately acid to neutral.
The 2EBb or 2Eb horizon, where present, has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 3 to 5 moist, 5 to 7 dry and chroma of 3 or 4 moist or dry. It is very cobbly silt loam, very cobbly loam, very gravelly silt loam, or very stony loam with 18 to 25 percent clay. It has 35 to 75 percent rock fragments range with 5 to 25 percent gravel, 10 to 35 percent cobbles, and 0 to 20 percent stones. Reaction is moderately acid to neutral.
The 2Btb horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 3 to 5 moist, 5 to 6 dry and chroma of 2 to 4 moist or dry. It is very cobbly loam, extremely cobbly clay loam, extremely cobbly loam, very stony loam, very gravelly silt loam, or very gravelly clay loam with 20 to 30 percent clay. It has 35 to 75 percent rock fragments with 10 to 30 percent gravel, 15 to 40 percent cobbles, and 0 to 20 percent stones. Reaction is moderately acid to neutral.
COMPETING SERIES: This is the Limberjim series. Limberjim soils are over 40 inches deep to bedrock.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Syrupcreek soils are on ridgetops and side slopes of mountains and plateaus. Elevations are 2,800 to 5,800 feet. Slopes are 0 to 60 percent. The soil formed in ash and loess over colluvium and residuum derived from basalt and andesitic brecias. The climate is characterized by cool, wet winters and warm, moist summers. The mean annual precipitation is 20 to 40 inches. The mean annual temperature is 41 to 44 degrees F. The frost-free period is 70 to 100 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Anatone, Klicker, Limberjim, and Lowerbluff (T) soils. Anatone and Klicker soils lack andic properties and are on side slopes of mountains and plateaus. Limberjim soils are over 60 inches deep to bedrock and are on adjacent ridgetops and side slopes of mountains and plateaus. Lowerbluff soils are less than 20 inches to bedrock and are on side slopes of mountains and plateaus.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; permeability is moderate.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for timber production, watershed, recreation and wildlife habitat. The native vegetation is grand fir, western larch, lodgepole pine, twinflower, princes pine, pinegrass, big huckleberry, and round-leaved violet.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northeastern Oregon; MLRA 43. The soils are of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Wallowa County, Oregon 1998. The source of the name is from Syrup Creek.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and other features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - the zone from 2 to 6 inches (A horizon)
Cambic horizon - the zone from 6 to 22 inches (Bw1 and Bw2 horizons)
Argillic horizon - the zone from 26 to 33 inches (2Btb1 and 2Btb2 horizons)
Andic properties - the zone from 2 to 22 inches (A, Bw1, and Bw2 horizons) based on laboratory data from similar Harl series.
Particle-size control section - the zone from 0 to 40 inches.
Ashy feature - the zone from 2 to 22 inches having 5 to 10 percent 15-bar moisture (air dried) and andic soil properties.
Loamy-skeletal feature - the zone from 22 to 33 inches having a weighted average of 54 percent rock fragments and no andic properties.