LOCATION TUCKERDOWNS OREstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, frigid Calcic Haploxerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Tuckerdowns gravelly loam, rangeland. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted.)
A1--0 to 3 inches; very dark brown (10YR 2/2) gravelly loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) dry; moderate fine and medium granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine roots; many very fine irregular pores; 20 percent gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); clear wavy boundary.
A2--3 to 10 inches; very dark brown (10YR 2/2) gravelly loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) dry; weak medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine roots, common very fine tubular pores; 25 percent gravel; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the A horizon is 7 to 15 inches)
Bw--10 to 17 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) gravelly loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) dry; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; strongly effervescent; 25 percent gravel; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); abrupt wavy boundary. (3 to 10 inches thick)
Bk1--17 to 33 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) very gravelly sandy clay loam, pale brown (10YR 6/3) dry; massive; slightly hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; strongly effervescent; common medium irregularly shaped soft masses of segregated lime and thin coatings on gravel; 50 percent gravel; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear wavy boundary. (10 to 20 inches thick)
Bk2--33 to 60 inches; multicolored extremely gravelly sandy loam; massive; slightly hard, firm, nonsticky and nonplastic; violently effervescent; 70 percent lime coated gravel; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0).
TYPE LOCATION: Wallowa County, Oregon; about 1/2 mile north of Enterprise, Oregon; 1,400 feet east and 1,000 feet south of the NW corner of section 35, T. 1 S., R. 44 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: These soils are usually moist, but are dry in all parts of the moisture control section for 60 to 90 consecutive days during the summer. The mean annual soil temperature is 44 to 47 degrees F. The depth to bedrock is greater than 60 inches. The thickness of the mollic epipedon is 10 to 20 inches and includes the Bw horizon. The depth to the calcic horizon is 15 to 24 inches. The particle-size control section averages more than 18 percent clay and more than 35 percent rock fragments.
The A horizon has value of 2 or 3 moist, 4 or 5 dry and chroma of 2 or 3 moist and dry. Texture is gravelly loam with 10 to 20 percent clay. It has 15 to 30 percent gravel. Soil reaction is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline.
The Bw horizon has value of 2 or 3 moist, 4 or 5 dry and chroma of 2 or 3 moist and dry. Texture is loam or silt loam with 15 to 35 percent gravel and 18 to 27 percent clay. The calcium carbonate equivalent is 5 to 10 percent. Soil reaction is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline.
The Bk horizons have value of 3 to 5 moist, 5 to 7 dry and chroma of 3 or 4 moist and dry. Texture of the Bk1 is loam or sandy clay loam with 18 to 27 percent clay. Texture of the Bk2 is loam or sandy loam with 10 to 20 percent clay and 35 to 60 percent gravel. It has 35 to 75 percent gravel and 0 to 5 percent cobbles. The calcium carbonate equivalent is 15 to 20 percent.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Buist (T), Conneridge, Cooley (T), Dagan, Hondoho, Ireland, Jebo, Niarada, and Pedleford series. The Buist soils have hues yellower than 10YR and less than 18 percent clay in the particle-size control section. Connerridge, Ireland, Jebo, and Pedleford soils are moderately deep to bedrock. Cooley soils have 7 to 15 percent clay in the particle-size control section. Dagan soils have hues of 2.5YR, 5YR, or 7.5YR and a mean annual soil temperature of 36 to 44 degrees F. Hondoho soils have a calcic horizon at a depth of 8 to 15 inches. Niarada soils have a calcic horizon at a depth of 24 to 50 inches and 10 to 18 percent clay in the particle-size control section.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Tuckerdowns soils are on terraces. They formed in alluvium and are influenced by loess in the surface horizons. Slope is 2 to 30 percent. Elevation is 3,700 to 4,400 feet. The mean annual precipitation is 13 to 17 inches. The climate is characterized by cold wet winters and hot dry summers. The mean annual temperature is 42 to 45 degrees F. The frost-free period is 70 to 100 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Freels, Hurwal, and Topper soils. The Freels soils are coarse-loamy and are on flood plains and low terraces. The Hurwal soils are fine-silty and are on adjacent north-facing slopes. The Topper soils are fine-silty and are on nearby hills.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow to rapid runoff; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soil are used mainly for livestock grazing. Native vegetation is dominantly Idaho fescue, bluebunch wheatgrass, and prairie junegrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northeastern Oregon; MLRA 9. The series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Wallowa County Area, Oregon, 1998.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - from the surface to 17 inches (A1, A2, and Bk1 horizons)
Calcic horizons - 17 to 60 inches (Bk1 and Bk2 horizons) with secondary calcium carbonate accumulation and more than 15 percent CaCO3 equivalent
Particle-size control section - 10 to 40 inches; average 45 percent gravel and 20 percent clay.