LOCATION VESTER                  OR

Tentative Series
IRD. RJK/TDT
04/2013

VESTER SERIES

The Vester series consists of deep and very deep, well drained soils on side slopes of mountains. Vester soils formed in volcanic ash and basalt colluvium overlying basalt colluvium. Slopes are 10 to 70 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 30 inches and the mean annual temperature is about 38 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Ashy-skeletal over loamy-skeletal, amorphic over isotic Alfic Vitricryands

TYPICAL PEDON: Vester gravelly ashy fine sandy loam - woodland, on a 41 percent, northwest-facing slope at an elevation of 6,500 feet. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted. When described on June 2, 2003, the soil was at field capacity throughout.)

Oi--0 to 2 inches; slightly decomposed needles, twigs, cones, and bark.

A--2 to 15 inches; 25 percent pale brown (10YR 6/3) and 75 percent brown (10YR 4/3) gravelly ashy fine sandy loam, brown (10YR 5/3) dry; weak moderate, fine, and very fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common coarse, medium, fine, and very fine roots; common very fine irregular pores; 10 percent gravel, 5 percent cobbles and 5 percent stones; neutral (pH 6.8); clear wavy boundary. (2 to 20 inches thick)

AB--15 to 30 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) very cobbly ashy loam, brown (10YR 5/3) dry; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine and common medium and coarse roots; few very fine irregular pores; 30 percent gravel, 20 percent cobbles, and 5 percent stones; neutral (pH 6.8); clear wavy boundary. (12 to 17 inches thick)

2Bt--30 to 62 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) extremely cobbly loam, brown (10YR 5/3) dry; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine and few medium roots; few fine tubular pores; common faint clay films on faces of peds; 25 percent gravel, 20 percent cobbles and 15 percent stones; slightly acid (pH 6.3).

TYPE LOCATION: Grant County, Oregon, about 20 miles southeast of Prairie City, off Grant County road 62 and up a series of logging roads and adjacent to the Malheur National Forest Boundary, 50 feet north and 2700 feet west of the southeast corner, section 9, T.15S., R.35E. (44 degrees 16 minutes 37 seconds north and 118 degrees 31 minutes and 6 seconds west on the Roberts Creek, Oregon USGS quadrangle)

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mixed volcanic ash mantle is 14 to 35 inches thick. Depth to basalt is more than 60 inches. The mean annual soil temperature is 38 to 42 degrees F. Surface stones increase near areas of rock outcrop. The rock fragments consist of angular to subangular gravel, cobbles, and stones. The upper part of the control section has estimated phosphate retention of 60 to 90 percent, acid oxalate extractable aluminum plus one-half iron of 1.5 to 3.0 percent, 20 to 50 percent volcanic glass and glass aggregate, and 5 to 18 percent field estimated clay. The lower part has less than 5 percent volcanic glass and 15 to 30 percent clay.

The A horizon has value of 4 to 6 moist and 5 or 6 dry, and chroma of 3 or 4 moist or dry. It is ashy fine sandy loam with 5 to 15 percent clay and 20 to 65 percent total rock fragments. It has 10 to 25 percent gravel, 5 to 25 percent cobbles, and 0 to 15 percent stones.

The AB horizon has chroma of 3 or 4 moist or dry, and value of 3 or 4 moist and 5 or 6 dry. It is ashy loam or ashy fine sandy loam with 10 to 18 percent clay and 35 to 65 percent total rock fragments. It has 10 to 55 percent gravel, 5 to 25 percent cobbles, and 0 to 15 percent stones.

The 2Bt horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, chroma 2 or 3 moist or dry, and value of 3 or 4 moist and 5 or 6 dry. It is extremely gravelly clay loam or very gravelly loam with 15 to 30 percent clay content. Total rock fragments range from 35 to 70 percent and consist of 40 to 55 percent gravel, 5 to 15 percent cobbles, and 5 to 15 percent stones.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Hasshollow soils. The Hasshollow soils are on midslopes of lateral moraines, have subrounded to rounded basalt rock fragments, and have dominant slopes of less than 30 percent.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Vester soils are on steep mountain sideslopes and structural benches where Mazama ash has been mixed with Strawberry volcanics. Slopes are 10 to 70 percent. Elevations are dominantly 6,000 to 8,000 feet, but range down to 5,400 feet on steep, north-facing slopes. The climate is characterized by cold wet winters and warm dry summers. The mean annual precipitation is 20 to 35 inches, and the mean annual temperature is 36 to 40 degrees F. The frost-free period is 10 to 30 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Puzzlecreek and Escondia soils. The Puzzlecreek soils are range areas on ridgetops or benches, are moderately deep, and are loamy-skeletal. The Escondia soils are on lower, south-facing mountain side slopes and are frigid and xeric.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained, moderate permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: Used mainly for timber production. Native vegetation is grand fir, Douglas fir, western larch, lodgepole pine, ponderosa pine, grouse huckleberry, big huckleberry, pinegrass, and elk sedge; grand fir/low huckleberry plant association (CWS8-11).

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Mountain slopes of the Strawberry Mountains in south central Oregon; MLRA 43C. The soils are of limited extent, but extend into the Malheur National Forest.

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

SERIES PROPOSED: Grant County Area, Oregon, 2005. The name is coined from Vester Creek on the Graylock Butte USGS Quadrangle.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizon and features recognized in this pedon are:

Ochric epipedon

Argillic horizon - 30 to 62 inches (2Bt horizon)

Particle size control section - 2 to 42 inches (A, AB, and upper part of the 2Bt horizon)

Andic soil properties - from the mineral surface to 30 inches (A and AB horizons)

Udic moisture regime

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.