LOCATION WALSEY ORTentative Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, mesic Calciargidic Argixerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Walsey extremely cobbly silt loam - rangeland, on a 45 percent slope. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted.)
A--0 to 6 inches; very dark brown (10YR 2/2) extremely cobbly silt loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) dry; moderate medium granular structure; soft, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine, fine and medium roots; many very fine, fine and medium irregular pores; 45 percent cobbles and 25 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.0); clear smooth boundary.
AB--6 to 11 inches; very dark brown (10YR 2/2) extremely cobbly silt loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) dry; moderate very fine and fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine, fine and medium roots; many very fine, fine and medium tubular pores; 40 percent cobbles and 20 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.0); clear smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the A horizon is 4 to 12 inches)
Bt--11 to 19 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) very cobbly silty clay loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) dry; strong medium subangular blocky structure; hard, very firm, sticky and plastic; common very fine, fine and few medium roots; common very fine, fine and few medium tubular pores; common distinct clay films on faces of peds and lining pores; 35 percent cobbles and 15 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.2); gradual smooth boundary. (6 to 13 inches thick)
2Bk1--19 to 25 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) extremely gravelly silt loam, light gray (10YR 7/2) dry; fine medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine, fine and medium roots; common very fine, fine and medium tubular pores; violently effervescent; soft masses of segregated lime in blotches; 45 percent gravel and 20 percent cobbles; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear smooth boundary.
2Bk2--25 to 34 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) very gravelly loam, light gray (10YR 8/2) dry; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; violently effervescent; soft masses of segregated lime in blotches; 35 percent gravel and 15 percent cobbles; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); gradual wavy boundary.
2Bk3--34 to 39 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) very gravelly loam, light gray (10YR 8/2) dry; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; violently effervescent; soft masses of segregated lime in blotches; 25 percent gravel and 10 percent cobbles; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); clear smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the 2Bk horizon is 10 to 27 inches)
2Cr--39 inches; weathered basalt; violently effervescent with lime coatings on bedrock.
TYPE LOCATION: Wasco County, Oregon, about 1500 feet north and 1500 feet west of the SE corner of section 11, T. 8 S., R. 13 E. (Warm Springs Indian Reservation). (Latitude 44 degrees, 53 minutes, 21 seconds N, 121 degrees, 8 minutes, 31 seconds E)
RANGE OF CHARACTERISTICS: These soils are usually dry and are dry in all parts of the moisture control section more than half the time (cumulative) that the soil temperature at a depth of 20 inches is above 41 degrees F. The mean annual soil temperature is 52 to 54 degrees F. Depth to bedrock is 20 to 40 inches. The particle-size control section averages 27 to 35 percent clay, and 15 to 30 percent fine sand and coarser. The mollic epipedon is 10 to 20 inches thick. Depth to secondary carbonates is 15 to 25 inches.
The A horizon has value of 2 or 3 moist, 3 or 4 dry, and chroma of 1 or 2 moist and dry. It contains 30 to 45 percent cobbles and 15 to 30 percent gravel. The soil reaction is slightly acid to neutral.
The Bt horizon has value of 3 or 4 moist, 4 or 5 dry and chroma of 3 or 4 moist and dry. It is silty clay loam or clay loam. It contains 25 to 40 percent cobbles and 15 to 25 percent are gravel. The soil reaction is neutral to mildly alkaline.
The 2Bk horizons has value of 4 to 6 moist, 7 or 8 dry and chroma of 2 to 4 moist and dry. It is loam or silt loam. It is strongly to violently effervescent. It contains 25 to 45 percent gravel and 10 to 30 percent cobbles. The soil reaction is moderately to strongly alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: Competing series are the Belmill, Kancan, Mountainville, Pagari, Red Butte, and Selti series. Belmill soils are more than 60 inches to old alluvium and have a mean annual soil temperature of 47 to 50 degrees F. Kancan soils are more than 60 inches to mixed alluvium. Mountainville soils are more than 60 inches to alluvium and have a mean annual soil temperature of 47 to 49 degrees F. Pagari soils are 40 to 60 inches to bedrock and have a mean annual soil temperature of 47 to 52 degrees F. Red Butte soils are more than 60 inches to bedrock. Selti soils are more than 60 inches to alluvium and have a mean annual soil temperature of 47 to 52 degrees F.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Walsey soils are on gently sloping to steep north-facing side slopes of canyons. Elevation is 1200 to 2800 feet. Slopes are 2 to 55 percent. The soil formed in residuum and colluvium derived dominantly from basalt with an influence of loess in the surface. The climate is characterized by cool, moist winters and hot, dry summers. The mean annual precipitation is 9 to 12 inches. The mean annual temperature is 50 to 52 degrees F. The frost-free period is 110 to 160 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are Axford, Bakeoven, Maupin, Ruckles, and Ruclick soils. Axford soils are on north facing slopes, fine-loamy and are deep to bedrock. Bakeoven soils are on patterned ground and are very shallow to bedrock. Ruckles soils are on south facing slopes, clayey-skeletal and are shallow to bedrock. Ruclick soils are on south facing slopes and are clayey-skeletal. Maupin soils are on patterned ground and have a fine-loamy particle-size class.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. Permeability is moderately slow.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. The native vegetation is Idaho-fescue, bluebunch wheatgrass, big sagebrush, milkvetch, and fleabane.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: North-central Oregon; MLRA 10. The soils of this series are not extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Wasco County (Warm Springs Indian Reservation), Oregon, 1993.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - from the surface of the soil to a depth of approximately 19 inches (A, AB and Bt horizons).
Argillic horizon - from 11 to 19 inches (Bt horizon).
Calcic feature - from 19 to 39 inches (2Bk1, 2Bk2, and 2Bk3 horizons), having secondary accumulations of calcium carbonate.
Particle-size control section - from 11 to 19 inches (Bt horizon).