LOCATION WICKISER ORTentative Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, frigid Vertic Argixerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Wickiser ashy loam - rangeland, on a 25 percent, east-facing slope at an elevation of 3,700 feet. (When described on September 11, 2000, the soil was slightly moist in the surface, but dry below. Colors are moist soil unless otherwise noted.)
A1--0 to 4 inches; very dark brown (10YR 2/2) ashy loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) dry; moderate very fine and fine granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine and many very fine roots; few fine and common very fine irregular pores; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); clear smooth boundary.
A2--4 to 12 inches; very dark gray (10YR 3/1) ashy loam, gray (10YR 5/1) dry; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few medium and fine and common very fine roots; few medium, fine, and very fine tubular pores; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); clear smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the A horizon is 4 to 12 inches.)
2Bt1--12 to 22 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) clay loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) dry; moderate medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few medium, fine, and very fine roots; few fine and very fine tubular pores; many faint clay films on ped faces; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); clear wavy boundary.
2Bt2--22 to 36 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) clay, brown (10YR 4/3) dry; moderate medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; very hard, very firm, very sticky and very plastic; few fine and very fine roots; few fine and very fine tubular pores; many distinct clay films on ped faces; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); clear wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the 2Bt horizon is 20 to 36 inches.)
2Btk--36 to 48 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) clay loam, light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) dry; strong medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, moderately sticky and very plastic; few very fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; many faint clay films on ped faces; common fine mycelium carbonates; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 12 inches thick)
2Bk--48 to 60 inches, brown (10YR 4/3) loam, pale brown (10YR 6/3) dry; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine mycelium carbonates; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4).
TYPE LOCATION: Wheeler County, Oregon; located 600 feet west and 300 feet north of the SE corner of section 2, T. 11 S., R. 25 E. (Latitude 44 degrees, 38 minutes, and 16 seconds N. and Longitude 119 degrees, 40 minutes, and 31 seconds W.)
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: These soils are usually moist in the soil moisture control section, but are dry for 45 to 70 consecutive days following the summer solstice. The mean annual soil temperature is 43 to 47 degrees F. Depth to bedrock is more than 60 inches. The particle size control section has 35 to 60 percent clay and less than 10 percent rock fragments. Thickness of the mollic epipedon is 25 to 35 inches which includes most of the argillic horizon. Depth to secondary carbonates is 30 to 44 inches.
The A horizon has value of 2 or 3 moist, 4 or 5 dry, and chroma of 1 or 2 moist and dry. It is loam with 20 to 27 percent clay. It has 0 to 10 percent cobbles and 0 to 10 percent gravel. It has 5 to 25 percent glass and the acid oxalate extractable aluminum plus 1/2 iron is 0.2 to 0.6 percent.
The 2Bt horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 2 or 3 moist, 3 or 4 dry, and chroma of 2 or 3 moist and dry. It is clay, clay loam, or silty clay with 35 to 60 percent clay. It has 0 to 10 percent gravel. Soil structure is medium or strong subangular blocky, angular blocky, or prismatic.
The 2Btk horizon, when present, has value of 4 or 5 moist, 5 or 6 dry, and chroma of 2 or 3 moist and dry. It is clay loam or clay with 35 to 45 percent clay. It has 0 to 10 percent gravel. Soil reaction is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline. The calcium carbonate equivalent is 5 to 10 percent.
The 2Bk horizon has value of 4 or 5 moist, 6 or 7 dry, and chroma of 3 or 4 moist and dry. It is loam or clay loam with 20 to 30 percent clay. It has 0 to 15 percent cobbles and 0 to 15 percent gravel. Soil reaction is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline. The calcium carbonate equivalent is 2 to 5 percent.
COMPETING SERIES: These are Cleymor, La Platta, Mondey, Shar, and Streek series. Cleymor soils are moderately acid or slightly acid throughout, have a soil temperature of 39 to 43 degrees F., and have slickensides. La Platta and Mondey soils lack vitrandic features. Mondey soils have a mollic epipedon less than 20 inches thick, have a soil reaction which is neutral or slightly acid in the A and Bt horizons, and are formed in sandstone. Shar soils are moderately deep to bedrock. Streek is moderately well drained and have carbonates below 40 inches.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Wickiser soils are on hillsides. Slopes are 2 to 50 percent. These soils are formed in colluvium derived from tuffaceous sediments with an influence of ash and loess in the surface. Elevations are 3,400 to 5,400 feet. The climate is characterized by cold wet winters and hot dry summers. The mean annual precipitation is 12 to 18 inches, and the mean annual temperature is 41 to 45 degrees F. The frost free period is 30 to 80 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Canest, Diffin, Top, Tub, and Yawkey soils. Canest soils are on ridgetops, are clayey-skeletal, and are very shallow to bedrock. Diffin and Yawkey soils are on north-facing footslopes below basalt cliffs, are clayey-skeletal, and have an abrupt increase in clay within the surface horizons. Top soils are found on hillsides at slightly higher elevations and have a base saturation of less than 75 percent (ultic) and lack secondary carbonates. Tub soils are found at lower elevations and are mesic.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Wickiser soils are used for livestock grazing. The potential native vegetation is bluebunch wheatgrass, Sandberg bluegrass, Idaho fescue, and big sagebrush.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: East central Oregon, MLRA B10. This series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES PROPOSED: Grant County, Oregon, 2004. The name is derived from Wickiser Slough located in the southwest portion of Grant County.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - from the surface to 36 inches
Argillic horizon - from 12 to 48 inches
Secondary carbonates - from 36 to 60 inches
Vitrandic mantle - from the surface to 12 inches
Particle size control section - from 12 to 32 inches (Bt1 horizon and the upper portion of the Bt2 horizon)
COLE- 6.24