LOCATION WILDCATBUTTE OR

Established Series
Rev. MPK-JVC-JBF
06/2011

WILDCATBUTTE SERIES

The Wildcatbutte series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in volcanic ash and colluvium over residuum derived from basalt or welded tuff. Wildcatbutte soils are on lava plateaus, hills, or mountains. Slopes are 15 to 65 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 250 mm and the mean annual temperature is about 7 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Ashy-skeletal, glassy, frigid Vitritorrandic Haploxerolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Wildcatbutte extremely cobbly ashy loam--on a 45 percent west-facing slope at an elevation of 1,405 meters--rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted. When described on September 17, 2002, the soil was dry throughout.)

A1--0 to 10 cm; brown (10YR 5/3) extremely cobbly ashy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; many very fine and many fine roots; many very fine interstitial pores; 25 percent gravel, 35 percent cobbles, and 10 percent stones; slightly alkaline (pH 7.5); gradual smooth boundary. (8 to 25 cm thick)

A2--10 to 25 cm; brown (10YR 5/3) very cobbly ashy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium and fine granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; many very fine, many fine, common medium roots; many very fine interstitial pores; 20 percent gravel, 20 percent cobbles, and 10 percent stones; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 43 cm thick)

Bw1--25 to 36 cm; brown (10YR 5/3) very cobbly ashy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium and fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine, many fine, common medium roots; common very fine tubular pores; 20 percent gravel, 20 percent cobbles, and 10 percent stones; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); clear smooth boundary. (8 to 50 cm thick)

Bw2--36 to 61 cm; brown (10YR 5/3) very cobbly ashy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and many fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; 20 percent gravel, 20 percent cobbles, and 10 percent stones; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); gradual smooth boundary. (15 to 75 cm thick)

Bqk--61 to 152 cm; brown (10YR 5/3) extremely cobbly ashy sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and common fine roots; many very fine interstitial pores; 40 percent gravel, 20 percent cobbles, and 10 percent stones; secondary carbonates and opaline silica segregated as common medium and coarse coats on the bottoms of rock fragments; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2).

TYPE LOCATION: Lake County, Oregon; about 1.2 miles north of the Lost Forest Research Natural Area; approximately 1,120 feet north and 960 feet west of the southeast corner of section 10, T. 22 S., R. 20 E.; USGS Moonlight Butte 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle; latitude 43 degrees 24 minutes 5.9 seconds N and longitude 120 degrees 17 minutes 59.6 seconds W; NAD 83.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: Usually moist in winter and spring, dry in summer and fall; aridic moisture regime that borders on xeric.
Mean annual soil temperature: 7 to 8 degrees C.
Mollic epipedon thickness: 25 to 43 cm; includes the Bw1 horizon.
Depth to identifiable secondary carbonates: 60 to 100 cm.
Depth to bedrock: 150 to 200 cm to a lithic contact.
Volcanic glass content: 30 to 75 percent in coarse silt through fine sand fractions.

Particle-size control section - Clay content: 10 to 20 percent.
Rock fragments: 50 to 75 percent, mainly cobbles. Lithology of fragments are volcanic rocks such as basalt.

A horizons
Value: 4 or 5 dry.
Chroma: 2 or 3, dry or moist.
Reaction: Neutral or slightly alkaline.
Organic matter content: 1 to 3 percent.

Bw horizons
Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR.
Value: 3 through 5 dry, 3 or 4 moist.
Chroma: 2 through 4, dry or moist.
Texture: Very cobbly ashy loam or extremely cobbly ashy loam.
Reaction: Neutral or slightly alkaline.
Organic matter content: 1 to 3 percent in the Bw1 horizon.

Bqk horizon (when present)
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist.
Chroma: 2 or 3, dry or moist.
Texture: Ashy sandy loam, ashy loamy sand, or ashy loam.
Modifiers: Very cobbly, extremely gravelly or extremely cobbly.
Identifiable secondary carbonates: Occurs as few or common coats on bottoms of rock fragments.
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 0 to 1 percent.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Cavin, Cinderfall, Crackedground, and Nutzan series.

Cavin soils have soil reaction of moderately acid or slightly acid in the upper subhorizons of the epipedon and do not have horizons with identifiable secondary carbonates. Cinderfall soils are dominated by gravel-size basaltic cinders in the lower part of the particle-size control section. Crackedground soils are deep to lithic contacts. Nutzan soils are moderately deep to paralithic contacts.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Wildcatbutte soils are on lava plateaus, hills, or mountains. They typically occur on backslope positions. These soils formed in volcanic ash and colluvium over residuum derived from basalt or welded tuff. Slopes are 15 to 65 percent. Elevations range from 1,220 to 1,770 meters feet. The climate is semiarid with cool, moist winters and warm, dry summers. The mean annual precipitation is 200 to 330 mm, the mean annual temperature is 6 to 7 degrees C, and the frost-free period is 50 to 80 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Chesebro, Glassbutte, Glencabin, Hatrock, and Suckerflat soils. Chesebro soils have mollic epipedons greater than 50 cm thick, have argillic horizons, and have a xeric moisture regime. Glassbutte soils have mollic epipedons greater than 50 cm thick and have argillic horizons. Glencabin soils are moderately deep to lithic contacts and have a xeric moisture regime. Hatrock soils have a xeric moisture regime. Suckerflat soils are shallow to lithic contacts.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Well drained; high surface runoff; high saturated hydraulic conductivity.

USE AND VEGETATION: Wildcatbutte soils are used for livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. The vegetation is basin big sagebrush, mountain big sagebrush, Cusick's bluegrass, bluebunch wheatgrass, and Idaho fescue.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: South-central Oregon. These soils are not extensive with about 3,900 acres of the series mapped to date. MLRA 23.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California.

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Lake County (Northern Part), Oregon, 2006.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - The zone from the soil surface to 36 cm (A1, A2, and Bw1 horizons).
Vitrandic intergrade feature - The zone from the soil surface to 76 cm (A1, A2, Bw1, and Bw2 horizons and part of the Bqk horizon).
Cambic horizon - The zone from 36 to 150 cm (Bw2 and Bqk horizon).
Identifiable secondary carbonates and silica - The zone from 61 to 152 cm (Bqk horizon).
Particle-size control section and ashy-skeletal substitute class with glassy mineralogy - The zone from 25 to 100 cm (Bw1 and Bw2 horizons and part of the Bqk horizon).

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.