LOCATION WINDEGO OREstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Ashy over loamy-skeletal, glassy over isotic, frigid Alfic Vitrixerands
TYPICAL PEDON: Windego ashy sandy loam - woodland, on a 35 percent slope at 3,000 feet elevation. (When described (9/27/84), the soil was dry to 19 inches and moist below. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted.)
Oi--0 to 1 inch; slightly decomposed; litter of ponderosa pine needles.
A1--1 to 9 inches; very dark brown (10YR 2/2) ashy sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) dry; moderate very fine granular structure; slightly hard; friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine and fine roots; many fine irregular pores; 10 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.2); clear wavy boundary.
A2--9 to 20 inches; dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) ashy sandy loam, brown (7.5YR 4/4) dry; moderate very fine granular structure; slightly hard; friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many fine, medium, and coarse roots; many fine irregular pores; 10 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.2); abrupt wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the A horizon is 14 to 25 inches)
2Btb1--20 to 31 inches; dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) very cobbly loam, brown (7.5YR 4/4) dry; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; common, medium, and coarse roots; many fine irregular and tubular pores; few faint clay films on peds and in pores; 10 percent subrounded gravel and 30 percent subrounded cobbles; neutral (pH 7.2); clear wavy boundary. (8 to 15 inches thick)
3Btb2--31 to 43 inches; dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) very cobbly clay loam, brown (7.5YR 4/4) dry; strong medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine, medium and coarse roots; many fine tubular pores; common distinct clay films on peds and in pores; 15 percent subrounded gravel and 20 percent subrounded cobbles; neutral (pH 7.0); gradual wavy boundary. (10 to 15 inches thick)
3Btb3--43 to 61 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) very cobbly clay loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) dry; strong fine subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, sticky and plastic; few fine, medium and coarse roots; common fine tubular pores; many distinct clay films on peds and in pores; 20 percent subrounded gravel and 30 percent subrounded cobbles; neutral (pH 7.2)
TYPE LOCATION: Jefferson County, Oregon; west of Forest Service road 14, about 3/4 mile south of intersection with road 1495, about mid-slope; southeast quarter of section 3, T. 13 S., R. 9 E. (Latitude 44 degrees, 28 minutes, 00 seconds N, Longitude 121 degrees, 38 minutes, 16 seconds W)
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The soil moisture control section is usually moist but is dry in all parts for 45 to 90 consecutive days after the summer solstice. The mean annual soil temperature is 42 to 47 degrees F. Depth to bedrock is over 60 inches. Depth to the buried argillic horizon and ash mantle thickness is 14 to 25 inches. The ash mantle contains 50 to 70 percent glass and glass-coated aggregate, phosphate retention of 60 to 80 percent, acid oxalate aluminum plus one-half the acid oxalate iron of 1.0 to 2.0 percent, and 15-bar water content of 5 to 10 percent on dried samples and 8 to 12 percent on undried samples. The soil is neutral throughout.
The Oi horizon is 1 to 3 inches, except where disturbed.
The A horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, moist or dry, value of 2 through 4 moist, 3 through 5 dry, chroma of 2 or 4 moist and 3 or 4 dry. It contains 5 to 10 percent gravel and 0 to 10 percent cobbles. Total rock fragments range from 5 to 15 percent. It has 1 to 4 percent organic matter. Field estimated clay content is 5 to 15 percent clay.
The 2Btb and 3Btb horizon has hue of 5YR to 10YR, moist or dry, value of 3 moist and 4 or 5 dry, and chroma of 2 or 4 moist and 4 dry. It is very cobbly loam, very cobbly clay loam or extremely cobbly clay loam with 18 to 35 percent field estimated clay. It contains 10 to 30 percent gravel, 20 to 30 percent cobbles and 0 to 10 percent stones. Total rock fragment content is 35 to 70 percent.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Crosswhite and Shaser series. Shaser soils contain sandstone rock fragments. Crosswhite soils are moderately deep to bedrock.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Windego soils are on toeslopes, benches and mountain side slopes at elevations of 2,500 to 4,000 feet. Slopes are 0 to 70 percent. The soils formed in ash over basalt colluvium. The climate is characterized by cool, wet winters and hot, dry summers. The mean annual precipitation is 20 to 50 inches. The mean annual temperature is 40 to 47 degrees F. The frost-free period is 50 to 90 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: This is the Smiling soil. Smiling soils are ashy over loamy.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for timber production and wildlife habitat. Potential native vegetation is ponderosa pine, Douglas fir, antelope bitterbrush, snowbrush, greenleaf manzanita, chinkapin, Idaho fescue, and needlegrasses.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: East slope of the Cascades in central Oregon; MLRA 6. The series is not extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Deschutes County (Upper Deschutes River Area), Oregon, 1992.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
ochric epipedon -
argillic horizon - from 19 to 60 inches (2Btb1, 3Btb2, 3Btb3);
Andic soil properties - The upper 19 inches of the mineral soil meets andic soil properties (2a).
Particle-size control section - from 1 to 41 inches; the upper 16 inches meets andic soil properties and 15-bar water content of less than 12 percent on dried samples. (Based on the geographically associated Smiling Series.) The lower 21 inches does not meet andic soil properties and has less than 30 percent glass.