LOCATION BORDENGULCH OREstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, isotic Andic Haplocryepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Bordengulch ashy silt loam - woodland, on a 12 percent planar northwest - facing slope at an elevation of 5,680 feet. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted.)
Oi--0 to 0.5 inch; slightly decomposed needles and twigs.
Oe--0.5 to 1 inch; moderately decomposed organic matter.
A--1 to 5 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) ashy silt loam, very pale brown (10YR 7/4) dry; weak coarse subangular blocky structure parting to weak fine and medium subangular blocky; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common fine and medium and few coarse roots; common fine and few medium tubular pores; 10 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.0); gradual smooth boundary. (3 to 7 inches thick)
Bw--5 to 14 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) ashy silt loam, very pale brown (10YR 7/4) dry; massive parting to weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common fine and few medium and coarse roots; few fine tubular pores; 10 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.5); abrupt wavy boundary. (4 to 13 inches thick)
2EBb--14 to 22 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) extremely gravelly sandy loam, very pale brown (10YR 7/3) dry; weak very fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common fine and medium and few coarse roots; many fine and few medium irregular pores; 65 percent gravel and 5 percent cobbles, slightly acid (pH 6.5); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 12 inches thick)
2Bwb--22 to 31 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) extremely gravelly sandy loam, very pale brown (10YR 7/4) dry; weak very fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common fine and medium and few coarse roots; many fine and few medium irregular pores; 70 percent gravel and 5 percent cobbles; slightly acid (pH 6.5); clear wavy boundary.(8 to 18 inches thick)
2BCb--31 to 37 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) extremely gravelly sandy loam, very pale brown (10YR 7/4) dry; weak very fine subangular blocky structure; soft, friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; few fine and medium roots; many fine and few medium irregular pores; 75 percent gravel and 10 percent cobbles; slightly acid (pH 6.5); abrupt irregular boundary. (0 to 9 inches thick)
2R--37 inches; argillite.
TYPE LOCATION: Grant County, Oregon, about 1,674 feet south and 2,050 feet west of the northeast corner of Section 30, T. 09 S., R. 36 E. (Latitude 44 degrees, 45 minutes, 25 seconds N., Longitude 118 degrees, 21 minutes, 46 seconds W.)
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture - usually moist but are dry for 30 to 45 consecutive days in the summer (udic moisture regime)
Mean annual soils temperature - 35 to 41 degrees F.
Mean summer soil temperature - 41 to 48 degrees F.
Mean Winter soil temperature - 28 to 36 degrees F.
Particle-size control section - 5 to 18 percent clay (apparent field texture) and 35 to 85 percent rock fragments that are argillite.
Depth to bedrock - 20 to 40 inches.
Volcanic ash mantle - 7 to 14 inches thick.
Particles of 0.02 to 2.0 mm - 50 to 65 percent.
Organic matter - 1 to 4 percent. Acid-oxalate extractable aluminum plus one-half iron - 2.5 to 3.5 percent.
Phosphate retention - 75 to 100 percent.
Glass content - 50 to 80 percent.
15-bar water (air-dried sample) - 5 to 12 percent.
Moist bulk density - 0.65 to 0.85 g/cc.
A horizon
Hue - 10 YR.
Value - 3 or 4 moist, 5 to 7 dry.
Chroma - 3 or 4 moist and dry.
Texture - ASHY-SIL.
Rock fragments - 5 to 10 percent total with 0 to 10 percent gravel, 0 to 5 percent cobbles, and 0 to 5 percent stones.
Clay - 5 to 15 percent.
Reaction - 6.1 to 7.3.
Base saturation (NH4OAc) - 15 to 30 percent.
Bw horizon
Hue - 10YR.
Value - 4 or 5 moist, 5 to 7 dry.
Chroma - 3 to 6 moist and dry.
Texture - ASHY-SIL, GR-ASHY-SIL, GR-ASHY-L, CB-ASHY-L.
Rock fragments - 10 to 30 percent total with 5 to 30 percent gravel, 0 to 10 percent cobbles, and 0 to 5 percent stones.
Clay - 5 to 15 percent.
Reaction - 6.1 to 7.3.
Base saturation (NH4OAc) - 25 to 35 percent.
2EBb or 2Eb horizon
Hue - 10YR.
Value - 4 to 6 moist, 5 to 7 dry.
Chroma - 2 to 4 moist and dry.
Texture - GRX-SL, GRV-SL, GRV-L, CBV-L, CBX-SL.
Rock fragments - 35 to 85 percent total with 30 to 65 percent gravel, 5 to 20 percent cobbles, and 0 to 5 percent stones.
Clay - 5 to 18 percent.
Reaction - 5.1 to 6.5.
Base saturation (NH4OAc) - 50 to 65 percent.
2Bwb horizon
Hue - 10YR or 2.5Y.
Value - 4 or 5 moist, 5 to 7 dry.
Chroma - 3 to 6 moist and dry.
Texture - GRX-SL, GRV-L, CBX-SL, CBV-SL, CBV-L.
Rock fragments - 35 to 85 percent total with 30 to 70 percent gravel, 5 to 30 percent cobbles, and 0 to 10 percent stones.
Clay - 5 to 18 percent.
Reaction - 5.1 to 6.5.
Base saturation (NH4OAc) - 65 to 80 percent.
2BCb horizon
Hue - 10YR or 2.5Y.
Value - 4 to 6 moist, 6 or 7 dry.
Chroma - 3 to 6 moist and dry.
Texture - GRX-SL, CBX-SL, CBV-L, GRV-L.
Rock fragments - 40 to 85 percent total with 30 to 75 percent gravel, 10 to 25 percent cobbles, and 0 to 5 percent stones.
Clay - 5 to 15 percent.
Reaction - 5.1 to 6.5.
Base saturation (NH4OAc) - 65 to 80 percent.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Bearpawmeadow (T), Marblepoint (T), Monumentrock (T) and Vandamine series. Bearpawmeadow soils are similar; Bearpawmeadow soils have rock fragments of basalt and andesite. Marblepoint and Vandamine soils are very deep. Monumentrock soils are deep.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Bordengulch soils are on upper backslopes, shoulders and ridges of mountains. Bordengulch soils are formed in volcanic ash overlying colluvium and residuum derived from argillite. Slopes are 0 to 90 percent. Elevations are 5,400 to 7,200 feet. The climate is characterized by cold, wet winters and cool, moist summers. The mean annual precipitation is 30 to 50 inches. The mean annual temperature is 33 to 41 degrees F. The frost-free period is 20 to 65 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Angelpeak and competing Vandamine soils. Angelpeak soils are deep, occur on more concave and lower slope positions, and have andic properties more than 14 inches thick. Vandamine soils are on more planar to convex positions and steeper slopes and are very deep.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; permeability is moderate.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for timber production, watershed, recreation and wildlife habitat. The native vegetation is subalpine fir, grand fir, lodgepole pine, western larch, prince's pine, bearberry, Oregon boxwood, grouse huckleberry, big huckleberry, heartleaf arnica, white flowered hawkweed, sidebells pyrola, pinegrass and elk sedge.
Plant Associations: ABLA/CARU (subalpine fir/pinegrass) may include ABLA/VASC/POPU3/subalpine fir/grouse huckleberry/skunk leaved polemonium.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Blue Mountains in northeastern Oregon; MLRA 43c. The soils are of small extent.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Wallowa County, Oregon, 1998.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon
Cambic horizon - from 5 to 37 inches (Bw, 2EBb, 2Bwb, and 2BCb horizons)
Particle-size control section - from 11 to 37 inches
Andic soil properties - from 1 to 14 inches.
Classification revised 5/06 from Dystrocryepts to Haplocryepts based on supporting laboratory data from associated soils, similar parent material and climate.