Natural Resources
Conservation Service
Ecological site R008XY230OR
Droughty North
10-14 PZ
Last updated: 5/02/2025
Accessed: 07/16/2026
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Provisional. A provisional ecological site description has undergone quality control and quality assurance review. It contains a working state and transition model and enough information to identify the ecological site.
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Figure 1. Mapped extent
Areas shown in blue indicate the maximum mapped extent of this ecological site. Other ecological sites likely occur within the highlighted areas. It is also possible for this ecological site to occur outside of highlighted areas if detailed soil survey has not been completed or recently updated.
Associated sites
R008XY110OR Loamy 10-12 PZ
R008XY120OR Loamy 12-14 PZ
R008XY150OR Very Shallow Loam 10-14 PZ
R008XY200OR South 10-14 PZ
R008XY220OR North 10-14 PZ
R010XY005OR Loamy Bottom
B10
Similar sites
R008XY220OR North 10-14 PZ
More fescue
Table 1. Dominant plant species
Tree Not specified
Shrub Not specified
Herbaceous Not specified
Physiographic features
This site occurs on moderate to steep slopes of canyons and rigdes or hills.
Table 2. Representative physiographic features
Landforms (1) Canyon
(2) Ridge
(3) Hill
Elevation 500 – 3000 ft Slope 15 – 70 % Aspect N, NE, NW Climatic features
The annual precipitation ranges from 10 to 14 inches which occurs mainly between the months of November and May, mostly in the form of rain and some snow. The soil temperature is 48 regime is mesic. The average annual air temperature is 48 degges F. with extreme temperatures ranging from -19 degrees F. to 107 degrees F. The frost free period is 120 to 180 days. The optimum period for plant growth is from April through May.
Table 3 Representative climatic features
Frost-free period (average) 180 days Freeze-free period (average) Precipitation total (average) 10 in ">Influencing water features
Soil features
The soils of this site are shallow to moderately deep, well drained and medium textured. They are generally formed from colluvium. Rock fragments on the surface range from 0 to 60% and from 0 to 25% in the subsoil. Permeability is moderate and the available water holding capacity is 2 to 4.5 inches for the profile. The potential for water erosion is high.
Table 4. Representative soil features
Drainage class Well drained Permeability class Moderate Soil depth 20 – 40 in Surface fragment cover <=3" 0 – 60 % Available water capacity
(0-40in)2 – 4.5 in Subsurface fragment volume <=3"
(Depth not specified)0 – 25 % Ecological dynamics
When early spirng grazing causes site deterioration, bluebunch wheatgrass declines. Deterioration from heavy summer grazing reduces the vigor and stand of Idaho fescue and may allow bluebunch wheatgrass to increase. Severe perennial bunchgrasses with a corresponding increase in Sandberg's bluegrass, sagebrush, balsamroot, yarrow, and matchweed.
Stands with a recent fire history are likely to have the least amount of sagebrush and an increase of rabbitbrush and horsebrush. Bluebunch wheatgrass will increase after fire.
Stony soils have the highest cover of bluebunch wheatgrass and lowest cover of Idaho fescue. East and west facing slopes are transitional and have higher proportions of bluebunch wheatgrass and lower total cover.State and transition model
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Click on state and transition labels to scroll to the respective textEcosystem states
State 1 submodel, plant communities
State 1
ReferenceCommunity 1.1
Reference Plant CommunityThe potential native plant community is dominated by bluebunch wheatgrass and Idaho fescue. Idaho fescue is usually less prominent, especially in stony areas. Sandberg bluegrass is common. Scattered big sagebrush may also occur. Numerous forbs such as milkvetch, balsamroot, yarrow, phlox, pussytoes, lupine, and lomatium commonly occurs in the stand.
Vegetative composition is approximately 90% grasses, 10% forbs, and 1% shrubs/trees.Figure 2. Annual production by plant type (representative values) or group (midpoint values)
Table 5. Annual production by plant type
Plant type Low
(lb/acre)Representative value
(lb/acre)High
(lb/acre)Grass/Grasslike 725 995 1175 Forb 55 80 95 Shrub/Vine 20 25 30 Total 800 1100 1300 Figure 3. Plant community growth curve (percent production by month). OR2501 , B8 Loamy, Droughty North, Good Condition. RPC Growth Curve B8 Loamy, Droughty North, & South,Good Condition.
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec J F M A M J J A S O N D 0 10 20 25 20 10 5 0 5 5 0 0 Additional community tables
Table 6. Community 1.1 plant community composition
Group Common name Symbol Scientific name Annual production () Foliar cover (%) Grass/Grasslike1 Dominant deep rooted perennial grasses 660–1100 bluebunch wheatgrass PSSP6 Pseudoroegneria spicata 440–660 – Idaho fescue FEID Festuca idahoensis 220–440 – 3 Dominant shallow rooted perennial grasses 55–91 Sandberg bluegrass POSE Poa secunda 55–91 – 5 Other perennial grasses 33–77 bluegrass POA Poa 22–55 – Cusick's bluegrass POCU3 Poa cusickii 11–22 – Forb7 Dominant perennial forbs 33–66 common yarrow ACMI2 Achillea millefolium 11–22 – basalt milkvetch ASFI Astragalus filipes 11–22 – silky lupine LUSE4 Lupinus sericeus 11–22 – 9 Other perennial forbs 0–66 agoseris AGOSE Agoseris 0–11 – pussytoes ANTEN Antennaria 0–11 – arrowleaf balsamroot BASA3 Balsamorhiza sagittata 0–11 – hawksbeard CREPI Crepis 0–11 – buckwheat ERIOG Eriogonum 0–11 – desert yellow fleabane ERLI Erigeron linearis 0–11 – bigseed biscuitroot LOMA3 Lomatium macrocarpum 0–11 – nineleaf biscuitroot LOTR2 Lomatium triternatum 0–11 – longleaf phlox PHLO2 Phlox longifolia 0–11 – Shrub/Vine11 Shrubs 11–44 basin big sagebrush ARTRT Artemisia tridentata ssp. tridentata 11–22 – rubber rabbitbrush ERNA10 Ericameria nauseosa 0–11 – spineless horsebrush TECA2 Tetradymia canescens 0–11 – Interpretations
Animal community
Resident deer will make use of this site in the summer and early fall.
Hydrological functions
The soils of this site have moderate infiltration rates and high runoff potential.
Wood products
None
Other products
This site is suitable for grazing from late spring through fall. Except in hot summer weather, cattle may avoid upper steep slopes if moderate terrain is accessible.
Supporting information
Contributors
E Ersch (OSU)
Gene Hickman
K.KennedyApproval
Kirt Walstad, 5/02/2025
Rangeland health reference sheet
Interpreting Indicators of Rangeland Health is a qualitative assessment protocol used to determine ecosystem condition based on benchmark characteristics described in the Reference Sheet. A suite of 17 (or more) indicators are typically considered in an assessment. The ecological site(s) representative of an assessment location must be known prior to applying the protocol and must be verified based on soils and climate. Current plant community cannot be used to identify the ecological site.
Author(s)/participant(s) Jeff Repp Contact for lead author Oregon NRCS State Rangeland Management Specialist Date 07/27/2012 Approved by Approval date Composition (Indicators 10 and 12) based on Annual Production Indicators
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Number and extent of rills:
Some to none, significant sheet & rill erosion hazard -
Presence of water flow patterns:
Few to none, may increase as slope increases (to 70%) -
Number and height of erosional pedestals or terracettes:
Some - more common on deeper soils -
Bare ground from Ecological Site Description or other studies (rock, litter, lichen, moss, plant canopy are not bare ground):
5-12% -
Number of gullies and erosion associated with gullies:
None -
Extent of wind scoured, blowouts and/or depositional areas:
None, slight wind erosion hazard -
Amount of litter movement (describe size and distance expected to travel):
Fine - limited movement -
Soil surface (top few mm) resistance to erosion (stability values are averages - most sites will show a range of values):
Moderately resistant to erosion: aggragate stability = 4-5 -
Soil surface structure and SOM content (include type of structure and A-horizon color and thickness):
Shallow to moderately deep, well drained silt loams: Low to Moderate OM (1-4%) -
Effect of community phase composition (relative proportion of different functional groups) and spatial distribution on infiltration and runoff:
Significant ground cover (60-80%) limits rainfall impact and overland flow, steeper slopes (to 70%) have high potential for run off -
Presence and thickness of compaction layer (usually none; describe soil profile features which may be mistaken for compaction on this site):
None -
Functional/Structural Groups (list in order of descending dominance by above-ground annual-production or live foliar cover using symbols: >>, >, = to indicate much greater than, greater than, and equal to):
Dominant:
Bluebunch wheatgrass > Idaho fescue > Sandberg bluegrass > Cusick's bluegrass = forbs = shrubsSub-dominant:
Other:
Additional:
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Amount of plant mortality and decadence (include which functional groups are expected to show mortality or decadence):
Normal decadence and mortality expected -
Average percent litter cover (%) and depth ( in):
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Expected annual annual-production (this is TOTAL above-ground annual-production, not just forage annual-production):
Favorable: 1300, Normal: 1100, Unfavorable: 800 lbs/acre/year at high RSI (HCPC) -
Potential invasive (including noxious) species (native and non-native). List species which BOTH characterize degraded states and have the potential to become a dominant or co-dominant species on the ecological site if their future establishment and growth is not actively controlled by management interventions. Species that become dominant for only one to several years (e.g., short-term response to drought or wildfire) are not invasive plants. Note that unlike other indicators, we are describing what is NOT expected in the reference state for the ecological site:
Perennial brush species will increase with deterioration of plant community. Western Juniper readily invades the site, Cheatgrass and Medusahead invade sites that have lost deep rooted perennial grass functional groups -
Perennial plant reproductive capability:
All species should be capable of reproducing annually
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