Natural Resources
Conservation Service
-
Search
Major Land Resource Area or ecological site by name and/or ID.
PreviousSectionsNextGeneral information
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.
Click to explore map
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
R010XY002OR Cold Meadow
Mountain Meadow
R010XY006OR Mountain Loamy Bottom
Mountain Loamy Bottom
Similar sites
R010XY002OR Cold Meadow
Mountain Meadow (greater depth to seasonal high water table).
Table 1. Dominant plant species
Tree Not specified
Shrub Not specified
Herbaceous (1) Carex
(2) Deschampsia caespitosaPhysiographic features
This site occurs on the floodplains of perennial streams and rivers. It is near channels occupying primary terraces. Slopes range from 0-3%. Elevations range from 3500 to 5500 feet.
Table 2. Representative physiographic features
Landforms (1) Flood plain
(2) Channel
(3) Terrace
Flooding frequency Occasional Elevation 3500 – 5500 ft Slope 0 – 3 % Water table depth 6 – 18 in Aspect Aspect is not a significant factor Climatic features
The annual precipitation ranges from 9 to 18 inches, most of which occurs in the form of snow during the months of November through March. A perennial supply of subsurface moisture augments the precipitation. Localized convection storms occasionally occur during the summer. The soil temperature regime is cyrinc with a mean annual air temperature of 43 degrees F. Temperature extremes range from 90 to -30 degrees F. The frost free period ranges from 30 to 90 days. The optimum growth period for native plants is from may through august.
Table 3 Representative climatic features
Frost-free period (average) 90 days Freeze-free period (average) Precipitation total (average) 20 in ">Influencing water features
Soil features
The soils of this site are recent, very deep and poorly drained. Typically the surface layer is a silt loam about 12 inches thick. The subsoil is also a silt loam over 12 inches thick. Alluvium generally occurs at depths greater than 24 inches. Permeability is moderate. The available water holding capacity (AWC) is about 6 to 8 inches for the profile. Perennial to near perennial subsurface flows aument the available water. The high water table fluctuates between 6 and 18 inches from March through June with occasional flooding. The potential for erosion is moderate. See Appendix II for soils on which this site occurs.
Table 4. Representative soil features
Surface texture (1) Silt loam
Family particle size (1) Loamy
Permeability class Moderate Soil depth 0 – 24 in Ecological dynamics
Range in Characteristics -
Sedges are strongly dominant with production dependent on the extent and duration of subsurface water flows. Tufted hairgrass increases where subsurface water flows are of shorter duration. Willows increase where surface aeration is adequate, particularly on sites next to streams. Production increases on upper ends of watersheds where perennial flows decrease and in bottomland areas receiving shorter duration subsurface flows. This is in part due to improved aeration and warmer soil temperature.
Response to Disturbance -
If the condition of the site deteriorates as a result of overgrazing, sedges and tufted hairgrass decrease while rushes increase. With further deterioration streambanks become unstable from loss of vegetation and channels degrade, becoming deeper and wider in the process. Subsurface flows are affected. The water table drops and storage of water for late season flows is reduced. Plants well adapted to a drier climatic regime invade and production drops.State and transition model
Custom diagramStandard diagram
More interactive model formats are also available. View Interactive Models
More interactive model formats are also available. View Interactive Models
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 strongly dominated by sedges. Rushes and tufted hairgrass are present. Vegetative composition of the community is approximately 98 % grasses and grass like plants and 2 % forbs.
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 1920 2400 3360 Shrub/Vine 40 50 70 Forb 40 50 70 Total 2000 2500 3500 Additional community tables
Table 6. Community 1.1 plant community composition
Group Common name Symbol Scientific name Annual production () Foliar cover (%) Grass/Grasslike1 Perennial, Deep-rooted, Dominant 2000–2250 sedge CAREX Carex 2000–2250 – 2 Perennial, Deep-rooted, Sub-Dominant 175–375 rush JUNCU Juncus 50–125 – 4 Perennial, Shallow rooted, Sub-dominant 25–50 bluegrass POA Poa 25–50 – Forb9 Perennial, Other (PPFF), ALL 25–75 cinquefoil POTEN Potentilla 0–25 – buttercup RANUN Ranunculus 0–25 – ragwort SENEC Senecio 0–25 – Shrub/Vine15 Perennial, Other(SSSS), ALL 25–50 rose ROSA5 Rosa 0–25 – willow SALIX Salix 0–25 – Interpretations
Animal community
Wildlife-
Elk, deer, hawks, songbirds, and rodents occupy this site. It is important fall use area for mule deer and elk.
Livestock grazing-
This site is suited to use by cattle, sheep and horses in the summer and fall. Limitations in the spring are saturated wet soils and unstable banks. Use should be postponed until the soils are firm enough to prevent trampling damage and soil compaction. Improvement and/or maintenance of herbaceous bank protection should be considered during all seasons, particularily in the fall and winter for spring high flow periods.Hydrological functions
Watershed-
The soils are in hydrologic group D. The soils of this site have high runoff potential.
Other information
The soils in this site have excellent water holdinc capacities providing late season water for plant growth and slow water release to streams. When incised channels are present, rehabilitation will markedly improve production and restore good hydrologic characteristics. On altered sites, the reintroduction of desirable plants may be needed to full restore the site potential.
Supporting information
Contributors
Bob Gillaspy
J. Thompson, A. Bahn
J.Joye(OSU)
T.Bloomer, C.Brooks, B.Gillaspy,A.BahnApproval
Kirt Walstad, 4/10/2025
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 and Bruce Fransenn Contact for lead author State Rangeland Management Specialist for NRCS in Oregon. Date 08/07/2012 Approved by Approval date Composition (Indicators 10 and 12) based on Annual Production Indicators
-
Number and extent of rills:
None, moderate sheet & rill erosion hazard -
Presence of water flow patterns:
Very frequent flooding with seasonal high water table -
Number and height of erosional pedestals or terracettes:
None -
Bare ground from Ecological Site Description or other studies (rock, litter, lichen, moss, plant canopy are not bare ground):
0-5% -
Number of gullies and erosion associated with gullies:
Very poor resistance to erosion when cover is lacking. Subject to incision and downcutting -
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 to moderately coarse - 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 with adequate cover: aggregate stability = 3-5 -
Soil surface structure and SOM content (include type of structure and A-horizon color and thickness):
Deep, very deep, poorly drained with a silt loam surface about 12" thick: Moderate to high OM (3-6%) -
Effect of community phase composition (relative proportion of different functional groups) and spatial distribution on infiltration and runoff:
Significant ground cover (90-100%) and very gentle slopes (0-3%) effectively limit rainfall impact and overland flow -
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:
Sedges > Tufted hairgrass > rush > forbs > shrubs = other grassesSub-dominant:
Other:
Additional:
-
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):
-
Expected annual annual-production (this is TOTAL above-ground annual-production, not just forage annual-production):
Favorable: 3500, Normal: 2500, Unfavorable: 2000 lbs/acre/year at high RSI (RPC) -
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 forb and brush species will increase with deterioration of plant community. Reed canarygrass and meadow foxtail invade sites that have lost deep rooted native perennial grass functional groups. -
Perennial plant reproductive capability:
All species should be capable of reproducing annually
Print Options
Sections
Font
AAAAOther
PrintThe Ecosystem Dynamics Interpretive Tool is an information system framework developed by the USDA-ARS Jornada Experimental Range, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, and New Mexico State University.
Accessibility statement
