LOCATION KIMBERLY OR+IDEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Torrifluventic Haploxerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Kimberly loam, irrigated pasture. (Colors are for dry soils unless otherwise noted.)
Ap--0 to 10 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; moderate fine and very fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine to medium roots; many very fine tubular pores; slightly alkaline (pH 7.5); abrupt smooth boundary. (10 to 20 inches thick)
AB--10 to 18 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) fine sandy loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; weak to moderate medium prismatic structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine to medium roots; many very fine tubular pores; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.1); gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 10 inches thick)
Bk--18 to 26 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) fine sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak to moderate medium prismatic structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine to medium roots; many very fine tubular pores; strongly effervescent; strongly alkaline (pH 8.7); abrupt wavy boundary. (0 to 10 inches thick)
2C1--26 to 32 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) loamy fine sand, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; single grain; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine roots; many very fine tubular pores; slightly effervescent; strongly alkaline (pH 9.0); abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 8 inches thick)
3C2--32 to 41 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) fine sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine roots; many very fine tubular pores; slightly effervescent; strongly alkaline (pH 8.9); clear wavy boundary. (7 to 11 inches thick)
4C3--41 to 60 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) stratified thin lenses of sandy loam and loamy sand, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine roots; many very fine tubular pores; slightly effervescent; very strongly alkaline (pH 9.4).
TYPE LOCATION: Wheeler County, Oregon; SE1/4 SW1/4 section 32, T. 8 S., R. 25 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature ranges from 47 to 55 degrees F. The soils are continuously dry in the control section for one-half the time when the soil temperature is above 41 degrees F., but the soils are moist during the winter. Depth to secondary carbonates is 10 to 30 inches except where under long periods of irrigation. The particle-size control section is fine sandy loam or sandy loam with 5 to 18 percent clay. Thin horizons of loamy sand, loamy fine sand, loam or silt loam are in some pedons. The mollic epipedon is 10 to 20 inches thick. The organic carbon content decreases irregularly with depth.
The Ap horizon has value of 2 or 3 moist, 4 or 5 dry and chroma of 2 or 3 moist and dry. It is sandy loam, silt loam, fine sandy loam or loam. The horizon is neutral or slightly alkaline.
The AB and Bk horizon has value of 2 or 3 moist, 4 or 5 dry in the upper part and value of 3 moist and 4 thru 6 dry in the lower part. The chroma is 2 or 3. The structure is weak or moderate prismatic or subangular blocky. This horizon is neutral to strongly alkaline. It is sandy loam or very fine sandy loam. It has 2 to 8 percent calcium carbonate.
The C horizon has value of 3 to 5 moist, 5 to 7 dry and chroma of 2 or 3. The texture below a depth of 40 inches commonly is highly stratified ranging from sandy loam, fine sandy loam, loamy fine sand and sand. This horizon is slightly alkaline to very strongly alkaline. It has 2 to 5 percent calcium carbonate. Some pedons have gravel at 40 to 60 inches.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Cleman and Sheepskin series. Cleman soils are noncalcareous throughout the particle-size control section. Sheepskin soils have 20 to 35 percent rock fragments in the particle-size control section.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Kimberly soils are on floodplains at elevations of 400 to 2,500 feet. Slope gradients are 0 to 3 percent. The soils formed in recent mixed moderately coarse textured alluvium. The climate is semiarid with hot dry summers and cold moist winters. The mean annual precipitation ranges from 8 to 14 inches. The mean annual temperature is 45 to 53 degrees F. The mean January temperature is about 32 degrees F., and the mean July temperature is about 68 degrees F. The frost-free period is about 100 to 180 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Courtrock, Powder and Umapine soils. Courtrock soils have carbonates at 20 to 40 inches and have a regular decrease in organic matter. Powder and Umapine soils are coarse-silty. Also, Umapine soils are high in exchangeable sodium.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow runoff; moderately rapid permeability. Flooding is occasional or rare.
USE AND VEGETATION: Nearly all Kimberly soils are irrigated. They are used mainly for the production of alfalfa-grass hay with some irrigated wheat and barley. Small areas are in orchard crops including peaches, apples and cherries.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Kimberly soils are along major drainages of eastern Oregon; MLRA 10 and 11. The series is of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Malheur County, Oregon, 1975.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and other features:
Mollic epipedon - 0 to 10 inches
Aridic soil moisture regime.
ADDITIONAL DATA: Characterization data for the typical pedon (S74OR-69-2) reported in a printout from the soil study of Grant and Wheeler Counties, Oregon by SCS Soil Survey Laboratory, Lincoln, Nebraska. Grant County sample S97OR-023-021.