LOCATION MAYGER OREstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, isotic, mesic Aquic Palehumults
TYPICAL PEDON: Mayger silt loam, woodland. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted.)
Oi--0 to 1inch; needles, twigs, moss and woody material.
A1--1 to 6 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) silt loam, brown (10YR 5/3) dry; strong fine granular structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many fine and very fine roots; many fine irregular pores; moderately acid; abrupt smooth boundary. (3 to 7 inches thick)
A2--6 to 12 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) silt loam, pale brown (10YR 6/3) dry; strong very fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many fine and very fine roots; many very fine tubular pores; moderately acid; clear smooth boundary. (5 to 8 inches thick)
Bt1--12 to 18 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) silty clay loam, light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) dry; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common fine roots; many very fine tubular pores; common distinct clay films on faces of peds; strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (5 to 10 inches thick)
Bt2--18 to 31 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) silty clay loam, light gray (2.5Y 7/2) dry; common distinct dark brown (7.5YR 4/4) mottles; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few fine roots; common medium tubular pores; common distinct clay films on faces of peds; very strongly acid; gradual smooth boundary. (6 to 18 inches thick)
BCt--31 to 39 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) silty clay, light olive brown (2.5Y 5/3) dry; many distinct dark brown (7.5YR 4/4) mottles; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; very hard, very firm, very sticky and very plastic; few fine roots; common medium pores; many prominent clay films on faces of peds and in pores; very strongly acid; abrupt smooth boundary. (5 to 10 inches thick)
2C--39 to 61 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) clay, light olive brown (2.5Y 5/3) dry; many distinct strong brown (7.5YR 5/6, 5/8) mottles; massive; extremely hard, very firm, very sticky and very plastic; few fine roots; few medium tubular pores; many distinct olive brown (2.5Y 4/6) clay films on fractures and in pores; very stongly acid.
TYPE LOCATION: Columbia County, Oregon; about 200 feet west of Coates Mainline Road in the NE1/4 SE1/4 NE1/4 section 29, T. 5 N., R. 4 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature is 49 to 54 degrees F. The soil is saturated with water from November through May and is dry for less than 45 consecutive days between depths of 4 and 12 inches during the 4-month period following the summer solstice.
The A horizon has value of 2 through 4 moist, 5 or 6 dry, and chroma of 2 or 3 moist and dry.
The Bt horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 or 5 moist, and chroma of 2 through 4 moist and dry. It is silty clay loam and averages 35 to 40 percent clay. Mottles are dark brown or strong brown. It is extremely acid through moderately acid.
The 2C horizon has hue of 2.5Y, or neutral, value of 5 or 6 moist and dry, and chroma of 2 or 3. Mottles are strong brown or brown. This horizon averages 45 to 70 percent clay.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Chismore, Cottrell and Suver series. All of these soils lack a discontinuity of a finer textured 2C horizon immediately below the argillic horizon. Chismore soils have an umbric epipedon. Cottrell and Suver soils have a xeric moisture regime and have hue redder than 10YR in the argillic horizon. Also, Suver soils have 55 to 60 percent clay in the argillic horizon.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Mayger soils are on mountainous uplands at elevations of 500 to 1,200 feet. Slopes range from 3 to 30 percent. The soils formed in residuum and colluvium weathered from shale rock. The climate is characterized by cool wet winters and warm moist summers. The mean annual precipitation is 50 to 90 inches. The mean January temperature is 35 to 37 degrees F., the mean July temperature is 60 to 63 degrees F., and the mean annual temperature is 47 to 52 degrees F. The frost-free period is 100 to 210 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Bacona, Glohm, Kenusky, Goble and Vernonia soils. Bacona soils are well drained and fine-silty. Glohm soils are moderately well drained and 20 to 40 inches deep to a fragipan. Goble soils are well drained and 20 to 40 inches deep to siltstone or shale. Kenusky soils are poorly drained and have dominant chroma of 2 or less throughout the profile. Vernonia soils are well drained and fine-silty.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat poorly drained; moderate runoff; very slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Mayer soils are used for timber production, recreation and wildlife habitat. Native vegetation is Douglas-fir, bigleaf maple, western redcedar, western hemlock, red alder, cascade Oregon-grape, common snowberry, salal, western swordfern, and brackenfern.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Coast Range uplands in northwestern, Oregon. The series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Columbia County, Oregon, 1983.
REMARKS: All diagnostic horizons and features are measured from the to of the first mineral horizon.
Ochric epipedon
Particle-size control section - from 12 to 32 inches.