LOCATION QUAILPRAIRIE OR
Established Series
Rev. MHF/GJW/RWL
06/2011
QUAILPRAIRIE SERIES
The Quailprairie series consists of very deep, well drained soils formed in colluvium and residuum from metasedimentary or metavolcanic rock types. Quailprairie soils occur in open grassland areas on ridgetops and side slopes of mountains. Slopes are 0 to 60 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 110 inches and the mean annual temperature is about 49 degrees F.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, isotic, mesic Pachic Humudepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Quailprairie gravelly loam - grassland, on a 22 percent south-facing slope at 2,150 feet elevation. (When described on November 14, 1989 the soil was moist throughout. Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted.)
A1--0 to 5 inches; very dark brown (10YR 2/2) gravelly loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) dry; moderate very fine and fine subangular blocky structure; soft, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine and fine roots; many very fine and fine tubular pores; 20 percent gravel; very strongly acid (pH 4.8); clear smooth boundary.
A2--5 to 11 inches; very dark brown (10YR 2/2) gravelly loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) dry; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; soft, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine roots; many very fine and fine tubular pores; 20 percent gravel; very strongly acid (pH 4.8); clear smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the A horizon is 7 to 13 inches)
Bw1--11 to 23 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) gravelly loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) dry; strong medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine roots; many fine and medium tubular pores; 15 percent gravel and 5 percent cobbles; very strongly acid (pH 4.8); clear smooth boundary.
Bw2--23 to 37 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) gravelly clay loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) dry; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots; many fine and medium tubular pores; 20 percent gravel, 5 percent cobbles, and 2 percent stones; very strongly acid (pH 4.8); clear wavy boundary.
Bw3--37 to 53 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) gravelly clay loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) dry; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many fine and medium tubular pores; 25 percent gravel, 5 percent cobbles and 3 percent stones; very strongly acid (pH 4.8). (Combined thickness of the Bw horizon is 33 to 47 inches)
C--53 to 67 inches; dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) very gravelly silty clay, light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) dry; massive; hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few fine, and common medium tubular pores; many medium distinct light olive brown (2.5Y 5/6) and olive yellow (2.5Y 6/6) masses of iron accumulation; 35 percent gravel, 5 percent cobbles and 5 percent stones; very strongly acid (pH 4.8).
TYPE LOCATION: Curry County, Oregon; about 330 feet north and 2,310 feet east of the southwest corner of section 33, T. 37 S., R. 13 W., W. M. (Latitude 42 degrees, 19 minutes, 27 seconds N.; Longitude 124 degrees, 15 minutes, 01 seconds W.)
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature is 47 to 54 degrees F. The soils are usually moist but are dry for less than 45 consecutive days in all parts between depths of 4 and 12 inches in the four months following the summer solstice. The particle-size control section averages 20 to 35 percent clay and has 25 to 35 percent rock fragments. Depth to bedrock is greater than 60 inches. The umbric epipedon is 20 to 40 inches thick and includes the upper portion of the Bw horizon. High chroma redox concentrations occur below a depth of 50 inches.
The A horizon has value of 2 or 3 moist, 3 to 5 dry and chroma of 1 to 3 moist and dry. It is gravelly loam with 15 to 25 percent clay. It has 15 to 30 percent gravel and 0 to 3 percent cobbles.
The Bw horizon has value of 2 to 4 moist, 4 or 5 dry and chroma of 2 or 3 moist and dry. It is gravelly loam or gravelly clay loam with 20 to 35 percent clay. It has 15 to 25 percent gravel, 0 to 5 percent cobbles, and 0 to 5 percent stones.
The C horizon has hue of 2.5Y or 5Y, value of 4 or 5 moist, 6 or 7 dry and chroma of 2 or 3 moist and dry. Many medium to coarse distinct redox concentrations with high chroma occur throughout this horizon. It is very gravelly silty clay, extremely gravelly silty clay, or very gravelly clay with 40 to 50 percent clay. It has 30 to 40 percent gravel, 5 to 15 percent cobbles, and 0 to 5 percent stones.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the
Agness and
Sixes series. These soils have particle size control sections dominated by channer-shaped rock fragments derived from the Colebrooke Schist
Formation. Sixes soils are 20 to 40 inches deep to bedrock.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Quailprairie soils occur in open grassland areas on metastable ridgetops and south-facing side slopes of mountains. Slopes are 0 to 60 percent. The soils formed in colluvium and residuum derived from metasedimentary or metavolcanic rock types of the Dothan Formation. Elevations are 300 to 3,000 feet. The climate is characterized by warm, wet winters and hot, moist summers. The mean annual precipitation is 90 to 130 inches. The mean annual temperature is 45 to 53 degrees F. The frost-free period is 160 to 210 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the
Averlande,
Bravo,
Cassiday,
Fritsland,
Grouslous,
Hazelcamp,
Skookumhouse,
Sankey, and
Swedeheaven soils. Averlande, Hazelcamp and Skookumhouse soils are on ridgetops of mountains and have argillic horizons. Averlande soils are 10 to 20 inches deep to bedrock and are loamy-skeletal. Hazelcamp and Skookumhouse soils are clayey and have a paralithic bedrock contact. Bravo, Cassiday and Fritsland soils are on side slopes of mountains. Bravo and Cassiday soils are 20 to 40 inches deep to bedrock and have ochric epipedons. Cassiday soils are loamy-skeletal. Fritsland soils are 40 to 60 inches to bedrock and have an ochric epipedon. Grouslous soils are on steep side slopes of mountains. Grouslous and Sankey soils are 10 to 20 inches deep to bedrock and are loamy-skeletal. Grouslous soils have an ochric epipedon. Swedeheaven soils are 20 to 40 inches deep to bedrock and are loamy-skeletal. Sankey and Swedeheaven soils occur in open grassland areas on ridgetops and south-facing side slopes of mountains.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow permeability. A seasonal high water table is as high as a depth of 4.0 to 4.5 feet from the soil surface at some time from October to June.
USE AND VEGETATION: The soils are used for wildlife habitat and recreation. The vegetation is brome, bluegrass, hedgehog dogtail, California oatgrass, bentgrass, dock, American vetch, western brackenfern, a few widely scattered Oregon white oak and canyon live oak, sedges, and rushes.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Mountainous areas of southwestern Oregon; MLRA 1. The series is not extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Curry County, Oregon; 1995.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon include:
Umbric epipedon - from the surface to a depth of 37 inches (A1, A2, Bw1, Bw2 horizons).
Cambic horizon - from a depth of 37 to 53 inches (Bw3 horizon).
Pachic subgroup - based on dark colors to a depth of 37 inches.
Particle-size control section - from 10 to 40 inches (part of the A2 horizon, Bw1, Bw2, and part of the Bw3 horizon).
ADDITIONAL DATA: Partial laboratory data available for pedon 90P315, sample 90P1911 from Curry County, Oregon sampled by NSSL at Lincoln, Nebraska - 3/90.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.