LOCATION BENSLEY OR
Established Series
Rev. MHF/AON/TDT
01/2023
BENSLEY SERIES
The Bensley series consists of very deep, well drained soils formed in glacial till. Bensley soils are on sharp ridgetops and steeply sloping uplands and have slopes of 2 to 75 percent. The mean annual precipitation is l00 inches, and the mean annual temperature is 43 degrees F.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, isotic Typic Dystrocryepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Bensley stony loam, forested. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted.)
Oi--0 to 1 inch; needles, twigs, leaves, etc.
Al--1 to 6 inches; very dark brown (l0YR 2/2) stony loam, grayish brown (l0YR 5/2) dry; moderate fine granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine roots; many very fine and fine irregular pores; 15 percent gravel and l5 percent stones and cobbles; very strongly acid (pH 4.8); clear wavy boundary. (3 to 6 inches thick)
A2--6 to 12 inches; very dark grayish brown (l0YR 3/2) stony loam, light brownish gray (l0YR 6/2) dry; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; soft, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine roots; many fine irregular pores; l5 percent gravel and l5 percent cobbles and stones; very strongly acid (pH 4.8); clear wavy boundary. (4 to 9 inches thick)
Bwl--12 to 23 inches; brown (l0YR 4/3) very gravelly clay loam, light brownish gray (l0YR 6/2) dry; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; many very fine roots; many very fine irregular pores; 20 percent gravel and l5 percent cobbles and stones; very strongly acid (pH 4.8); clear wavy boundary. (8 to l5 inches thick)
Bw2--23 to 31 inches; brown (l0YR 4/3) very cobbly clay loam, light brownish gray (l0YR 6/2) dry; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine roots; many very fine irregular pores; 20 percent cobbles and stones and 20 percent gravel; very strongly acid (pH 4.8); clear wavy boundary. (3 to l0 inches thick)
Bw3--31 to 45 inches; dark grayish brown (l0YR 4/2) very cobbly clay loam, light brownish gray (l0YR 6/2) dry; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine roots; common fine irregular pores; 30 percent cobbles and stones and l0 percent gravel; very strongly acid (pH 4.8); clear wavy boundary. (ll to l6 inches thick)
BC--45 to 63 inches; brown (l0YR 4/3) very cobbly clay loam, pale brown (l0YR 6/3) dry; weak medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine roots; common fine irregular pores; 25 percent cobbles and stones and 20 percent gravel; very strongly acid (pH 4.6).
TYPE LOCATION: Linn County, Oregon; 21/2 miles northwest of Crabtree Lake; SE1/4 NE1/4 section 8, T. ll S., R. 3 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature is 38 to 45 degrees F.; the mean summer soil temperature is less than 47 degrees F. The soils are usually moist and are dry for less than 45 consecutive days between depths of 4 and l2 inches during the summer. The depth to bedrock commonly is more than 60 inches but it is as shallow as 40 inches in some pedons. Rock fragments in the particle-size control section are 35 to 60 percent.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 2 or 3 moist, 5 or 6 dry and chroma of 2 or 3 moist and dry. It has 20 to 35 percent rock fragments.
The Bw horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 4 or 5 moist, 5 or 6 dry, chroma of 2 through 4 moist and dry. It is very cobbly loam, very cobbly clay loam, or very gravelly clay loam, and averages 18 to 30 percent clay. It has moderate or weak subangular blocky structure and peds are hard or very hard. It has 35 to 60 percent rock fragments.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the
Endlich,
Grenadier, Herterwa,
Jeru,
Klutch,
Leighcan,
Marsell,
Oatman and
Valsetz series. Endlich, Herterwa, Valsetz and Klutch soils are 20 to 40 inches deep to a lithic contact. Grenadier soils have an E horizon, have B horizons less than 20 inches thick and lack distinct dry period. Leighcan soils have an E horizon and have less than 18 percent clay in the control section. Marsell soils have hue of 5YR or 2.5YR in the B horizon, have an E horizon and dominantly are coarse-textured. Oatman soils are slightly acid or medium acid, have a distinct dry period of slightly more than 45 days during the summer, and are friable throughout. Jeru soils have less than 18 percent clay throughout the profile.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Bensley soils are on uplands at elevations of 2,700 to 4,900 feet. The soils formed in glacial till and have slopes of 2 to 75 percent. The climate is humid temperate with cold wet winters and cool moist summers. The mean annual precipitation is 80 to l20 inches. The mean January temperature is 3l degrees F., the mean July temperature is 55 degrees F., and the mean annual temperature is 4l to 45 degrees F. The frost-free period is 80 to l10 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the
Cruiser,
Keel,
Henline and
Valsetz soils. Cruiser soils have 5YR hue and contain less than 35 percent rock fragments within a depth of 40 inches. Keel and Henline and Valsetz soils are 20 to 40 inches deep to bedrock.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; medium to very rapid runoff; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: The Bensley soils are used for timber production, watersheds, recreation and wildlife habitat. The natural vegetation is Douglas-fir, noble fir, western redcedar, and mountain hemlock with an understory of Pacific rhododendron, common beargrass, tall blue huckleberry and cascade Oregon-grape.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Western footslopes of the Cascade Mountians, Oregon. The series is of small extent.
SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Linn County, Oregon, l983.
REMARKS: More investigation needed as to potential andic properties.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.