LOCATION CENTRAL POINT OREstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Pachic Haploxerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Central Point sandy loam, on a 1 percent slope in a cultivated area. (Colors is for moist soil unless otherwise noted.)
Ap--0 to 6 inches; black (10YR 2/1) sandy loam, dark gray (10YR 4/1) dry; weak medium granular structure; hard, friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; many roots; slightly acid (pH 6.4); clear smooth boundary. (5 to 8 inches thick)
A1--6 to 17 inches; black (10YR 2/1) sandy loam, dark gray (10YR 4/1) dry; massive (compaction pan); hard, friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; many roots; common fine and very fine pores; few worm casts; slightly acid (pH 6.1); clear smooth boundary. (8 to 12 inches thick)
A2--17 to 30 inches; very dark brown (10YR 2/2) sandy loam, dark gray (10YR 4/1) dry; weak medium and fine subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many roots; many very fine and fine tubular pores; common worm holes and worm casts; slightly acid (pH 6.4); clear wavy boundary. (10 to 15 inches thick)
Bw1--30 to 42 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) sandy loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) dry; weak medium prismatic and weak medium subangular blocky structure; very hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common roots; many very fine to fine tubular pores; common worm holes and worm casts; krotovina of A1 material at 34 inches; neutral (pH 6.6); gradual wavy boundary. (10 to 15 inches thick)
Bw2--42 to 49 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) sandy loam, brown (10YR 5/3) dry; common fine distinct yellowish red (5YR 4/6) mottles; weak medium prismatic and weak coarse subangular blocky structure; very hard, friable, sticky and plastic; few roots; many tubular pores; neutral (pH 6.6); clear wavy boundary. (5 to 9 inches thick)
C1--49 to 59 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) gravelly sandy loam, brown (10YR 5/3) dry; common fine distinct yellowish red (5YR 4/6) mottles; massive; very hard, friable, sticky and plastic; few roots; many tubular pores; 25 percent angular fragments of quartz 2 to 4 mm; neutral (pH 6.6); abrupt wavy boundary. (8 to 14 inches thick)
2C2--59 to 67 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) gravelly loamy sand, brown (10YR 4/3) dry; massive; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; few roots; many tubular pores; 35 percent angular and rounded gravel; neutral (pH 6.7).
TYPE LOCATION: Jackson County, Oregon; Southern Oregon branch experiment station; 1,240 feet north and 890 feet west of the southeast corner of sec. 21, T. 37 S., R. 2 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The solum is 40 to 60 inches thick. Depth to bedrock is 40 to 60 inches or more. The mean annual soil temperature is 52 to 56 degrees F. The soils are usually moist but are dry between depths of 8 to 24 inches for 80 to 110 consecutive days following the summer solstice. The mollic epipedon is 20 inch thick. The 10- to 40-inch control section averages 12 to 18 percent clay, and 0 to 15 percent gravel, and have more than 30 percent medium and coarser sand.
The A horizon has value of 2 or 3 moist, 4 or 5 dry, and chroma of 1 through 3 moist and dry. It is sandy loam or loam and has 0 to 15 percent gravel. It is moderately or slightly acid.
The Bw horizon has value of 3 or 4 moist, 4 or 5 dry and chroma of 2 or 3 moist and dry. It has 0 to 15 percent gravel. It is moderately acid to neutral.
The C and 2C horizons commonly are stratified. It is gravelly sandy loam or gravelly loamy sand. It is moderately acid to neutral.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Dehill, Edmundston, Imbler, Oak Glen, and Uhlig series. Dehill soils have an aridic soil moisture regime and have a solum 20 to 32 inches thick. Edmundston soils have an aridic soil moisture regime. Imbler soils have sandy loam sola with less than 30 percent medium and coarser sands, have soft and very friable sola, have mean annual soil temperature of 47 to 53 degrees F and lack a cambic horizon. Oak Glen soils have an aridic soil moisture regime and lack a cambic horizon. Uhlig soils have mean annual soil temperature of 47 to 50 degrees F, are silt loam or loam in the solum and are dry for 60 to 75 consecutive days during the summer.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Central Point soils are on low stream terraces and alluvial fans and are at elevations of 200 to 2,000 feet. Slopes range from 0 to 3 percent. The soil formed in alluvium mainly from granitic and metamorphic origin. The climate is characterized by warm dry summers and cool moist winters. The mean July temperature is 72 degrees F; the mean January temperature is 37 degrees F; the mean annual temperature is 50 to 55 degrees F. The mean annual precipitation is typically 18 to 45 inches. In the interior valleys of Curry County, Oregon, the mean annual precipitation ranges to 90 inches. The frost-free period is 140 to 210 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Barron, Cove, Evans, Kerby, Kubli, Medford, Ruch and Takilma soils. Barron, Kerby and Ruch soils lack a mollic epipedon. Cove soils are clayey and poorly drained. Evans soils are on flood plains and are subject to overflow. Kubli soils have mottles with chroma of 2 or less within 30 inches of the surface, and are in lower-lying positions. Medford soils are fine textured and have an argillic horizon. Takilma soils are skeletal and have a mollic epipedon less than 20 inches thick.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow runoff; moderately rapid permeability. A water table is present at 4 to 6 feet from December to March.
USE AND VEGETATION: Central Point soils are used for fruit orchards, hay, pasture, small grains and corn. Native vegetation is dominantly grasses and widely spaced oak and Douglas fir trees.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Valleys of Southwestern Oregon, MLRA 5. The series is inextensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Josephine County, Oregon, 1979.
REMARKS: CEC activity class superactive added 1/2000, competing series not updated at that time.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized:
Mollic epipedon - from 0 to 30 inches (Ap, A1, and A2 horizons).
Pachic feature - a mollic epipedon 30 inches thick.
Particle-size control section - from 10 to 40 inches.
ADDITIONAL DATA: Characterization data for one profile (S63ORE-15-1) from Oregon State University; not published.