LOCATION CHIMNEYROCK        OR
Established Series
Rev. SLR/TDT
10/2005

CHIMNEYROCK SERIES


The Chimneyrock series consists of deep, well drained soils formed in residuum and colluvium from conglomerate. Chimneyrock soils are on mountain sideslopes. Slopes are 30 to 90 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 47 inches, and the mean annual temperature is about 53 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, mesic Ultic Haploxeralfs

TYPICAL PEDON: Chimneyrock very gravelly loam - forested, on a southeast-facing slope of 49 percent at an elevation of 1,560 feet. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)

Oi--1 inch to 0; slightly decomposed needles, twigs and leaves.

A--0 to 6 inches; dark brown (7.5YR 3/3) very gravelly loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) dry; weak very fine and fine subangular blocky structure parting to weak medium and coarse granular; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many medium, common very fine and fine and few coarse roots; many very fine irregular pores; 30 percent gravel and 15 percent cobbles; slightly acid (pH 6.4); abrupt wavy boundary. (4 to 9 inches thick)

Bt1--6 to 15 inches; brown (7.5YR 4/4) gravelly clay loam, light brown (7.5YR 6/4) dry; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine, fine, medium and coarse roots; common very fine tubular pores; few distinct clay films on faces of peds and in pores; 25 percent gravel and 5 percent cobbles; moderately acid (pH 6.0); clear smooth boundary.

Bt2--15 to 24 inches; brown (7.5YR 4/4) gravelly clay loam, light brown (7.5YR 6/4) dry; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, slightly sticky, and slightly plastic; common very fine, fine and medium and few coarse roots; common very fine tubular pores; common distinct clay films on faces of peds and in pores; 25 percent gravel and 5 percent cobbles; moderately acid (pH 6.0); clear smooth boundary.

Bt3--24 to 47 inches; reddish brown (5YR 4/4) extremely cobbly clay loam, light brown (7.5YR 6/4) dry; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common medium roots; few very fine tubular pores; many distinct clay films on faces of peds and in pores; 25 percent gravel and 50 percent cobbles; moderately acid (pH 6.0); abrupt smooth boundary. (combined thickness of the Bt horizon is 32 to 51 inches)

R--47 inches; Bushnell conglomerate.

TYPE LOCATION: Douglas County, Oregon, 3 1/2 miles southeast of the town of Tenmile, 1600 feet east and 1750 feet north of the southwest corner, section 15, T. 29 S., R. 7 W., W.M. (Latitude 43 degrees, 2 minutes, 53 seconds N, Longitude 123 degrees, 31 minutes, 1 second W)

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Solum thickness and depth to bedrock is 40 to 60 inches. The mean annual soil temperature is 52 to 57 degrees F. The soil is usually moist but is dry within the moisture control section for 60 to 90 consecutive days following the summer solstice. The particle size control section has 27 to 35 percent clay and averages 35 to 45 percent rounded rock fragments.

The A horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 3 or 4 moist, 5 or 6 dry, and chroma of 2 or 3 moist and 2 to 4 dry. It has 25 to 40 percent gravel and 5 to 15 percent cobbles. It is slightly acid or neutral. It has 3 to 6 percent organic matter.

The Bt horizons have hue of 5YR or 7.5YR, value of 3 or 4 moist, 5 or 6 dry, and chroma of 3 or 4 moist and dry. It has 10 to 40 percent gravel and 5 to 50 percent cobbles. In the upper part it is gravelly clay loam, very gravelly clay loam, or cobbly clay loam. In the lower part it is very cobbly clay loam, extremely gravelly clay loam, or extremely cobbly clay loam. It has 27 to 35 percent clay. It is moderately acid to neutral. Base saturation by sum is 50 to 75 percent throughout.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Abegg, Asabean, Behemotosh (T), Collayomi, Hambone, Hollowtree, Holohan, Hoosimbim, Marpa, Pendola, Skalan and Whispering series. The Abegg soils are over 60 inches deep, are dry for 80 to 110 days, and are on fans and terraces. Asabean soils are over 60 inches deep and are dry for over 90 consecutive days. Behemotosh, Hollowtree, Marpa, Skalan, and Whispering soils are 20 to 40 inches deep to bedrock. Collayomi soils are over 60 inches deep, are dry for over 90 consecutive days, and have a strong amorphic influence. Hambone soils have a paralithic contact at 40 to 60 inches and are dry for over 90 consecutive days. Holohan soils are over 60 inches deep, and are dry for over 90 consecutive days. Hoosimbim soils are dry for over 90 consecutive days. Pendola soils are over 60 inches deep.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Chimneyrock soils are on mountain sideslopes. The soils are formed in residuum and colluvium from conglomerate of the Bushnell Rock Member of the Lookingglass Formation. Slopes are 30 to 90 percent. Elevations are 900 to 2500 feet. The climate is characterized by warm, wet winters and hot, dry summers. The mean annual temperature is 50 to 55 degrees F. The mean annual precipitation is 40 to 50 inches. The frost free period is 120 to 200 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Atring, Beekman, Bellpine, Dicecreek, Dickerson, Vermisa and Windygap (T), soils. Atring, Beekman and Bellpine are 20 to 40 inches deep to bedrock. Dicecreek and Vermisa are 10 to 20 inches deep to bedrock. Dicerson soils are 5 to 10 inches deep to bedrock. Windygap is fine textured. Atring, Beekman, Dickerson and Vermisa soils are on adjacent more steeply sloping positions. Bellpine, Dicecreek, and Windygap soils are over sandstone and siltstone.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; moderate permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: Chimneyrock soils are used for timber production, watershed and wildlife habitat. Natural vegetation is Douglas fir, Pacific madrone, incense cedar, canyon live oak, ponderosa pine, grand fir, western hazel, creambush oceanspray, Pacific poison oak, baldhip rose, California fescue, western fescue, and whipplevine.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southwestern Oregon; MLRA 5. The series is of small extent.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Douglas County, Oregon, 1994.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:

Ochric epipedon

Argillic horizon - from 6 to 47 inches (Bt1, Bt2, and Bt3 horizons).

Ultic intergrade - base saturation is assumed to be less than 75 percent in one or more subhorizon of the upper 30 inches of the argillic horizon.

Mollic intergrade - color value moist of 3 in the A horizon with more than 0.7 percent organic carbon from 0 to 6 inches.

Particle-size control section - from 6 to 26 inches. (Bt1, Bt2, and Bt3 horizons); averages 44 percent rock fragments.

The series is limited to soils formed over conglomerate of the Bushnell Rock Member of the Lookingglass Formation.

The superactive cation exchange activity class was added to the classification in 10/2005. The competing series section was not updated at that time. Last revision 3/1995.


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.