LOCATION COLEMAN OR
Established Series
Rev. DKS/TDT
12/2025
COLEMAN SERIES
The Coleman series consists of deep, moderately well drained soils that formed in alluvium and colluvium weathered from sedimentary rocks. Coleman soils are on stream terraces and alluvial fans and have slopes of 0 to 7 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 22 inches (560 mm) and the mean annual air temperature is about 52 degrees F (11 degrees C).
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, mesic Typic Palexerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Coleman loam, on a 3 percent slope in a pear orchard at 1,600 feet (485 m) elevation. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 8 inches (0 to 20 cm); dark brown (10YR 3/3) loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) dry; weak fine granular structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many roots; many very fine irregular pores; moderately acid (pH 5.8); abrupt smooth boundary. (6 to 9 inches (15 to 23 cm) thick)
BA--8 to 20 inches (20 to 50 cm); dark brown (7.5YR 3/3) clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) dry; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to weak coarse to fine subangular blocky; slightly hard, friable, sticky and plastic; many roots; common very fine tubular pores; slightly acid (pH 6.4); abrupt smooth boundary. (4 to 14 inches (10 to 36 cm) thick)
2Bt1--20 to 31 inches (51 to 79 cm); brown (7.5YR 4/4) clay, brown (7.5YR 4/4) dry; common medium distinct strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) mottles; strong medium prismatic structure; very hard, very firm, very sticky and very plastic; few fine roots; few very fine and fine tubular pores; common moderately thick and thin clay films on peds; slightly acid (pH 6.4); abrupt smooth boundary. (10 to 20 inches (25 to 51 cm) thick)
2Bt2--31 to 40 inches (59 to 102 cm); brown (7.5YR 4/4) clay, brown (7.5YR 4/4) dry; few medium distinct strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) mottles; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to weak coarse subangular blocky; very hard, very firm, very sticky and very plastic; few fine roots; common very fine pores; few moderately thick clay films on peds and in pores; 5 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.6); clear wavy boundary. (8 to 11 inches (20 to 28 cm) thick)
2C1--40 to 58 inches (102 to 148 cm); brown (7.5YR 4/4) clay loam, yellowish red (5YR 4/8) dry; massive; hard, firm, sticky and plastic; many very fine pores; 10 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.8); abrupt smooth boundary. (16 to 20 inches (41 to 51 cm) thick)
2C2--58 to 65 inches (148 to 165 cm); yellowish red (5YR 4/6) clay loam, strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) dry; massive; hard, firm, sticky and plastic; neutral (pH 7.0).
TYPE LOCATION: Jackson County, Oregon; 1,100 feet south of Dark Hollow Road, 325 feet west of Colver Road, approximately 840 feet west and 540 feet south of the northeast corner of sec. 21, T. 38 S., R. 1 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Depth to weathered bedrock is 60 inches (150 cm) or more. The mean annual soil temperature is 52 to 56 degrees F (11 to 13 degrees C). These soils are usually moist, but are dry between depth of 4 and 12 inches (10 to 30 cm) for 80 to 110 consecutive days or more in the four months following the summer solstice. The particle-size control section averages 0 to 30 percent gravel and 0 to 5 percent cobbles. The mollic epipedon is 10 to 20 inches (25 to 50 cm) thick.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR, 7.5YR or 5YR, value of 3 moist and 4 or 5 dry, and chroma of 2 or 3 moist and 3 or 4 dry. It is loam or clay loam with 20 to 30 percent clay.
The 2Bt horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 5YR, value of 4 moist and 4 or 5 dry, and chroma of 3 or 4 moist or dry. It is clay or gravelly clay and averages 45 to 55 percent clay.
The 2C horizon has hue of 10YR, 7.5YR or 5YR, value of 4 moist and 4 to 6 dry, and chroma of 3 to 8 moist or dry. It is clay loam and has 5 to 50 percent gravel and 0 to 10 percent cobbles.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the
Alibi,
Belshaw,
Dry Creek,
Lasere, Pomponio,
Pritchard,
Succor, and
Tutuilla series. Alibi, Lasere and Pomponio soils are moderately deep. Belshaw soils are calcareous in the subsurface and have neutral to strongly alkaline reaction. Dry Creek soils have a calcic horizon. Pritchard soils are calcareous above 40 inches (100 cm). Seccor soils have hue of 10YR or 2.5Y and have silica coatings in the subsurface. Tutuilla soils are dry for 60 to 80 consecutive days and have hue of 10YR or 2.5Y.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Coleman soils are on stream terraces and alluvial fans at elevations of 1,200 to 1,700 feet (365 to 515 m). Slopes range from 0 to 7 percent. The soils formed in alluvium and colluvium weathered from sedimentary rocks. The mean annual precipitation is 18 to 25 inches (455 to 635 mm). The mean annual temperature is 50 to 54 degrees F (10 to 12 degrees C). The frost-free period is 160 to 180 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These include the
Cove,
Gregory,
Ruch,
Medford, and
Vannoy soils. Cove soils have very dark gray, fine textured mottled Bg horizons. The Ruch and Vannoy soils have an ochric epipedon. Medford soils lack the abrupt clay increase at the upper Bt boundary. Gregory soils are poorly drained.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Moderately well drained; medium runoff; slow permeability. A water table is at 1.5 to 2.0 feet from December to April.
USE AND VEGETATION: Coleman soils are used for pear production, hay, pasture, and homesites. Native vegetation consists of California Black oak, Pacific madrone, and grasses.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Interior valleys of southwestern Oregon. The series is inextensive.
SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Jackson County, Oregon, 1911.
REMARKS:
Particle Size Control Section for this pedon: 50 to 100 cm
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic Epipedon: 0 to 50 cm
Argillic Horizon: 50 to 102 cm
Added metric depths and updated competing series 12/2025. -JBB
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.