LOCATION DEBENGER           OR
Established Series
Rev. LFM/AON
06/1999

DEBENGER SERIES


The Debenger series consists of moderately deep, well drained soils that formed in residuum and colluvium weathered from sedimentary rocks. Debenger soils are on ridges, fans and hillslopes and have slopes of 1 to 60 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 29 inches and the mean annual temperature is about 51 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Typic Haploxerepts

TYPICAL PEDON: Debenger loam, in rangeland with a 5 percent slope near Debenger Gap at 1,450 feet elevation. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted.)

A1--0 to 5 inches; dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) loam, brown (7.5YR 5/4) dry; moderate medium platy structure; friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many roots; many interstitial pores; slightly acid (pH 6.2); clear smooth boundary. (4 to 6 inches thick)

A2--5 to 9 inches; reddish brown (5YR 4/4) loam, reddish brown (5YR 5/4) dry; moderate thick platy and moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many fine roots; many fine interstitial pores; slightly acid (pH 6.2); clear smooth boundary. (3 to 5 inches thick)

Bw1--9 to 18 inches; reddish brown (5YR 4/4) clay loam, yellowish red (5YR 4/6) dry; moderate subangular blocky structure; firm, sticky and plastic; few fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; moderately acid (pH 6.0); clear smooth boundary. (5 to 10 inches thick)

Bw2--18 to 27 inches; yellowish red (5YR 4/6) clay loam, yellowish red (5YR 4/6) dry; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, sticky and plastic; few fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; moderately acid (pH 5.9); abrupt smooth boundary. (5 to 12 inches thick)

2Cr--27 inches; partially decomposed sandstone of the Umpqua formation.

TYPE LOCATION: Jackson County, Oregon; about 6 miles north of Tou Velle State Park, 2,400 feet west and 1,600 feet south of the NE corner of sec. 14, T. 35 S., R. 2 W.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The solum thickness and depth to a paralithic contact is 20 to 40 inches. The mean annual soil temperature is 48 to 56 degrees F. The soils are usually moist, but are dry between depths of 4 and 12 inches for 80 to 110 consecutive days following the summer solstice. The particle-size control section averages 20 to 35 percent clay and 0 to 15 percent gravel.

The A horizon has hue of 5YR, 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 3 or 4 moist, 5 or 6 dry, and chroma of 2 through 4 moist and dry. It averages 18 to 25 percent clay and 0 to 15 percent gravel. It is moderately or slightly acid.

The B horizon has hue of 5YR, 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 4 through 6 dry, and chroma of 3 through 6 dry. It is clay loam or loam, with 20 to 35 percent clay. It is strongly or moderately acid.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Hohmann, Kerby, Offenbacher, Shoat, Springwater and Wamic series. Kerby and Wamic soils are deeper than 40 inches to bedrock. Hohmann and Offenbacher soils are 20 to 40 inches deep to a lithic contact. Springwater soils are dry for 45 to 60 consecutive days. Shoat soils are 20 to 40 inches to a lithic contact.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Debenger soils are on fans and hillslopes at elevations of 700 to 3,500 feet. Slopes are 1 to 60 percent. These soils formed in colluvium and residuum weathered from sedimentary rocks. The climate is characterized by warm dry summers and cool moist winters. The mean annual temperature is 48 to 54 degrees F. The mean January temperature is 37 degrees F, and the mean July temperature is 72 degrees F. The mean annual precipitation is 18 to 40 inches. The frost-free period is 130 to 200 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Brader, Carney, Darow, Langellain, and Manita soils. Brader soils are shallow. Manita soils are deep and have an argillic horizon. Carney and Darow soils are fine. Langellain soils are fine-loamy over clayey.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; medium runoff; moderate permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: Debenger soils are used for grazing, pasture, homesite development, and wildlife habitat. Native vegetation is Oregon white oak, scattered ponderosa pine, Idaho fescue, snowberry and deerbrush.

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

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Josephine County, Oregon, 1979.

REMARKS:

Classification revised from fine-loamy, mixed, mesic Typic Xerochrepts 6/99


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.