LOCATION FALOMA             OR
Established Series
Rev. RTS/AON/TDT
02/2001

FALOMA SERIES


The Faloma series consists of very deep, poorly drained soils that formed in mixed alluvium. Faloma soils are on broad flood plains and have slopes of 0 to 3 percent. The mean annual precipitation is 50 inches and the mean annual temperature is about 53 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-silty over sandy or sandy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, mesic Fluvaquentic Endoaquolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Faloma silt loam, cultivated. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted.)

A1--0 to 3 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) silt loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) dry; common fine prominent yellowish red (5YR 4/8) and grayish brown (10YR 5/2) redox concentrations; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine roots; many very fine tubular pores; moderately acid (pH 6.0); abrupt smooth boundary. (3 to 5 inches thick)

A2--3 to 10 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) silt loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) dry; common fine prominent yellowish red (5YR 4/8) redox concentrations; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine roots; many very fine tubular pores; moderately acid (pH 6.0); clear smooth boundary. (3 to 8 inches thick)

Bw--10 to 15 inches; dark gray (10YR 4/1) silt loam, light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) dry; many fine and medium prominent yellowish red (5YR 4/8) redox concentrations; moderate medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; very hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; moderately acid (pH 6.0); clear wavy boundary. (4 to 7 inches thick)

2C--15 to 60 inches; sand; dark gray (10YR 4/1), reddish brown (5YR 5/4), dark reddish gray (10YR 4/1) and dusky red (10YR 3/4) redox depletions and concentrations; single grain; loose; nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine roots; many very fine irregular pores; moderately acid (pH 6.0).

TYPE LOCATION: Multnomah County, Oregon; about 100 yards from the mouth of the Sandy River on the east bank; SE1/4 NE1/4 SE1/4 section 16, T.1S., R.2E.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature is 54 to 56 degrees F. The soils are saturated for many months each year. The thickness of the solum and depth to sand range from 14 to 20 inches. The soils are slightly acid or moderately acid.

The A horizon has value of 2 or 3 moist, 4 or 5 dry and chroma of 1 or 2 moist and dry. It has faint to prominent mottles. It is silt loam or very fine sandy loam.

The B horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 3 or 4 moist, 5 or 6 dry and chroma of 1 or 2 moist and dry. Mottles are distinct or prominent. This horizon is silt loam or very fine sandy loam. It has weak or moderate structure.

The 2C horizon ranges from loamy fine sand to coarse sand. Redox concentrations are distinct or prominent. Up to 10 percent gravel are in some pedons.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Erber, Hershal, and Zillah series in other families. Erber soils are dominantly sandy in the texture control section and are neutral to moderately alkaline. Hershal soils have a mollic epipedon thicker than 24 inches, and neutral, and have mean annual soil temperature of 47 degrees to 51 degrees F. Zillah soils are deeper than 40 inches to sand, lack contrasting textures in the control section and are neutral or moderately alkaline.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Faloma soils are on broad flood plains at elevations of 10 to 20 feet. Slopes range from 0 to 3 percent. The soils formed in mixed recent alluvium. The climate is subhumid with cool, moist winters and warm, dry summers. Mean January temperature ranges from 38 degrees to 40 degrees F., mean July temperature ranges from 66 degrees to 68 degrees F., and mean annual temperature ranges from 52 degrees to 54 degrees F. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 45 to 55 inches. The frost-free season is about 165 to 210 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Sauvie, Rafton, and Moag soils. Sauvie soils have silt loam or silty clay loam B horizons. Rafton soils have light colored A horizons over silt loam B horizons. Moag soils have silty clay or clay B horizons.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Poorly drained; slow runoff; moderate over rapid permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: When diked and drained, the soils are used for truck crops. Areas outside of the dike are in native vegetation and provide wildlife habitat or are used for pasture. Native vegetation is cottonwood, Oregon ash, Oregon white oak, willow, rose, trailing blackberry, common snowberry, forbs and grasses.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Along the Columbia River, at the confluence with the Sandy River in Multnomah County, Oregon. The soil is inextensive.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Multnomah County, Oregon, 1977.


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.