LOCATION FERRELO OR
Established Series
Rev. DT/CDJ/RWL
06/2011
FERRELO SERIES
The Ferrelo series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in moderately coarse-textured marine sediments overlying unconsolidated sandy material. They are on dissected marine terraces. Slopes are 0 to 60 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 80 inches and the mean annual temperature is about 51 degrees F.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, isotic, isomesic Typic Humudepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Ferrelo loam - spruce forest, on a 3 percent southwest-facing slope at 115 feet elevation. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted.)
Oi--0 to 2 inches; dark reddish brown (5YR 3/2) slightly decomposed litter, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/3) dry; very strongly acid (pH 5.0); abrupt smooth boundary. (1 to 7 inches thick)
A--2 to 10 inches; dark reddish brown (5YR 3/2) loam, dark reddish gray (5YR 4/2) dry; moderate fine subangular blocky structure parting to moderate fine granular; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many fine and medium roots; common irregular pores; strongly acid (pH 5.2); clear wavy boundary. (6 to 12 inches thick)
AB--10 to 20 inches; dark reddish brown (5YR 3/2) loam, dark reddish gray (5YR 4/2) dry; moderate medium subangular blocky structure parting to moderate fine granular; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many fine and medium roots; many coarse through very fine tubular pores; moderately acid (pH 5.6); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 16 inches thick)
Bw1--20 to 29 inches; brown (7.5YR 4/4) loam, brown (7.5YR 5/4) dry; few dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) variegations; weak medium subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few medium and coarse roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; common thin discontinuous dark reddish brown lenses that are very firm when moist and very hard when dry; these lenses appear to be slightly cemented when dry; common yellowish brown concretions; moderately acid (pH 5.6); clear wavy boundary. (4 to 12 inches thick)
Bw2--29 to 43 inches; brown (7.5YR 4/4) fine sandy loam, light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) dry; weak medium subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few medium and coarse roots; few medium, fine, and very fine tubular pores; few thin discontinuous reddish brown lenses that are firm when moist and very hard when dry; these lenses appear to be slightly cemented when dry; few fine reddish brown iron concretions; moderately acid (pH 5.6); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 16 inches thick)
2C1--43 to 60 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) loamy fine sand, light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) dry; few medium distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) variegations; massive; hard, firm, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine and medium tubular pores; fine reddish brown iron concretions; moderately acid (pH 6.0); abrupt wavy boundary. (10 to 20 inches thick)
3C2--60 to 70 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) fine sandy loam, very pale brown (10YR 8/2) dry; few coarse distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) variegations; massive; very firm, nonsticky and nonplastic; few medium and fine tubular pores; few distinct dark reddish brown (5YR 3/2) root channels: moderately acid (pH 6.0).
TYPE LOCATION: Curry County, Oregon; northwest corner of the intersection of old US Highway 101 and new US Highway 101, south of Nesika Beach and north of Gold Beach; located approximately 300 feet south and 500 feet east of the northwest corner of section 6, T. 36 S., R. 14 W., W.M. (Latitude 42 degrees, 29 minutes, 43 seconds N.; Longitude 124 degrees, 24 minutes, 48 seconds W.)
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature is 50 to 54 degrees F. The difference between mean summer and mean winter soil temperature varies from 5 to 9 degrees F. The soils are usually moist but are dry for less than 45 consecutive days during the summer months. Depth to bedrock is greater than 60 inches. The umbric epipedon is 10 to 20 inches thick.
The A horizon has hue of 5YR or 7.5YR, value of 2 or 3 moist, 4 or 5 dry, and chroma of 2 or 3 moist and dry. It is usually loam, sandy loam or fine sandy loam but some pedons have a thin overlay of loamy fine sand.
The Bw horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 3 or 4 moist, 5 or 6 dry, and chroma of 4 through 6 moist and dry. It is fine sandy loam, silt loam, or loam with 10 to 18 percent clay and more than 15 percent sand coarser than very fine sand. This horizon typically has one or two thin discontinuous dark reddish brown lenses that are firm or very firm and weakly cemented. These may be lacking in some pedons.
The 2C horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 through 6 moist, 6 through 8 dry, and chroma of 2 through 6 moist and dry. It is fine sandy loam, loamy fine sand, or fine sand with 2 to 10 percent clay. It is very firm and may range to weakly cemented below depths of 40 inches in some pedons.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series in this family.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Ferrelo soils are on dissected marine terraces at elevations of 15 to 400 feet. Slopes are 0 to 60 percent. They formed in moderately coarse textured marine sediments overlying unconsolidated sandy material. The climate is humid, characterized by cool, wet winters and cool, moist summers with fog. A strong marine influence limits the diurnal and annual range of temperature. The mean annual precipitation is 55 to 90 inches. The mean January temperature is 45 degrees F., and the mean July temperature is 59 degrees F. The mean annual temperature is 50 to 54 degrees F. The frost-free period is 180 to 300 days. Ferrelo soils occur on the Pioneer geomorphic surface.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the
Blacklock,
Depoe,
Frankport,
Horseprairie,
Knappa,
Netarts,
Templeton,
Waldport, and
Yaquina soils. Blacklock, Depoe, and Yaquina soils are poorly and somewhat poorly drained and have albic and spodic horizons. Knappa and Templeton soils are in the fine-silty family. Netarts soils have a thin albic horizon and fine sand spodic horizon. Frankport and Waldport soils lack a B horizon and are coarse textured. Horseprairie soils are in the fine-loamy family.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained, moderately rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used for timber production, building sites, pasture, recreation, watershed, and wildlife habitat. Native vegetation is Douglas-fir, western hemlock, grand fir, Sitka spruce, shore pine, salal, western azalea, Pacific rhododendron, evergreen huckleberry, and brackenfern.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Pleistocene marine terraces of the Oregon Coast; MLRA 4A. The series is of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Curry County, Oregon, 1970.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon include:
Umbric epipedon - from 2 to 20 inches (A, AB horizons).
Cambic horizon - from depths of 20 to 43 inches (Bw1, Bw2 horizons).
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.