LOCATION OXLEY OREstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, mesic Typic Argiaquolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Oxley gravelly silt loam, on a 1 percent slope in native pasture. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted.)
A1--0 to 10 inches; very dark brown (10YR 2/2) gravelly silty loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) dry; moderate fine subangular blocky and granular structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine roots; many fine and very fine tubular and irregular pores; 15 percent gravel; medium acid; clear smooth boundary. (6 to 12 inches thick)
A2--10 to 17 inches; very dark brown (10YR 2/2) gravelly silt loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) dry; moderate medium and fine subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, sticky and plastic; common very fine roots; many fine and very fine tubular pores; 15 percent gravel; medium acid; clear smooth boundary. (4 to 8 inches thick)
AB--17 to 23 inches; dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) gravelly clay loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) dry; weak fine prismatic parting to moderate medium and fine subangular blocky structure; very hard, friable, sticky and plastic; common very fine roots; many fine and very fine tubular pores; 20 percent gravel; medium acid; abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 7 inches thick)
Bt--23 to 35 inches; mottled dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) dark gray (10YR 4/1), brown (10YR 5/3), and strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) very gravelly clay loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) and yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) dry; weak fine and very fine subangular blocky structure; very hard, firm, sticky and plastic; few fine roots; fine and very fine tubular pores; common black manganese stains and other yellowish red (5YR 5/6) stains; continuous moderately thick clay films in pores and on rock surfaces; 55 percent gravel; medium acid; clear smooth boundary. (10 to 14 inches thick)
BCt--35 to 41 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) very gravelly loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) dry; many large prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) mottles; weak fine and very fine subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine roots; many medium, fine, and very fine tubular pores; many moderately thick clay films in pores and on surfaces of peds and rock fragments; 50 percent gravel and 5 percent cobbles; slightly acid; clear wavy boundary. (4 to 7 inches thick)
C--41 to 60 inches; multicolored dark gray (10YR 4/1), dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2), and gray (10YR 6/1) extremely gravelly sandy loam; many large prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6), strong brown (7.5YR 4/6), and yellowish red (5YR 4/6) mottles; massive; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine tubular pores; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) pockets of clay in pores and discontinuous cavities under large gravel and cobbles; 60 percent gravel and 10 percent cobbles; neutral.
TYPE LOCATION: Lane County, Oregon; 15 feet west of Edenvale Road and about 100 yards south of intersection of Valley and Edenvale Roads; SE1/4 NE1/4 of section 28, T. 18 S., R. 2 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The annual soil temperature ranges from 52 to 55 degrees F. The soil has an aquic moisture regime and is saturated with water during the winter. The mollic epipedon is 12 to 24 inches thick.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 2 or 3, and chroma of 1 or 2. It is gravelly loam, or gravelly silt loam. It is 15 to 25 percent gravel. Some pedons have a BA horizon.
The Bt horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 4 or 5 moist, and chroma of 2 or 3 dry, and has mottles of value of 4 or 5 moist, and chroma of 1 through 6 moist. It is very gravelly clay loam, and is 27 to 35 percent clay and 35 to 60 percent gravel and cobbles.
The C horizon is distinctly or prominently mottled and highly variegated. It is extremely gravelly sandy loam, very gravelly loam, or extremely gravelly loam. It is 55 to 80 percent coarse fragments.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series in this family. Clackamas and Quatama series are similar. Clackamas soils are fine-loamy. Quatama soils lack a mollic epipedon and are fine-loamy.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Oxley soils are on terraces in concave positions at elevations of 300 to 700 feet. Slopes are 0 to 3 percent. The soils formed in medium to moderately fine textured gravelly mixed alluvium. The climate is characterized by dry, cool summers and cool, wet winters. The mean annual precipitation is 40 to 60 inches; and the mean annual temperature is 52 to 54 degrees F. The frost-free season is 165 to 210 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Briedwell, Conser, Courtney, Salem, and Sifton soils. Briedwell soils are well drained and lack mottles. Conser soils have less than 10 percent rock fragments in the control section. Courtney soils are poorly drained and have more than 35 percent clay in the argillic horizon. Salem and Sifton soils are well drained and have contrasting textures within the control section.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat poorly drained; slow runoff; moderately slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Are used for pasture, hay, and grass seed crops. Where drained, are used for small grains, row crops, and homesites. Native vegetation is Oregon white oak, hazel bush, bracken fern, rose, and grass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southern part of the Willamette Valley in western Oregon. The series is not extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Lane County Area, Oregon, l981.
REMARKS: These soils were formerly mapped as Clackamas series.