LOCATION PEEL OREstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, magnesic, mesic Vertic Argixerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Peel clay loam - on a 30 percent forested hillside. When described, the soils were dry. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
A1--0 to 3 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) clay loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) dry; moderate very fine granular and moderate fine subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, sticky and plastic; many very fine and medium roots; many very fine tubular pores; 10 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.4); abrupt smooth boundary. (2 to 4 inches thick)
A2--3 to 9 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) clay loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) dry; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; very hard, firm, sticky and plastic; many very fine and medium roots; many very fine tubular pores; 10 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.6); clear smooth boundary. (6 to 12 inches thick)
Bt--9 to 24 inches; dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) gravelly clay, dark brown (7.5YR 4/2) dry; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; very hard, very firm, very sticky and very plastic; common fine and coarse roots; many fine and few medium tubular pores; 25 percent gravel; common distinct clay films in pores; common pressure faces; neutral (pH 6.6); clear wavy boundary. (12 to 18 inches thick)
BC--24 to 29 inches; dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) gravelly silty clay, grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) dry; massive; very hard, firm, very sticky and very plastic; common medium and coarse roots; common very fine tubular pores; 25 percent gravel; many pressure faces; neutral (pH 6.6); abrupt wavy boundary. (0 to 6 inches thick)
C--29 to 38 inches; olive gray (5Y 4/2) silty clay, light olive gray (5Y 6/2) dry; massive; very hard, firm, sticky and very plastic; few very fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; 10 percent weathered gravel; common pressure faces; neutral (pH 6.8); abrupt irregular boundary.
Cr--38 to 42 inches; partially weathered serpentinitic bedrock.
TYPE LOCATION: Douglas County, Oregon; 11/4 miles southwest of Interstate 5 on Boomer Hill Road; 2,550 feet north and 1900 feet east of the southwest corner of section 10, T. 29 S., R. 5 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The soils are usually moist but are dry in the control section for 60 to 80 consecutive days during the 4-month period folowing the summer solstice. The mean annual soil temperature is 52 to 56 degrees F. Depth to soft bedrock and the sola thickness are 20 to 40 inches. The soils crack to the surface at some period in most years during the period following the solstice. The mollic epipedon is 20 to 34 inches thick.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR, 7.5YR or 2.5Y, value of 2 or 3 moist and 4 or 5 dry, and chroma of 1 or 2 moist and dry. Coarse fragments range from 0 to 15 percent gravel.
The Bt horizon has hue of 10YR, 7.5YR or 2.5Y, value of 2 through 4 moist, 4 or 5 dry and chroma of 1 or 2 moist or dry. It is gravelly clay or gravelly silty clay, averaging 40 to 55 percent clay. Coarse fragments range from 15 to 35 percent gravel.
The C horizon has hue of 5Y or 2.5Y, value of 4 or 5 moist, 6 or 7 dry and chroma of 1 or 2 moist and dry. Coarse fragments range from 0 to 10 percent gravel.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no other series in this family.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Peel soils are on hillsides and footslopes at elevations of 600 to 3,500 feet. Slopes are 3 to 30 percent. Small slump scars are numerous. The soils formed mainly in colluvium weathered from serpentinite or peridotite rocks. The summers are warm and dry and the winters are cool and moist. Mean annual precipitation is 30 to 60 inches. Mean annual temperature is 50 to 54 degrees F.; average January temperature is about 39 degrees F.; and average July temperature is about 66 to 68 degrees F. Average frost-free period is 150 to 220 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Pearsoll soils and the competing Cornutt soils. Pearsoll soils are well drained and are less than 20 inches deep to bedrock.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Moderately well drained; medium to rapid runoff; slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used for grazing, water supply, timber production, and wildlife habitat. The native vegetation is mainly scattered Oregon white oak, incense cedar, Jeffrey pine, Douglas fir, rose, poison oak, and grasses.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southwestern Oregon. The series is inextensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Douglas County, Oregon, 1994.