LOCATION ROCKFORD           OR
Established Series
Rev. DFA/AON
10/2002

ROCKFORD SERIES


The Rockford series is a member of the loamy-skeletal, mixed, mesic family of Ultic Haploxerolls. Typically, Rockford soils have dark brown and dark reddish brown cobbly loam A horizons, dark reddish brown very cobbly loam B horizons, and dark brown very cobbly loam C horizons.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, mesic Ultic Haploxerolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Rockford stony loam, pasture. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted.)

Ap--0 to 7 inches; dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) cobbly loam, brown (10YR 5/3) dry; moderate medium granular structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; many very fine roots; few very fine irregular pores; 10 percent stones, 10 percent cobbles, 5 percent pebbles; medium acid (pH 6.0); clear wavy boundary. (4 to 8 inches thick)

A3--7 to 12 inches; dark reddish brown (5YR 3/3) cobbly loam, brown (7.5YR 5/3) dry; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; many very fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; 10 percent stones, 15 percent cobbles, and 5 percent pebbles; medium acid (pH 6.0); clear wavy boundary. (4 to 10 inches thick)

B2--12 to 24 inches; dark reddish brown (5YR 3/4) very cobbly loam, brown (7.5YR 5/4) dry; moderate coarse subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; common very fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; 15 percent stones, 20 percent cobbles, 20 percent pebbles; medium acid (pH 6.0); gradual wavy boundary. (10 to 20 inches thick)

IIC--24 to 60 inches; dark brown (7.5YR 4/4) very cobbly loam, light reddish brown (5YR 6/4) dry; massive; very hard, firm, sticky, slightly plastic; few very fine roots to depth of 40 inches; few very fine tubular pores; common moderately thick clay films in pores and on pebbles; 20 percent stones, 20 percent cobbles, and 20 percent pebbles; common black coatings; medium acid (pH 6.0).
TYPE LOCATION: Hood River County, Oregon; 1/2 mile west of Rockford in field NW of junction of County Club Road and Barrett Road in the SE1/4 SW1/4 SE1/4 section 4, T. 2 N., R. 10 E.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The soil is usually moist but is dry in all parts between depths of 4 and 12 inches for 60 to 80 days during the summer. Cemented stony layers occur at depths of 40 to more than 60 inches. The mean annual soil temperature ranges from 46 to 52 degrees F. The control section averages 18 to 30 percent clay and more than 15 percent coarser than very fine sand. Rock fragments range from 50 to 80 percent. Few boulders are on the surface and in the profile in most areas.

The A horizon has hue of 5YR, 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist, and chroma of 2 or 3 moist and dry.

The B horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 5YR, value of 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist, and chroma of 3 or 4 moist and dry. It is loam or clay loam. This horizon has 10 to 20 percent stones and 15 to 25 percent each of cobbles and pebbles.

The C horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 5YR, value of 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist, and chroma of 3 or 4 moist and dry. It is loam, clay loam or sandy loam. It has 15 to 25 percent each of stones and cobbles, and 25 to 35 percent pebbles.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Bald, Briedwell, Lenz, Takilma and Tyson series. Bald soils are 20 to 40 inches deep to bedrock. Briedwell soils have sola with less than 25 percent rock fragments and an average of 35 to 50 percent rock fragments in the control section. Lenz soils have less than 25 percent rock fragments in the solum and are dominantly moderately coarse textured with less than 18 percent clay in the control section. Takilma soils have less than 18 percent clay in the control section and lack stones and boulders. Tyson soils are 20 to 49 inches deep to bedrock.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Rockford soils are on nearly level to moderately steep upland slopes at elevations of 100 to 2,000 feet. These soils formed in very cobbly medium and moderately fine textured glacial outwash material from basalt and andesite. The climate is subhumid with a mean annual precipitation of 30 to 45 inches. The mean annual temperature is about 42 to 51 degrees F., the mean January temperature is about 31 to 34 degrees F., and the mean July temperature is 62 to 66 degrees F. The frost-free (32 degrees F.) period is 100 to 180 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Oak Grove, Wind River and Van Horn soils. Oak Grove soils have fine textured argillic horizons. Wind River and Van Horn soils contain less than 35 percent fragments coarser than 2 mm.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well-drained; slow to medium runoff; and moderate permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: Pasture and hay. Native vegetation is mainly ponderosa pine, Douglas-fir, Oregon white oak, forbs and shrubs.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Uplands of north-central Oregon. This series is inextensive.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Hood River County, Oregon, 1912.

REMARKS: The Rockford soils were classified as Brunizem-like soils and as Reddish Brown Lateritic soils.


NATIONAL COOPERATIVE SOIL SURVEY
U.S.A.