LOCATION SCALEROCK OREstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, frigid Lithic Dystrudepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Scalerock very channery loam - woodland, on a 52 percent southwest-facing slope at 2,790 feet elevation. (When described on August 1, 1989, the soil profile was dry throughout. Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted.)
0i--1 inch to 0; partially decomposed needles, leaves, twigs, and woody materials.
A--0 to 4 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) very channery loam, light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) dry; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine, and few medium roots; many fine tubular pores; 35 percent channers, 15 percent flagstones and 5 percent stones; extremely acid (pH 4.3); clear wavy boundary. (3 to 6 inches thick)
BA--4 to 9 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) very flaggy clay loam, very pale brown (10YR 7/4) dry; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, sticky and slightly plastic; many fine, and few medium and coarse roots; many fine tubular pores; 20 percent channers and 35 percent flagstones; very strongly acid (pH 4.5); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 5 inches thick)
Bw--9 to 13 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) very flaggy clay loam, very pale brown (10YR 8/4) dry; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, sticky and slightly plastic; few fine and medium roots; many fine tubular pores; 25 percent channers and 30 percent flagstones; very strongly acid (pH 4.7); abrupt wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bw horizon is 7 to 9 inches)
R--13 inches; fractured schist.
TYPE LOCATION: Curry County, Oregon; about 1,650 feet south and 2,310 feet east of the northwest corner of section 31, T. 37 1/2 S., R. 12 W. (Latitude 42 degrees, 18 minutes, 42 seconds N.; Longitude 124 degrees, 10 minutes, 10 seconds W.)
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature is 41 to 46 degrees F. The soils are usually moist and are dry for less than 45 consecutive days in all parts between depths of 4 and 12 inches in the four months following the summer solstice. The particle-size control section averages 27 to 35 percent clay and 50 to 85 percent rock fragments. Depth to bedrock and solum thickness is 10 to 20 inches. Hue is 7.5YR or 10YR.
The A horizon has value of 3 to 5 moist, 6 or 7 dry and chroma of 4 to 6 moist and dry. It is very channery loam with 20 to 25 percent clay. It has 35 to 50 percent channers, 10 to 20 percent flagstones, and 0 to 10 percent stones. It is extremely to very strongly acid throughout.
The Bw horizon has value of 4 to 6 moist, 6 to 8 dry and chroma of 4 to 6 moist and dry. It is very flaggy clay loam or extremely flaggy clay loam with 27 to 35 percent clay. It has 20 to 30 percent channers, 30 to 50 percent flagstones, and 0 to 5 percent stones. It is very strongly acid throughout.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Euchrand (T), Halcott and Taconic series. Euchrand, Halcott, and Taconic soils average less than 27 percent clay in the Bw horizon.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Scalerock soils are on metastable to active side slopes of mountains. Slopes are 30 to 90 percent. The soils formed in colluvium derived from schist or phyllite rock types of the Colebrooke Schist Formation. Elevations are 2,500 to 4,500 feet. The climate is characterized by cool wet winters and warm moist summers. The mean annual precipitation is 130 to 160 inches. The mean annual temperature is 40 to 45 degrees F. The frost-free period is 60 to 120 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Saddlepeak (T), Threetrees (T), Soldiercamp (T) and Coffeebutte (T) soils. Saddlepeak and Threetrees soils occur on broad ridgetops and side slopes of mountains. Saddlepeak soils are greater than 60 inches deep to bedrock. Threetrees soils are 20 to 40 inches deep to bedrock. Soldiercamp and Coffeebutte soils occur in open grassland areas on broad ridgetops and south-facing side slopes of mountains. Soldiercamp soils are 10 to 20 inches deep to bedrock and have an umbric epipedon. Coffeebutte soils are 20 to 40 inches deep to bedrock and have an umbric epipedon.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; moderately slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used mainly for timber production, watershed, recreation, and wildlife habitat. The native vegetation is Douglas fir, tanoak, golden chinkapin, canyon live oak, Pacific madrone, salal, cascade Oregongrape, Pacific rhododendron, western swordfern, common beargrass and western brackenfern.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Mountainous areas of southwestern Oregon; MLRA 1. The series is not extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES PROPOSED: Curry County, Oregon, 1991. The source of the name is coined.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon include:
Ochric epipedon -
Cambic horizon - from a depth of 9 to 13 inches (Bw horizon).
Particle-size control section - from 10 to 13 inches (Bw horizon) with a weighted average of 55 percent rock fragments.
Lithic subgroup - soil depth is 13 inches to bedrock.
ADDITIONAL DATA: Partial laboratory data available for pedon 90P 308, sample 90P1902 from Curry County, Oregon sampled by NSSL at Lincoln, Nebraska - 3/90.