LOCATION SHERAR OREstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, mesic Aridic Argixerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Sherar cobbly loam, rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A11--0 to 3 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) cobbly loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate thin platy and weak very fine granular structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine roots; many very fine irregular pores; 20 percent cobbles and 5 percent pebbles; neutral (pH 6.7); abrupt smooth boundary. (3 to 6 inches thick)
A12--3 to 9 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) clay loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, sticky and plastic; many very fine roots; many very fine tubular pores; 10 percent cobbles and 5 percent pebbles; neutral (pH 6.8); abrupt smooth boundary. (4 to 8 inches thick)
IIB2t--9 to 18 inches; dark brown (7.5YR 4/4) clay, dark brown (7.5YR 3/3) moist; weak medium prismatic parting to strong medium subangular blocky structure; extremely hard, very firm, very sticky and very plastic; few roots; many very fine tubular pores; common thin clay films; 10 percent cobbles and 5 percent pebbles; neutral (pH 6.8); clear wavy boundary. (6 to 12 inches thick)
IIB3t--18 to 29 inches; dark brown (7.5YR 4/4) very gravelly clay, dark brown (7.5YR 4/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; extremely hard, very firm, very sticky and very plastic; few roots; common very fine tubular pores; common thin clay films; 30 percent pebbles and 5 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 6.8); clear wavy boundary. (4 to 12 inches thick)
IIC1--29 to 35 inches; dark brown (7.5YR 4/4) very gravelly clay, dark brown (7.5YR 4/3) moist; massive; extremely hard, very firm, very sticky and very plastic; 45 percent pebbles and 5 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 6.8); abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 10 inches thick)
IIIC2r--35 to 50 inches; dark brown (10YR 4/3) semiconsolidated very cobbly breccia; extremely hard and extremely firm.
TYPE LOCATION: Wasco County, Oregon; 35 feet north of road in the NW1/4 NE1/4 SW1/4 section 29, T. 3 S., R. 14 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The soils are dry in all parts between depths of 4 and 12 inches for at least half the time (cumulative) during the period the soil temperature is above 41 degrees F. and are dry between depths of 4 and 12 inches for more than 90 consecutive days during the four months following the summer solstice. The mean annual soil temperature ranges from 50 to 54 degrees F. The solum ranges from 20 to 30 inches thick. Depth to a paralithic contact ranges from 20 to 40 inches.
The A horizon has value of 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist, and chroma of 2 or 3 moist and dry. It is loam or clay loam with 5 to 10 percent pebbles and 10 to 25 percent cobbles. This horizon has moderate thin platy to weak very fine granular structure.
The B horizon has value of 4 or 5 dry, 3 or 4 moist, and chroma of 3 or 4 moist and dry. It is clay or gravelly clay and has 40 to 50 percent clay, 5 to 25 percent pebbles and 10 to 25 percent cobbles. This horizon has weak medium or coarse prismatic and moderate to strong medium to coarse subangular blocky structure in the upper part and weak to moderate subangular blocky structure in the lower part.
COMPETING SERIES: These are Brite, Correco, Northmore, Recal, Simpson and Tehachapi series. All of these soils lack a paralithic or lithic contact above depth of 40 inches. Brite soils have sola thicker than 30 inches and have gravelly loam and gravelly sandy loam C horizons. Correco soils have an abrupt textural change, and have sola thicker than 46 inches. Northmore soils have sandy loam and loam A horizons, sandy clay B horizons and sola thicker than 36 inches. Recal soils have sola thicker than 40 inches and are extremely stony. Simpson soils have coarse and moderately coarse textured C horizons below depth of 40 inches. Tehachapi soils have 5YR hue.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Sherar soils have gently sloping to very steep south-facing slopes with gradients up to 70 percent and are at elevations of 1,500 to 2,500 feet. The soils formed in loess and sediments. These soils are in a semiarid climate with a mean annual precipitation of 10 to 12 inches. Summers are warm and dry with an average temperature of 66 degrees F. Winters are cool and moist with an average temperature of 34 degrees F. The mean annual temperature is 48 to 52 degrees F. The frost-free period (32 degrees F.) is 120 to 170 days and for (28 degrees F.) is 170 to 200 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Sinamox soils. Sinamox soils lack an argillic horizon and are 40 to 60 inches deep to a paralithic contact.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; medium to rapid runoff; slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Principal use is range. Other uses are wildlife and water supply. Vegetation is mainly bluebunch wheatgrass, Sandberg bluegrass and buckwheat.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: North-central Oregon. The soils are inextensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Wasco County, Oregon, 1975.