LOCATION STEINMETZ OREstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Typic Dystroxerepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Steinmetz sandy loam, forested. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise noted.)
Oi--1 inch to 0; partially decomposed needles and twigs.
A--0 to 4 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) sandy loam, pale brown (10YR 6/3) dry; strong fine granular structure; hard, very friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; many very fine, fine, and medium roots; many very fine irregular pores; 10 percent gravel and 3 percent cobbles; slightly acid (pH 6.4); clear smooth boundary. (3 to 5 inches thick)
AB--4 to 13 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) sandy loam, light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) dry; moderate very fine and fine subangular blocky structure; hard, very friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; common very fine, fine, medium and few coarse roots; many very fine tubular pores; 10 percent gravel and 3 percent cobbles; moderately acid (pH 5.8); gradual wavy boundary. (4 to 10 inches thick)
Bw1--13 to 33 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) sandy loam, light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) dry; moderate very fine and fine subangular blocky structure; hard, very friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; common very fine, fine, medium and few coarse roots; many very fine tubular pores; 10 percent gravel and 3 percent cobbles; moderately acid (pH 6.0); gradual wavy boundary. (10 to 23 inches thick)
Bw2--33 to 60 inches; brown (7.5YR 4/4) sandy loam, very pale brown (10YR 7/4) dry; moderate very fine and fine subangular blocky structure; hard, very friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; few very fine, fine, medium, and coarse roots; common very fine tubular pores; 10 percent gravel and 3 percent cobbles; moderately acid (6.0).
TYPE LOCATION: Jackson County, Oregon; approximately 2,300 feet east and 2,150 feet south of the northwest corner of sec. 5, T. 33 S., R. 3 W., W.M.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: These soils are usually moist but are dry in the moisture control section for 45 to 60 consecutive days in the four months that follow the summer solstice. The mean annual soil temperature ranges from 47 to 54 degrees F. Depth to partially decomposed granodiorite is more than 60 inches. The particle-size control section averages 10 to 18 percent clay, 0 to 30 percent gravel, and 0 to 5 percent cobbles.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 2 to 4 moist, 4 to 6 dry and chroma of 2 to 4 moist and dry. Colors which qualify for mollic only occur in the upper 3 to 5 inches. It has 0 to 30 percent gravel and 0 to 5 percent cobbles. It is strongly acid to slightly acid. It has 2 to 4 percent organic matter.
The Bw horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 4 or 5 moist, 6 to 8 dry, and chroma of 4 to 6 moist and dry. It has 0 to 30 percent gravel and 0 to 5 percent cobbles. It is a sandy loam or gravelly sandy loam. It is very strongly acid to moderately acid.
A BC or C horizon may occur in some pedons. Textures vary from sandy loam to very gravelly sand. These horizons commonly occur directly above weathered granodiorite.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Chaix, Dome, Elwha, Gilligan, Siskiyou, Sitkum (T), Tethrick, Ulricher and Vader series. The Chaix, Elwha, Siskiyou and Sitkum soils are 20 to 40 inches to a paralithic contact. Dome soils are dry for over 90 consecutive days. Gilligan soils have a silt loam mantle which extends into the particle-size control section and overlay glacial outwash material. Siskiyou and Tethrick soils are dry for 60 to 90 consecutive days. Ulricher soils are dry for 90 to 120 consecutive days. Vader soils developed from fine grained sandstone and contain 0 to 30 percent soft gravel and cobble-size fragments.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Steinmetz soils are on hill slopes or side slopes of mountains. Elevations are 2,000 to 4,000 feet. Slopes are 30 to 90 percent. These soils formed in colluvium and residuum derived from granodiorite or other granitic rock types. The mean annual precipitation is typically 40 to 60 inches but may range to 100 inches in high winter rainfall interior mountains of Curry County, Oregon. The mean annual temperature is 45 to 52 degrees F. The frost-free period is 100 to 160 days. Slopes range from 35 to 75 percent.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Lettia and Sitkum soils. The Lettia soil is fine-loamy and has an argillic horizon. The Sitkum soils are 20 to 40 inches to a paralithic contact. These soils occur on broad ridgetops or side slopes of mountains.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat excessively drained; moderately rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for timber production. Native vegetation includes an overstory of Douglas fir, white fir, incense cedar, western hemlock, and Pacific madrone. Understory includes Alaska oniongrass, cascade Oregongrape, western princes pine, salal, whipplevine, oceanspray, and golden chinkapin. In high rainfall areas of Curry County, Oregon, the vegetation includes sugar pine, tanoak, canyon live oak, and golden chinkapin.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Mountainous areas of southwestern Oregon; MLRA 5. The series is of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Jackson County Area, Oregon, 1988.
REMARKS: Formerly classified as coarse-loamy, mixed, mesic Dystric Xerochrepts, competing series not updated at the time of reclassification.
Diagnostic horizons and features:
Ochric epipedon
Cambic horizon - the zone from 13 to 60 inches (lower AB horizon, Bw1, and Bw2 horizons).
Dystric feature - the zone from 10 to 30 inches having a base saturation (NH4OAc) of less than 60 percent.