LOCATION SUTHERLIN OREstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy over clayey, mixed, superactive, mesic Ultic Haploxeralfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Sutherlin loam, on a 6 percent broadly convex north-facing slope in an improved pasture. (When described soils were dry. Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
A1--0 to 2 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) silt loam, brown (10YR 5/3) dry; common fine distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6), and light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) mottles concentrated in root channels; moderate fine and medium granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine roots; common very fine continuous interstitial and tubular pores; moderately acid (pH 5.9); gradual smooth boundary. (2 to 5 inches thick)
A2--2 to 8 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) silt loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) dry; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine roots; many very fine continuous tubular pores; moderately acid (pH 5.9); gradual smooth boundary. (4 to 8 inches thick)
BA--8 to 16 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) silt loam, light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) dry; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine roots; many very fine and fine and few medium continuous tubular pores; moderately acid (pH 5.6); clear smooth boundary. (5 to 10 inches thick)
Bt1--16 to 21 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) silty clay loam, light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) dry; common fine faint yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) mottles and few fine distinct very dark gray (10YR 3/1) manganese stains; moderate medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, firm, sticky and plastic; common fine and medium roots; many very fine and fine continuous tubular pores; few faint dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) retain clay films on faces of peds and lining pores; and many prominent very dark gray (10YR 3/1) manganese stains; moderately acid (pH 5.9); abrupt smooth boundary. (8 to 14 inches thick)
Bt2--21 to 30 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) silty clay loam, light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) dry; many medium distinct strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) mottles; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, sticky and plastic; many very fine and fine and few medium roots; many very fine and fine continuous tubular pores; common distinct dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) retain clay films on faces of peds and lining pores; and many prominent very dark gray (10YR 3/1) manganese stains; moderately acid (pH 5.8); abrupt smooth boundary. (5 to 14 inches thick)
2BC--30 to 34 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) silty clay, brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) dry; many medium and coarse prominent grayish brown (10YR 5/2) and yellowish red (5YR 4/6) mottles and many prominent fine very dark gray (10YR 3/1) manganese concretions; weak medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; very hard, very firm, very sticky and very plastic; few fine and medium roots concentrated along faces of peds; few fine discontinuous tubular pores; strongly acid (pH 5.5); gradual smooth boundary. (3 to 6 inches thick)
2Ci--34 to 43 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) silty clay, brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) dry; many medium and coarse distinct light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) and yellowish red (5YR 4/6) mottles; many prominent medium very dark gray (10YR 3/1) manganese stains; massive; extremely hard, extremely firm, very sticky and very plastic; few fine roots; few very fine discontinuous tubular pores; strongly acid (pH 5.3); clear smooth boundary. (6 to 10 inches thick)
2C2--43 to 51 inches; mottled yellowish brown (10YR 5/6), (10YR 5/8) and light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) silty clay; common prominent coarse very dark gray (10YR 3/1) manganese stains; massive; extremely hard, extremely firm, very sticky and very plastic; few fine roots; few very fine discontinuous tubular pores; 5 percent soft siltstone fragments; strongly acid (pH 5.3); gradual smooth boundary. (4 to 8 inches thick)
2C3--51 to 60 inches; mottled yellowish brown (10YR 5/6 and 5/8) and light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) silty clay; many prominent coarse very dark gray (10YR 3/1) manganese stains; massive; extremely hard, extremely firm, very sticky and very plastic; 15 percent soft siltstone fragments; strongly acid (pH 5.3).
TYPE LOCATION: Douglas County, Oregon; about 3 miles northwest of the community of Lookingglass; 900 feet north and 1,260 feet west of the southeast corner of section 16, T. 27 S., R. 7 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The soil is usually moist, but is dry throughout the moisture control section for 60 to 90 consecutive days. The mean annual soil temperature ranges from 52 to 57 degrees F. The base saturation is less than 75 percent in some part of the argillic horizon. Depth to a paralithic contact commonly is greater than 60 inches but in some pedons it is as shallow as 40 inches. Depth to the clayey lithologic discontinuity is 24 to 36 inches.
The A horizon has hue of 10YR or 7.5YR or 5YR, value of 3 or 4 moist, 4 through 6 dry, and chroma of 2 through 4 moist and dry. Coarse fragments range from 0 to 10 percent.
The Bt horizon has hue of 10YR, 7.5YR or 5YR, value of 3 or 4 moist, 5 or 6 dry and chroma of 4 through 6 moist and dry. It is silty clay loam or clay loam and averages 27 to 35 percent clay and more than 15 percent coarser than very fine sand. There is a stone line at the base of this horizon in some pedons. Clean sand and silt coatings are common in the upper B horizon in some pedons. Coarse fragments range from 0 to 15 percent.
The 2BC and 2C horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 or 5 moist, 6 or 7 dry, and chroma of 3 through 6 moist and 4 through 6 dry. It is massive or has weak coarse prismatic structure. Slickensides are common in some pedons. It is silty clay or clay and averages 55 to 65 percent clay. Coarse fragments in the upper part range from 0 to 15 percent and 0 to 25 percent in the lower part. The fragments commonly are weathered and can be crushed.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Selmac series in the same family and the Hazelair and Yoncalla series. Hazelair soils have a mollic epipedon and lack an argillic horizon. Yoncalla soils are somewhat poorly drained and have mottles with chroma of 2 or less at depths of 24 inches or less and are 14 to 24 inches deep to nonconforming clay IIC horizon.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Sutherlin soils are on broadly convex foot slopes and moderately steep hill slopes. Elevations are 300 to 2,000 feet. Slopes are 3 to 60 percent. The soils formed in alluvium and colluvium that is loamy in the upper part and clayey in the lower part. The origin fine clayey material is probably depositional but exact origin is unknown. The mean annual temperature is 50 to 55 degrees F., and the mean annual precipitation is 30 to 60 inches. The frost-free season is 160 to 235 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Nonpareil, Oakland, and Speaker series. Nonpareil soils lack an argillic horizon and are shallow and well drained. Oakland soils are well drained and have a fine textured argillic horizon. Speaker soils are well drained, lack nonconformities and are 20 to 40 inches deep to a paralithic contact.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Moderately well drained; very slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used primarily for grazing and improved pasture. Smaller areas are used for small grains and building sites. Native vegetation is Oregon white oak, Pacific madrone, Douglas fir, rose, poison oak, common snowberry, tall Oregongrape and blue wildrye.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Interior valleys of southern and west-central Oregon and northern California. The series is of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Mendocino County, State Cooperative Vegetation Survey, 1952.
REMARKS: The activity class was added to the classification in March of 2003. Competing series were not checked at that time. - ET