LOCATION CHAMATE OREstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, isotic, mesic Typic Dystrudepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Chamate extremely gravelly loam-forested, on a northwest-facing slope of 55 percent at an elevation of 1760 feet. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
Oi--0 to 1 inch; needles, cones, mosses, and lichens.
A--1 to 8 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) extremely gravelly loam, light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) dry; single grained; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine and fine, and few medium roots; 80 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.4); abrupt smooth boundary. (4 to 8 inches thick)
AB--8 to 16 inches; dark brown (10YR 4/3) very gravelly loam, light gray (10YR 7/2) dry; moderate medium granular structure; soft, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine and fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; 45 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.6); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 9 inches thick)
Bw1--16 to 34 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) very gravelly loam, light gray (10YR 7/2) dry; weak medium subangular blocky structure parting to weak medium granular; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and medium roots; many very fine, fine, and medium tubular pores; 45 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.6); gradual wavy boundary.
Bw2--34 to 57 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) very gravelly loam, very pale brown (10YR 7/3) dry; weak medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; slight hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine roots; many very fine and fine tubular pores; 55 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.8); clear wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bw horizon is 40 to 56 inches)
C--57 to 66 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) extremely gravelly loam, very pale brown (10YR 7/3) dry; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine, fine, and medium roots; many very fine and fine tubular pores; 65 percent gravel and 10 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 6.8).
TYPE LOCATION: Douglas County, Oregon, about 2 1/2 miles southeast of the community of Peel, about 1600 feet west and 500 feet south of the northeast corner of section 13, T.27S., R.3W. (Latitude 43 degrees, 13 minutes, 39 seconds N, Longitude 122 degrees, 59 minutes, 48 seconds W)
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The soils are usually moist but are dry within all parts of the moisture control section for 30 to 45 consecutive days following the summer solstice. The mean annual soil temperature is 48 to 54 degrees F. Depth to bedrock is greater than 60 inches. The particle-size control section has 8 to 18 percent clay and 40 to 70 percent rock fragments, mainly angular tuff fragments.
The A horizon has value of 3 to 5 moist, 5 to 7 dry, and chroma of 2 to 4 moist and 2 or 3 dry. It has 60 to 80 percent gravel and 0 to 20 percent cobbles.
The Bw and C horizons have hue of 10YR or 7.5YR, value of 4 or 5 moist, 6 to 8 dry, and chroma of 3 or 4 moist and 2 or 3 dry. They are very gravelly loam, very gravelly sandy loam, extremely gravelly loam, or extremely gravelly sandy loam. They have 40 to 65 percent gravel and 0 to 20 percent cobbles.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Annisquam, Berks, Blasdell, Brownsville, Calvin, Cardiff, Chenango, Dekalb, Greenlee, Hazleton, Highsplint, Konnarock (T), Lippitt, Manlius, Nailkeg (T), Northcove, Oquaga, Parker, Peaks, Remote, Sylco, Tunkhannock, Warwick, Watt, and Wyoming soils. The Annisquam soils have 5 to 25 percent rock fragments greater than 10 inches in diameter within the particle-size control section. The Blasdell soils have a particle-size control section dominated by shale rock fragments. The Berks, Calvin, Lippitt, Nailkeg, Peaks, and Sylco soils are 20 to 40 inches to bedrock. The Cardiff soils are 40 to 60 inches to bedrock. The Chenango, Tunkhannock, and Wyoming soils are formed in water-sorted material and have a particle-size control section that is dominated by rounded rock fragments. The Dekalb, Konnarock, Manlius, Oquaga, and Watt soils are 20 to 40 inches to bedrock and have a particle-size control section that is dominated by channers. The Greenlee soils have a particle-size control section that is dominated by granite, gneiss, or schist rock fragments. The Brownsville, Hazleton, Highsplint, and Warwick soils have a particle-size control section that is dominated by channers. The Northcove soils have a particle-size control section that is dominated by metasedimentary rock fragments. Parker soils are formed in residuum weathered from gneiss and have a particle-size control section that is dominated by these rock fragments. The Remote soils have more than 18 percent clay in the particle-size control section.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Chamate soils are below escarpments of hard, massive welded tuff. Slopes are 3 to 60 percent. The soils formed in colluvium derived from welded tuff that have flaked off the rock outcrops above these soils. Elevations are 800 to 3500 feet. The climate is characterized by warm, wet winters and hot, moist summers. The mean annual precipitation is 50 to 70 inches, and the mean annual temperature is 46 to 53 degrees F. The frost-free period is 100 to 170 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Gustin, Harrington, Honeygrove, Kinney, Klickitat, Orford, and Vena soils. Gustin soils are clayey and are on concave side slopes and swales. Harrington and Vena soils are moderately deep and on convex side slopes. Honeygrove and Orford soils are clayey and are on concave side slopes and broad ridges. Kinney soils are fine-loamy and are on side slopes. Klickitat soils have an umbric epipedon and are on side slopes. All of these soils except Vena are weathered from parent material other than welded tuff.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: well drained; moderately rapid permeability
USE AND VEGETATION: Chamate soils are used for timber production, wildlife habitat, and road surfacing material. Native vegetation includes Douglas fir, incense cedar, Pacific madrone, salal, cascade Oregongrape, and western fescue.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Cascade Mountains in southwestern Oregon, MLRA 3. The series is not extensive.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Portland, Oregon
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Douglas County, Oregon, 1994.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in the pedon include;
Ochric epipedon
Cambic horizon - from 16 to 57 inches. (Bw1 and Bw2 horizons)
Particle-size control section - from 11 to 41 inches.
All depths to diagnostic horizons and features are measured from the top of the first mineral horizon.