Slope ranges from 0 to 70 percent. The soil formed in residuum derived from clay shale and in places interbedded with thin layers of siltstone. Near the type location the mean annual precipitation ranges from 35 to 45 inches. The growing season ranges from 120 to 180 days. These are the Belpre , Brooke , Culleoka , Gilpin , Guernsey , Muskingum , Westmoreland , Summitville , Vandergrift soils and the competing Elba , Lowell , Vandalia , and Woodsfield soils.
Belpre soils have a darker colored surface horizon.
The Brooke, Culleoka, Gilpin and Muskingum soils have bedrock within a depth of 20 to 40 inches and hue of 7.5YR or yellower. Guernsey and Vandergrift soils have redoximorphic features with chroma of 2 or less in the upper 10 inches of the argillic horizon. In addition, Guernsey soils have hue of 7.5YR or yellower. The Westmoreland and Summitville soils have 18 to 35 percent clay in the particle-size control section. In addition, Westmoreland soils have hue of 7.5YR or yellower.