LOCATION HUNSINGER CA
Established Series
Rev. AFF/CAF/JJJ
12/2022
HUNSINGER SERIES
The Hunsinger series consists of deep, well drained soils formed in colluvium of intermixed tephra and extrusive igneous rock. They are on lava plateaus and hills. Slopes range from 2 to 50 percent. The mean annual temperature is about 46 degrees F and the mean annual precipitation is about 21 inches.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, mesic Ultic Argixerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Hunsinger gravelly sandy loam - on a west facing slope of 5 percent under a cover of incense-cedar, ponderosa pine and black oak at elevations of 4,560 feet. (Colors are for dry soils unless otherwise stated. When described on May 20, 1980, the soil was moist throughout.)
A--0 to 3 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/4) gravelly sandy loam, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/3) moist; weak medium platy structure parting to weak fine subangular blocky; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine, common fine and few medium roots; common very fine and tubular pores; 20 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.1); clear smooth boundary. (2 to 4 inches thick).
BAt--3 to 13 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/4) gravelly sandy loam, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/3) moist; weak coarse and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine, common fine, and few medium roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; many thin clay films in bridges between mineral grains and common thin clay films on peds; 15 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.2); clear smooth boundary. (6 to 15 inches thick).
2Bt1--13 to 26 inches; strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) very cobbly sandy clay loam, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/4) moist; moderate coarse and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine, fine, medium and coarse roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; many thin clay films on peds and few moderately thick clay films on peds and in pores; 30 percent subrounded cobbles and 15 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.2); clear smooth boundary.
2Bt2--26 to 42 inches; strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) very cobbly sandy clay loam, reddish brown (5YR 4/4) moist; moderate coarse and medium subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine and few medium roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; many thin clay films on peds and few moderately thick clay films on peds and in pores; 25 percent subrounded cobbles and 25 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.2); clear smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the 2Bt horizon is 22 to 50 inches).
2Cr--42 inches; strongly weathered basalt.
TYPE LOCATION: Lassen County, California; about 3.5 miles southwest of Nubieber, 2,200 feet west on dirt road of the intersection of road to Johns Valley and Mullens Spring and about 100 feet southwest of dirt road; about 1,850 feet west and 2,375 feet north of the southeast corner of sec. 12, T. 37 N., R. 6 E. Bieber SW (Bieber) quadrangle (7.5 minute series).
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Mollic epipedon is 10 to 20 inches thick. Thickness of the solum and depth to paralithic contact of strongly weathered basalt ranges from 40 to 60 inches. The mean annual soil temperature varies from 47 to 51 degrees F. The soil temperature exceeds 41 degrees F from mid March until late December (290 days) and exceeds 47 degrees F. from early May until early December. The soil moisture control section (10 to 25 inches) is moist in some part from early December until mid May and dry in all parts from early July until early November (120 to 140 days). Base saturation is 50 to 75 percent to a depth of 30 inches. Some pedons have an O horizon 2 to 6 inches thick. Reaction is slightly acid or neutral. In some pedons the rock fragments are highly weathered near the paralithic contact.
The A horizon and BAt horizon color is 7.5YR 5/4; 10YR 5/3, or 5/2. Moist color is 5YR 3/3; or 7.5YR 3/2. Rock fragments mostly gravel range from 15 to 35 percent. Organic matter is 2 to 5 percent.
The 2Bt horizon color is 7.5YR 6/4, 5/4, 4/6, or 4/4. Moist color is 5YR 4/4, 3/4; or 7.5YR 4/4, or 3/4. It is very gravelly sandy clay loam, cobbly sandy clay loam, and very cobbly sandy clay loam. Clay content in the top 20 inches of the argillic horizon ranges from 20 to 27 percent. Rock fragments, mostly subrounded cobbles, range from 35 to 80 percent in at least the top 20 inches of the argillic horizon.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the
Balake (T WA),
Beezee (T WA),
Bluenose (CA),
Bluesprin (ID),
Bobbitt (ID),
Fordice (T OR),
Gavel (T CA),
Hovelton (T ID),
Jebe (T WA),
Jellico (T CA),
Keuterville (ID),
Legall (T WA),
Nashmead (CA),
Sallyann (ID),
Sauter (T WA),
Sawtell (OR), and
Tekoa (WA) series. Bluesprin, Bobbitt, Gavel, Jellico,
Leidl, Sallyann and Tekoa soils are 20 to 40 inches deep to bedrock. Sawtell soils are dry for 45 to 60 days and lack bedrock within a depth of 60 inches, and have a mean annual soil temperature of temperature of 52 to 54 degrees F. Jebe soils are dry for 45 to 60 days in the summer. Beezee, Bluenose, Fordice, Keuterville, Legall, Sauter have a solum thickness of more than 60 inches. Nashmead soils have a mean annual soil temperature of 54 to 59 degrees F. Balake soils lacks bedrock within 60 inches and are dry for 60 to 75 days in the summers. Blach and
Hehe soils are ... Hovelton soils are?????
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Hunsinger soils are on hills and lava plateaus. Slopes range from 2 to 50 percent. The soils formed in colluvium of intermixed tephra and extrusive igneous rock. The bedrock is strongly weathered. Elevation is 3,100 to 5,000 feet. The climate is subhumid with warm dry summers and cold moist winters. Mean annual precipitation is 16 to 25 inches. Snowfall is 24 to 30 inches. Mean annual temperature varies from 45 to 48 degrees F. Frost-free period is 80 to 100 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the
Chirpchatter and
Roundbarn (T) soils. Chirpchatter soils are fine-loamy. Roundbarn soils have a mollic epipedon greater than 20 inches thick and are frigid.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow to rapid runoff; moderately slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Hunsinger soils are used for timber production and livestock grazing. The vegetation is ponderosa pine, jeffrey pine, incense-cedar, California black oak and scattered Oregon white oak. Understory is dominantly greenleaf manzanita, antelope bitterbrush, prostrate ceanothus, Idaho fescue, bulbous bluegrass, needlegrass and mountain, big sagebrush in slightly dryer locations.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northeastern California. The soils are of small extent. MLRA is 21.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Lassen County, California, Big Valley Soil Survey Area 1994. Name is from a spring.
REMARKS: Where basalt is weathered, recognizable clay films and manganese stains line fractures and cracks. Colluvium is subangular to subrounded basalt that is slightly weathered to highly weathered. Rock fragments become increasingly weathered with depth and in some pedons they are saprolitic or have weathering rings with manganese stains and clay films lining fractures.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon- The zone from 0 to 13 inches (A, BAt).
Argillic horizon- The zone from 13 to 42 inches (2Bt1, 2Bt2).
Paralithic contact - The boundary at 42 inches (2Cr).
ADDITIONAL DATA: Organic carbon data is by NSSL and Walkley-Black method in the survey office lab. Base saturation is by NSSL and Hach Kit.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.