LOCATION SANIKARA CAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, mesic Lithic Haploxerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Sanikara gravelly sandy loam on a south facing (180 degree), 20 percent slope at an elevation of 1056 feet. When described on 4/8/2008 the soil was moist throughout. Colors are for dry soils unless otherwise noted.
Oi--0 to 1 inches, (0 to 3 cm); very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) broken face slightly decomposed plant material, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) broken face moist; loose, nonsticky, nonplastic; neutral, pH 6.8 by Bromthymol blue; abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 10 centimeters thick)
A1--1 to 5 inches, (3 to 12 cm); brown (10YR 5/3) broken face gravelly sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) broken face moist; 18 percent clay; weak fine subangular blocky parting to weak very fine granular structure; moderately hard, friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; many fine roots and common medium roots and many very fine roots; many fine irregular and common medium irregular and many very fine irregular pores; 30 percent subangular strongly cemented 2 to 75 millimeter sandstone fragments; neutral, pH 6.8 by Bromthymol blue; clear smooth boundary.
A2--5 to 12 inches, (12 to 31 cm); brown (10YR 5/3) broken face very gravelly sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) broken face moist; 20 percent clay; weak fine subangular blocky parting to weak very fine granular and weak very fine subangular blocky parting to weak very fine granular structure; moderately hard, friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; many fine roots and common medium roots and many very fine roots; many fine irregular and common medium irregular and many very fine irregular pores; 50 percent subangular strongly cemented 2 to 75 millimeter sandstone fragments; slightly acid, pH 6.6 by Bromthymol blue; abrupt irregular boundary. (combined thickness of A horizons is 18 to 40 centimeters)
R--12 to 17 inches, (31 to 42 cm), strongly cemented fractured sandstone bedrock.
TYPE LOCATION: Santa Clara County, California, New Almaden Quicksilver County Park, Hacienda entrance, Hacienda Road, just up from road on grassy south slope., 4116092mN, 602795mE, UTM Zone 10, NAD83. U.S.G.S Quad: Santa Teresa Hills, California.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: Usually moist in some parts for of the soil moisture control between the first of November and the end of May. The soils have a xeric moisture regime.
Control section:
Rock fragments: 35 to 75 percent, mostly gravel and cobbles.
Clay content: averages 20 to 35 percent clay
A horizon(s): loam and sandy loam with very gravelly modifiers
Hue: 10YR
Value: 4 or 5 dry; 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 3 or 4 dry; 2 or 3 moist
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Aldax, Bakeoven, Bodacious, Bodell, Couleedam, Hendap, Johntom, Lickskillet, Limekiln, Plaskett, Rockly and Venator series. Aldax, Couleedam, Hendap, Johntom and Plaskett soils contain less than 18 percent clay in the particle control section. Bakeoven soils range from 50 to 90 percent rock fragments. Bodacious, Lickskillet and Venator soils have an average annual precipitation of 12 to 14 inches (300 to 360 mm). Bodell soils contain 10 to 13 percent volcanic glass in the upper 10 to 15 cm. Limekiln soils contain a calcic horizon at 18 to 30 cm. Rockly soils are dry in all parts for 60 to 80 consecutive days.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Sanikara soils are on side slopes, and summits of mountains and hills. Slopes range from 8 to 100 percent. These soils formed in residuum weathered from sandstone and greenstone of the Franciscan Formation. Elevation is 985 to 2975 feet. The climate is subhumid, mesothermal with warm, dry summers and cool moist winters. The mean annual precipitation is 40 to 60 inches and the mean annual air temperature is 55 to 59 degrees F. The frost free season is 200 to 250 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are Mouser(T), and Katykat(T) soils. Mouser(T) soils are deep and very deep and fine-loamy. Katykat(T) soils do not have a mollic epipedon.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained, moderately rapid permeability, medium to very rapid runoff.
USE AND VEGETATION: This soil is used for watershed, recreation, and wildlife habitat. Vegetation is California live oak, bay laurel, buckeye, poison oak and annual grasses.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Central Part of the Coastal Range of California, Major Land Resource Area 15 -- Central California Coast Range. The Sanikara soils are of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Santa Clara County, California, 2009.
REMARKS:
Particle Size Control Section for this pedon: (3 to 20 cm)
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
1. Mollic Epipedon - The zone from 3 to 20 centimeters (A1 and A2 horizons)
2. Lithic contact The zone at 20 centimeters
Soil Classified using Keys to Soil Taxonomy, 10th edition.
ADDITIONAL DATA: NASIS Site and Pedon # 08ca085641025