LOCATION AZALEA CA

Established Series
JBB/CES
09/2021

AZALEA SERIES

The Azalea series consists of moderately deep, somewhat excessively drained soils formed in slope alluvium and colluvium over residuum weathered from granitic rocks. The Azalea soils are on mountain slopes of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Slopes range from 15 to 75 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 1110 mm and the mean annual air temperature is about 9 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy, isotic, mesic Vitrandic Humixerepts

TYPICAL PEDON: Azalea gravelly loamy sand on an east facing (65 degree), 38 percent slope under white fir, giant sequoia, and sugar pine at an elevation of 1875 meters. (Colors are for dry soils unless otherwise noted. When described on April 22, 2015 the soil was dry to 4 cm.)

A--0 to 4 cm; brown (10YR 4/3) gravelly loamy sand, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; 5 percent clay; weak thin platy structure parts to structureless single grain; soft, very friable, slightly sticky, nonplastic; common very fine and fine roots throughout; many very fine and common fine irregular, and common very fine vesicular pores; 22 percent subangular indurated granodiorite fine gravel; NaF pH 9.5; neutral (pH 6.6); abrupt wavy boundary. (4 to 40 cm thick)

Bw1--4 to 19 cm; brown (10YR 5/3) gravelly loamy sand, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; 6 percent clay; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky, nonplastic; common very fine, fine, and medium roots throughout; common very fine and fine irregular pores; 20 percent subrounded indurated granodiorite fine gravel; NaF pH 9.5; slightly acid (pH 6.4); clear smooth boundary.

Bw2--19 to 56 cm; brown (10YR 5/3) gravelly loamy sand, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; 5 percent clay; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky, nonplastic; common very fine, fine, medium, and coarse roots throughout; common very fine and fine irregular pores; 20 percent subrounded indurated granodiorite fine gravel; NaF pH 9.5; slightly acid (pH 6.4); abrupt wavy boundary. (combined thickness of Bw horizons is 15 to 60 cm)

R--56 cm; Indurated granodiorite bedrock, fractured at intervals of =>200 cm.

TYPE LOCATION: Fresno County, California, North Grove; USGS 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle: General Grant Grove, California; WGS84 36.749097 latitude and -118.978475 longitude; UTM zone 11 4068864 meters N 323377 meters E NAD83.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil temperature: The mean annual soil temperature at 50 cm is 7 to 12 degrees C and the difference between mean summer and mean winter soil temperature is greater than 6 degrees C. The soils have a mesic temperature regime.

Soil moisture: The soils have a xeric soil moisture regime. The soil moisture control section is dry in all parts from about July to October (about 130 days).

Diagnostic Feature(s):
Umbric epipedon thickness: 18 to 60 cm
Depth to lithic contact: 50 to 100 cm

Organic matter: 1 to 5 percent in the epipedon

Base saturation: less than 50 percent (by ammonium acetate)

Acid-oxalate extractable Al plus 1/2 Fe: 0.4 to 1.0 percent (by weight) to a depth of 75 cm or to bedrock.

Volcanic glass: 5 to 30 percent in the 0.02 to 2.0 mm fraction in an 18 cm thick layer within a depth of 75 cm from the mineral soil surface.

Particle size control section weighted average:
Rock fragments: 0 to 35 percent, with 0 to 25 percent gravel, 0 to 10 percent cobbles, and 0 to 15 percent stones.
Clay content: 2 to 8 percent
NaF pH: 9.0 to 11.0

A horizon
Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR
Value: 3 or 4 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 1 to 3, dry or moist
Texture: loamy sand, sandy loam, fine sandy loam
Clay content: 3 to 10 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 35 percent
0 to 25 percent gravel
0 to 15 percent cobbles
Reaction: very strongly acid to slightly acid

Bw horizon(s)
Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR
Value: 4 to 6 dry, 2 to 4 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4, dry or moist
Texture: loamy sand, sandy loam
Clay content: 2 to 8 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 35 percent
0 to 25 percent gravel
0 to 15 percent cobbles
0 to 15 percent stones
Reaction: very strongly to slightly acid

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Cabincove, Generalgrant, and Tharpslog soils. The Cabincove soils are on linear to convex backslopes of mountain slopes and have a paralithic contact between 50 and 100 cm. The Generalgrant soils are on concave footslopes of stream terraces and drainageways on mountain slopes and are moderately well drained, and do not have a lithic contact. The Tharpslog soils are on broadly concave backslopes of mountain slopes and do not have a lithic contact.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Azalea soils are on linear to convex backslopes of mountain slopes. Slopes range from 15 to 75 percent. These soils formed in slope alluvium and colluvium over residuum weathered from granite and granodiorite. Elevation is 1385 to 2600 meters. The climate is Mediterranean with warm, dry summers and cool, moist winters. The mean annual precipitation is 885 to 1180 mm and the mean annual air temperature is 7 to 13 degrees C. The frost-free season is 110 to 200 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Canyonview, Skellog, and Tharpslog soils. The Canyonview soils are on linear backslopes of mountain slopes, do not have a lithic contact, and are sandy-skeletal. The Skellog soils are on linear to convex backslopes of mountain slopes, do not have a lithic contact, and are loamy-skeletal. The competing Tharpslog soils are on broadly concave mountain slopes and do not have a lithic contact.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat excessively drained, high saturated hydraulic conductivity. Saturated hydraulic conductivity of the bedrock is very low to moderately low.

USE AND VEGETATION: This soil is used for recreation, wildlife habitat, and watershed. Vegetation is white fir, sugar pine, incense cedar, giant sequoia, and Sierra gooseberry.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Sierra Nevada Mountains of California; MLRA 22A. These soils are of limited extent.

SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California

SERIES PROPOSED: Fresno County, California in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Source of name from the campground in Sequoia National Park.

REMARKS:
Particle Size Control Section for this pedon: 25 to 56 cm
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Umbric Epipedon 0 to 56 cm
Lithic Contact 56 cm

ADDITIONAL DATA:
NASIS User Pedon ID: 2015CA7921008

Soil classified using the 12th Edition of the Keys to Soil Taxonomy.

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.