LOCATION BAILEYCREEK CAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, isotic, frigid Andic Haploxeralfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Baileycreek very gravelly medial loam--on a 14 percent southeast-facing slope under mixed conifers and shrubs at 4,650 feet elevation--forestland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted. When described on October 20, 1983, the soil was dry throughout and the soil temperature at 20 inches was 49 degrees F.) The soil surface has about one-half inch of undecomposed and slightly decomposed pine needles, twigs, cones and bark.
A--0 to 3 inches; brown (7.5YR 4/2) very gravelly medial loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) moist; weak very fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; many very fine roots; many very fine interstitial pores; 30 percent gravel, 10 percent cobbles, and 5 percent stones; sodium fluoride pH is 9.8; slightly acid (pH 6.1); clear wavy boundary. (3 to 6 inches thick)
BA--3 to 9 inches; reddish brown (5YR 5/4) very gravelly medial loam, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/4) moist; weak very fine and fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; many very fine, common fine, and common medium roots; many very fine interstitial pores; 40 percent gravel and 15 percent cobbles; sodium fluoride pH is 9.6; slightly acid (pH 6.1); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 6 inches thick)
2Bt1--9 to 14 inches; yellowish red (5YR 5/6) very gravelly loam, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/4) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, moderately sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine, common fine, and common medium roots; many very fine and many fine interstitial and tubular pores; common faint clay films on faces of peds and lining pores; 20 percent fine (2 to 5 mm diameter) gravel, 30 percent medium and coarse (5 to 75 mm diameter) gravel, and 5 percent cobbles; sodium fluoride pH is 9.2; slightly acid (pH 6.2); clear wavy boundary.
2Bt2--14 to 30 inches; yellowish red (5YR 5/6) very gravelly loam, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/4) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, moderately sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine, common fine, and common medium roots; many very fine and many fine interstitial and tubular pores; common faint clay films on faces of peds and lining pores; 20 percent fine (2 to 5 mm diameter) gravel, 30 percent medium and coarse (5 to 75 mm diameter) gravel, and 5 percent cobbles; sodium fluoride pH is 9.0; slightly acid (pH 6.2); clear wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bt horizons is 11 to 30 inches).
2Cr--30 to 60 inches; soft weathered basalt; digs with spade; retains original rock structure and minerals.
TYPE LOCATION: Plumas County, California; about 2 miles east of Chester along Highway 36 to intersection of trail; north along northeast fork through road cut about 0.3 miles to intersection of another east-west trail; 50 feet north of intersection; about 2,000 feet east and 1,600 feet south of the northwest corner of section 3, T. 28 N., R. 7 E.; USGS Chester 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle; 40 degrees 19 minutes 04 seconds north latitude and 121 degrees 11 minutes 10 seconds west longitude, NAD27.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture - The soil moisture control section (12 inches to the paralithic contact or 35 inches) is dry from August l to November 1 (90 days) and is moist in some or all parts the rest of the time. The soil temperature exceeds 41 degrees F. from May 1 to December 1 and exceeds 47 degrees F. from June 1 to November 1; Xeric moisture regime.
Mean annual soil temperature - 44 to 46 degrees F.
Ochric epipedon thickness - 3 to 9 inches.
Depth to base of argillic horizon - 20 to 40 inches.
Depth to bedrock - 20 to 40 inches to a paralithic contact. The paralithic materials below the contact are soft, weathered basalt.
Particle-size control section - Clay content: Averages 20 to 26 percent; Rock fragments: Averages 35 to 60 percent, mainly gravel. Lithology of fragments are volcanic rocks such as basalt and andesite.
Other features - Rock fragments on the surface range from 0 to 20 percent boulders, 5 to 10 percent stones, 10 to 20 percent cobbles, and 20 to 50 percent gravel.
A horizon - Dry color: 10YR 4/2 or 7.5YR 4/2.
Moist color: 10YR 2/1, 2/2; 7.5YR 2/2, 3/2 or 5YR 3/2.
Texture: Very gravelly medial loam, very bouldery medial loam, or very stony medial loam.
Clay content: 10 to 15 percent.
Rock fragments: 40 to 50 percent.
Bulk density: 0.7 to 0.85 g/cc.
Oxalate extractable aluminum plus one-half oxalate extractable iron: 1.5 to 2.5 percent.
Volcanic glass content: 5 to 15 percent.
1500 kPa water content: 20 to 25 percent.
Sodium fluoride pH: 9.8 to 10.0.
Base saturation (sum of cations): 35 to 50 percent.
BA horizon (when present) - Dry color: 7.5YR 4/4, 5/4 or 5YR 5/4.
Moist color: 7.5YR 3/2; 5YR 3/3 or 3/4.
Clay content: 10 to 15 percent.
Rock fragments: 50 to 60 percent.
Bulk density: 0.9 to 0.98 g/cc.
Oxalate extractable aluminum plus one-half oxalate extractable iron: 1.5 to 2.5 percent.
Volcanic glass content: 5 to 15 percent.
1500 kPa water content: 20 to 25 percent.
Sodium fluoride pH: 9.6 to 9.8.
Base saturation (sum of cations): 25 to 45 percent.
2Bt horizons - Dry color: 7.5YR 5/4; 5YR 5/4 or 5/6.
Moist color: 7.5YR 3/4; 5YR 3/4 or 4/4.
Texture: Very gravelly loam, extremely gravelly loam, or very gravelly clay loam.
Clay content: 20 to 27 percent.
Rock fragments: 50 to 70 percent.
Bulk density: 1.0 to 1.1 g/cc.
Sodium fluoride pH: 8.5 to 9.2.
Base saturation (sum of cations): 25 to 35 percent in the Bt1 horizon and 35 to 50 percent in the Bt2 horizon.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Goshawk (T), McDanielake, Rendovy (T), Satus, and Weste series.
Goshawk and Weste soils are moderately deep to lithic contacts. McDanielake, Rendovy, and Satus soils are very deep.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Baileycreek soils are on mountains and plateaus. They typically occur on backslope positions. These soils formed in volcanic ash over colluvium and residuum derived from basalt and andesite. Slopes are 5 to 50 percent. Elevation ranges from 4,600 to 5,400 feet. The climate is subhumid with cold, moist winters and warm, dry summers. The mean annual precipitation is 30 to 40 inches with 60 to 100 inches of snow. The mean annual temperature is 43 to 45 degrees F. The frost-free period is 60 to 80 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the competing Weste soils and the Almanor, Redriver, and Whorled soils. Almanor and Whorled soils are medial-skeletal and do not have argillic horizons. Redriver soils do not have argillic horizons.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; medium or high surface runoff; moderate or moderately slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Baileycreek soils are used for timber production, recreation, urban development, and wildlife habitat. The vegetation is a forest canopy of Jeffrey pine, white fir, and sugar pine with an understory of whitethorn ceanothus and greenleaf manzanita.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northeastern California. These soils are not extensive with about 6,700 acres of the series mapped to date. MLRA 22B.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California.
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Plumas County (Susanville Area Soil Survey), California, 2000.
REMARKS: The revision of February 2004 updated the taxonomic class from Loamy-skeletal, mixed, active, frigid Andic Haploxeralfs based on laboratory data from the UC Davis Soil Morphology Laboratory. Field determined sodium fluoride pH along with laboratory determined 1500 kPa water/clay ratio indicates the isotic mineralogy class is appropriate. Oxalate aluminum plus one-half oxalate extractable iron and volcanic glass content in the A and BA horizons is estimated based on laboratory data from similar soils in the survey area.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - The zone from the soil surface to 9 inches (A and BA horizons).
Andic soil properties - The zone from the soil surface to 9 inches (A and BA horizons).
Argillic horizon - The zone from 9 to 30 inches (2Bt1 and 2Bt2 horizons).
Paralithic contact - The boundary at 30 inches to underlying soft, weathered bedrock (2Cr layer).
Particle-size control section - The zone from 9 to 29 inches (2Bt1 horizon and part of the 2Bt2 horizon).
ADDITIONAL DATA: A pedon of Baileycreek sampled near the series type location has reference data by the UC Davis Soil Morphology Laboratory. Selected data such as particle-size analysis, 1500 kPa water content, base saturation, and organic carbon content are available.