LOCATION BEARHILL CA

Established Series
JBB/CES
09/2021

BEARHILL SERIES

The Bearhill series consists of very deep, well drained soils formed in colluvium derived from granitic rocks. The Bearhill soils are on mountain slopes of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Slopes range from 15 to 60 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 1070 mm and the mean annual air temperature is about 9 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, isotic, mesic Vitrandic Palexeralfs

TYPICAL PEDON: Bearhill sandy loam on a west facing (275 degree), 38 percent slope under white fir, incense cedar, and deerbrush at an elevation of 1607 meters. (Colors are for dry soils unless otherwise noted. When described on April 24, 2013 the soil was moist throughout.)

Oi--0 to 4 cm; dark gray (10YR 4/1) slightly decomposed plant material, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) moist; neutral (pH 6.8); clear smooth boundary. (3 to 7 cm thick)

A--4 to 11 cm; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) sandy loam, black (10YR 2/1) moist; 6 percent clay; strong very fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; many very fine and few fine roots throughout; many very fine irregular pores; NaF pH 10.5; neutral (pH 6.8); clear smooth boundary. (5 to 20 cm thick)

AB--11 to 45 cm; brown (7.5YR 4/3) sandy loam, brown (7.5YR 4/3) moist; 8 percent clay; moderate very fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; common very fine and fine, and few medium roots throughout; many very fine irregular pores; NaF pH 10.0; neutral (pH 6.6); gradual smooth boundary. (0 to 35 cm thick)

Bt1--45 to 65 cm; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) sandy loam, brown (7.5YR 4/3) moist; 13 percent clay; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky, nonplastic; common fine and few coarse roots throughout; common very fine irregular and fine tubular pores; 40 percent distinct clay films on all faces of peds; NaF pH 10.0; moderately acid (pH 6.0); gradual smooth boundary.

Bt2--65 to 105 cm; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) sandy loam, brown (7.5YR 4/3) moist; 14 percent clay; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky, nonplastic; few fine, and common medium and coarse roots throughout; common very fine irregular and few fine tubular pores; 60 percent distinct clay films on all faces of peds; NaF pH 10.0; moderately acid (pH 5.8); gradual smooth boundary. (combined thickness of upper Bt horizons is 18 to 80 cm)

Bt3--105 to 140 cm; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) sandy clay loam, brown (7.5YR 5/3) moist; 25 percent clay; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; common very fine irregular pores; 70 percent distinct clay films on all faces of peds; NaF pH 9.5; strongly acid (pH 5.4); gradual smooth boundary.

Bt4--140 to 170 cm; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) sandy clay loam, light brown (7.5YR 6/4) moist; 27 percent clay; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky, moderately plastic; common very fine irregular pores; 80 percent distinct clay films on all faces of peds; NaF pH 9.0; strongly acid (pH 5.2).

TYPE LOCATION: Tulare County, California, near the Crystal Cave Road; USGS 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle: Giant Forest, California; WGS84 36.578041 latitude and -118.787524 longitude; UTM zone 11 4049551 meters N 340072 meters E WGS84.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil temperature: The mean annual soil temperature at 50 cm is 8 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 120 days).

Diagnostic Feature(s):
Ochric epipedon thickness: 10 to 50 cm
Argillic horizon thickness: 85 to 150 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

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 25 percent, with 0 to 25 percent gravel, 0 to 15 percent cobbles, and 0 to 5 percent stones.
Clay content: 12 to 22 percent

A horizon
Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR
Value: 3 to 6 dry, 2 to 4 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4 dry, 1 to 3 moist
Texture: sandy loam, loam
Clay content: 5 to 16 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 30 percent gravel
Reaction: slightly acid to neutral
NaF pH 9.0 to 11.0

AB horizon (where present)
Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR
Value: 4 to 6 dry, 2 to 4 moist
Chroma: 3 to 6 dry, 2 to 4 moist
Texture: sandy loam, loam
Clay content: 5 to 18 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 20 percent
0 to 20 percent gravel
0 to 5 percent cobbles
Reaction: moderately acid to neutral
NaF pH 9.0 to 11.0

Upper Bt horizons (Bt1, Bt2)
Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR
Value: 4 to 7 dry, 3 to 5 moist
Chroma: 3 to 6, dry or moist
Texture: sandy loam, loam, sandy clay loam
Clay content: 12 to 22 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 25 percent
0 to 20 percent gravel
0 to 10 percent cobbles
Reaction: moderately to slightly acid
NaF pH 8.5 to 10.5

Lower Bt horizons (Bt3, Bt4)
Hue: 5YR, 7.5YR, 10YR
Value: 4 to 7 dry, 3 to 6 moist
Chroma: 3 to 6, dry or moist
Texture: sandy loam, loam, sandy clay loam, clay loam
Clay content: 12 to 30 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 50 percent
0 to 25 percent gravel
0 to 35 percent cobbles
0 to 15 percent stones
Reaction: strongly to slightly acid
NaF pH 8.5 to 10.5

COMPETING SERIES: There are no other series in this family at this time.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Bearhill soils are on linear to concave footslopes and backslopes of mountain slopes. Slopes range from 15 to 60 percent. These soils formed in colluvium derived from granite and granodiorite. Elevation is 1560 to 2465 meters. The climate is Mediterranean with warm, dry summers and cool, moist winters. The mean annual precipitation is 915 to 1155 mm and the mean annual air temperature is 7 to 12 degrees C. The frost-free season is 105 to 180 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Edencreek and Tharpslog soils. The Edencreek soils are on convex shoulders and backslopes of mountain slopes and have a paralithic contact between 50 and 100 cm. The Tharpslog soils are on broadly concave backslopes of mountain slopes and do not have an argillic horizon (subsurface clay accumulation).

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained, moderately high to high saturated hydraulic conductivity.

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

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: Tulare County, California in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Source of name from a physiographic feature in the Giant Forest area.

REMARKS:
Particle Size Control Section for this pedon: 45 to 95 cm
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric Epipedon 0 to 45 cm
Argillic Horizon 45 to 170 cm

ADDITIONAL DATA:
NASIS User Pedon ID: 2013CA7921011

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

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.