LOCATION BEETLEROCK CA

Established Series
CES/JBB/JTW
09/2021

BEETLEROCK SERIES

The Beetlerock series consists of very deep, well drained soils formed in colluvium over residuum weathered from granite and granodiorite rocks. The Beetlerock soils are on mountain slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountains. Slopes range from 15 to 60 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 980 mm and the mean annual air temperature is about 6 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy, isotic, frigid Vitrandic Humixerepts

TYPICAL PEDON: Beetlerock gravelly loamy sand on an east-facing (98 degree), 30 percent slope under white fir, Jeffrey pine, and greenleaf manzanita at an elevation of 2204 meters. (Colors are for dry soils unless otherwise noted. When described on May 21, 2015 the soil was moist throughout.)

Oi--0 to 5 cm; slightly decomposed plant material, black (10YR 2/1) moist; about 95 percent fiber, 90 percent rubbed; strongly acid (pH 5.2); abrupt smooth boundary. (1 to 7 cm thick)

A--5 to 10 cm; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) gravelly loamy sand, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; 4 percent clay; weak very thick platy parts to weak medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky, nonplastic; common very fine and fine roots throughout; common very fine and fine irregular pores; 15 percent subrounded indurated granite gravel; NaF pH 8.5; very strongly acid (pH 5.2); abrupt wavy boundary. (5 to 45 cm thick)

AB--10 to 33 cm; brown (10YR 5/3) gravelly loamy sand, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; 4 percent clay; weak fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky, nonplastic; common very fine and fine roots and few medium roots throughout; common very and fine irregular pores; 15 percent subangular indurated granite gravel; Naf pH 10.0; very strongly acid (pH 5.2); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 45 cm thick)

Bw--33 to 86 cm; brown (10YR 5/3) gravelly loamy sand, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; 3 percent clay; weak medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; common very fine, fine, medium, coarse, and very coarse roots throughout; common very fine and fine irregular pores; 18 percent subangular indurated granite gravel; NaF pH 10.0; strongly acid (pH 5.2); clear smooth boundary. (15 to 50 cm thick)

C--86 to 152 cm; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) gravelly sand, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; 2 percent clay; structureless massive; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; few fine and medium roots throughout; common very fine irregular and fine irregular pores; 27 percent subangular indurated granite gravel; NaF pH 10.0; strongly acid (pH 5.2).

TYPE LOCATION: Tulare County, California, approximately 300 m west of Halstead Meadow; USGS 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle: Giant Forest, CA; WGS84 36.616922 latitude and -118.788800 longitude; UTM zone 11 4053867 meters N 340038 meters E NAD83.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil temperature: The mean annual soil temperature at 50 cm is 4 to 9 degrees C and the difference between mean summer and mean winter soil temperature is greater than 6 degrees C. The soils have a frigid temperature regime.

Soil Moisture: The soils have a xeric soil moisture regime. The soil moisture control section is dry in all parts from about August to October (about 90 days).

Diagnostic Feature(s):
Umbric epipedon thickness: 40 to 110 cm

Reaction: slightly to strongly acid

Base saturation: less than 50 percent in some or all parts of the epipedon (by ammonium acetate)

Acid-oxalate extractable Al plus 1/2 Fe: 0.4 to 1.0 percent (by weight) to a depth of 150 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 30 percent, with 0 to 30 percent gravel, 0 to 5 percent cobbles, and 0 to 5 percent stones
Clay content: 1 to 8 percent
NaF pH: 8.5 to 11.0

A horizon
Hue: 10YR or 2.5YR dry, 7.5YR or 10YR moist
Value: 3 to 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3 dry, 1 or 2 moist
Texture: sand, loamy coarse sand, loamy sand, loamy fine sand
Clay content: 1 to 7 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 30 percent
0 to 30 percent gravel
0 to 5 percent cobbles
0 to 5 percent stones

AB horizon
Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR
Value: 3 to 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3, dry or moist
Texture: sand, loamy sand, loamy fine sand
Clay content: 1 to 7 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 30 percent
0 to 30 percent gravel
0 to 5 percent cobbles
0 to 5 percent stones
Bw horizon
Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR
Value: 4 to 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Texture: sand, loamy sand, loamy fine sand
Clay content: 1 to 8 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 30 percent
0 to 30 percent gravel
0 to 5 percent cobbles
0 to 5 percent stones

C horizon
Hue: 10YR, 2.5Y
Value: 6 to 8 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4, dry or moist
Texture: coarse sand, sand, loamy coarse sand, loamy sand
Clay content: 1 to 7 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 40 percent
0 to 40 percent gravel
0 to 30 percent paragravel
0 to 5 percent cobbles
0 to 5 percent paracobbles
0 to 5 percent stones

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Bellecanyon (T), Hockett (T), and Packerjohn soils. Bellecanyon soils are formed in outwash over till, have subrounded fragments, and do not contain fragments larger than cobbles in the upper part of the profile. Hockett (T) soils are 50 to 100 cm deep to a lithic contact. Packerjohn soils have pH values that range up to neutral and textures with ashy modifiers in the particle-size control section.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Beetlerock soils are on linear to convex backslopes of mountain slopes. Slopes range from 15 to 60 percent. These soils formed in colluvium over residuum weathered from granite and granodiorite, and less commonly from metamorphic rock. Elevation is 1765 to 2815 meters. The climate is Mediterranean with warm, dry summers and cool, moist winters. The mean annual precipitation is 475 to 1375 mm and the mean annual air temperature is 4 to 9 degrees C. The frost free season is 85 to 165 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Doncecil, Hockett, and Kanawyer soils. The Doncecil soils formed in colluvium on linear to concave mountain slopes, and have greater than 35 percent fragments in the particle size control section. The Hockett soils are formed in till on linear structural benches, and are 50 to 100 cm deep to bedrock. Kanawyer soils formed in till on linear to convex mountain slopes, and have greater than 35 percent fragments in the particle size control section.

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

USE AND VEGETATION: This soil is used for recreation, wildlife habitat, and watershed. Vegetation is white fir, Jeffrey pine, Sierra lodgepole pine, greenleaf manzanita, chinquapin, and whitethorn ceanothus.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Sierra Nevada Mountains of California; MLRA 22A. These soils are of moderate 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 landscape feature in Sequoia National Park.

REMARKS:
Particle Size Control Section for this pedon: 30 to 105 cm
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Umbric Epipedon 5 to 86 cm

ADDITIONAL DATA:
NASIS User Pedon ID: 2015CA7921029

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

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.