LOCATION BISHOP CA+NVEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, calcareous, mesic Cumulic Endoaquolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Bishop loam, pasture. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted).
A11--0 to 21 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) loam, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) moist/ moderate medium granular structure; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; many fine roots; many very fine interstitial and few very fine tubular pores; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); violently effervescent; abrupt smooth boundary. *18 to 24 inches thick)
A12--21 to 28 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) sandy clay loam, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) moist; massive; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; mildly alkaline (pH 7.5); gradual smooth boundary. (6to 10 inches thick)
C1g--28 to 56 inches;; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) clay loam, grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) moist; medium distinct mottles of brownish yellow and strong brown becoming more pronounced with increased depth; massive; hard, friable, sticky and plastic; few ;fi;ne roots; common very fine tubular pores; neutral (pH 7.5); diffuse smooth boundary. (24 to 34 inches thick)
C2--56 to 60 inches; light gray (5Y 6/1) fine sandy loam, gray (5Y 5/1) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; neutral (pH 7.0). (4 to 14 inches thick)
TYPE LOCATION: Inyo County, California; approximately 1 mile north and 1 1/2 miles west of Bishop; center of the SW 1/4 of the NW 1/4 of sec. 36, T. 6 S., R. 32 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The 10- to 40-inch control section is sandy clay loam, clay loam, heavy loam and heavy silt loam. some pedons are calcareous in all parts.
The A horizon has moist chroma of 2 or less and moist value of 3 or less. It ranges from sandy loam to light clay loam.
The C horizon has hue of 10YR, 2.5Y or 5Y and has distinct to prominent mottles of 10YR or 7.5YR. Mottling becomes more pronounced with depth. Below the control section the C horizon is stratified and of variable texture.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Chaska, Chino, Millington and Winn series. Chaska soils have less than 25 percent fine sand and coarser. Chino soils have thermic temperature. Millington soils have few to many snail shells throughout the soil. Winn soils have moist value of 2 through 4 in the C horizon and have less than 25 percent clay in the C horizon.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Bishop soils are on floodplains and alluvial fans and have slopes of 0 to 2 percent. The soils formed in moderately fine textured alluvium of granitic origin. Elevations range from 3,500 to 4,700 feet. The climate is semiarid with a mean annual rainfall of 5 to 15 inches. Mean annual temperature is 49 to 56 degrees F, average January temperature is 37 degrees F, and average July temperature is about 75 degrees F. The average frost-free season is about 100 to 160 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Cajon, Foster and Lahontan soils. Cajon soils are sandy and are thermic. Foster soils have a coarse-loamy control section and are thermic. Lahontan soils are fine-textured.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Poorly drained; slow or very slow runoff; moderate or moderately slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Primary use of this soil is for pasture. Vegetation is mainly meadow grasses, sedges and clover.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: California and western Nevada. The series is inextensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Bishop Area, Inyo County, California, 1924.
REMARKS: The Bishop soils were formerly classified as Humic Gley soils.
Last revised by the state on 4/75.
Series reclassified 5/95. Competing series not updated at that time.