LOCATION BLUECUT                 CA

Established Series
Rev: PRR/CAH/ET
04/2015

BLUECUT SERIES

The Bluecut series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in alluvium derived from granite and gneiss or granitoid rocks. The Bluecut soils are on fan aprons over fan remnants and fan remnants. Slopes range from 2 to 8 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 138 millimeters (5.5 inches) and the mean annual air temperature is about 15 degrees C (59 degrees F).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, thermic Typic Paleargids

TYPICAL PEDON: Bluecut loamy sand on linear, 8 percent slope at an elevation of 1,196 meters. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.) The surface is covered by approximately 50 percent fine gravel and 25 percent medium and coarse gravel.

A -- 0 to 10 centimeters (0 to 4 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) loamy sand, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine and common very fine roots throughout; common fine interstitial and few fine dendritic tubular pores; 8 percent fine gravel and 2 percent medium and coarse gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); gradual smooth boundary. (2 to 10 centimeters thick)

Bt -- 10 to 27 centimeters (4 to 11 inches); dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6)loamy coarse sand, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; few fine and medium and common very fine roots throughout; few fine dendritic tubular and common very fine dendritic tubular pores; 5 percent faint yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) clay bridges between sand grains; 8 percent fine gravel and 2 percent medium and coarse gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 33 centimeters thick)

2Bt1 -- 27 to 53 centimeters (11 to 21 inches); strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) sandy clay loam, strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable, slightly hard, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine roots throughout; common fine interstitial and many very fine interstitial pores; 25 percent distinct strong brown (7.5YR 4/6)clay films on faces of peds; 4 percent fine gravel and 2 percent medium and coarse gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); clear wavy boundary. (26 to 64 centimeters thick)

2Bt2 -- 53 to 65 centimeters (21 to 26 inches); dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) sandy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/6) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; few very fine roots; common very fine interstitial pores; 10 percent faint, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) clay bridges between sand grains; 5 percent fine gravel and 2 percent medium and coarse gravel; slightly alkaline, pH 7.8; gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 90 centimeters thick)

2BCt -- 65 to 125 centimeters (26 to 50 inches); dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) very gravelly loamy coarse sand, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/6) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; few very fine roots throughout; common very fine interstitial pores; 15 percent faint dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) clay films on faces of peds; 25 percent fine gravel and 10 percent medium and coarse gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 60 centimeters thick)

2C--125 to 200 centimeters (50 inches to 80 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) loamy coarse sand, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/6) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; 7 percent fine gravel and 3 percent medium and coarse gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8).

TYPE LOCATION: San Bernardino County, California; approximately 1.6 kilometers northwest of the turnoff of Park Boulevard for Split Rock Tank, about 710 meters south and 155 meters west of the northeast corner of sec. 9, T.2 S., R.9 E., 34 degrees, 0 minutes, 46 seconds north latitude and 116 degrees, 2 minutes, 18 seconds west longitude; USGS Queen Mountain, California 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle, UTM 11S 583498e; 3754418n (DTM: NAD-83).

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:

Soil moisture control section: usually dry, moist in some parts for short periods during winter and early spring and for 10 to 20 days cumulative between July and September following summer convection storms. The soils have a typic-aridic soil moisture regime.

Soil temperature: 15 to 22 degrees C.
Organic matter: 0 to 0.5 percent.
Depth to argillic horizon: 25 to 50 centimeters.
Surface fragments: ranges from 25 to 80 percent, including 25 to 50 percent fine gravel, 10 to 25 percent medium and coarse gravel, and 0 to 2 percent cobbles.

Control section
Rock fragments: 2 to 15 percent gravel, predominantly 2 to 5 millimeters in size.
Clay content: ranges from 20 to 28 percent clay.
Effervescence: noneffervescent to very slightly effervescent.

A horizon(s)
Value: 4 to 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist.
Chroma: 3 to 6 dry, 2 to 4 moist.
Texture of the fine earth: loamy sand or sandy loam.
Clay content: 3 to 10 percent.
Rock fragments: 1 to 14 percent.
Effervescence: noneffervescent to very slightly effervescent.

Bt horizon
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 3 or 4 moist.
Chroma: 3 to 6 dry.
Texture of the fine earth: loamy coarse sand, loamy sand or sandy loam.
Clay content: 3 to 12 percent.
Rock fragments: 3 to 10 percent.
Note: these horizons are not part of the argillic horizon, as they do not have an appreciable increase in clay from the overlying A horizon.

(2)Bt1 horizon
Hue: 5YR or 7.5YR.
Value: 4 or 5, dry.
Chroma: 4 to 6, moist.
Clay content: 20 to 28 percent.
Rock fragments: 4 to 17 percent.
Effervescence: noneffervescent to violently effervescent.

(2)Bt2 or (2)BCt horizon (when present):
Hue: 5YR to 10 YR.
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 3 to 5 moist.
Chroma: 6 or 8, dry.
Texture of the fine earth: loamy sand, coarse sandy loam or sandy loam.
Clay content: 3 to 14 percent.
Rock fragments: 5 to 35 percent.

(2)C horizon(s) (when present)
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR.
Value: 5 or 7, dry; 3 to 5 moist.
Chroma: 4, 6, or 8 dry; 4 or 6 moist.
Texture of the fine earth: sand, loamy coarse sand, loamy sand or sandy loam.
Clay content: 2 to 12 percent.
Rock fragments: 5 to 25 percent.
Effervescence: noneffervescent to strongly effervescent.
Reaction: slightly or moderately alkaline.

COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series at this time.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Bluecut soils are on fan aprons over fan remnants and fan remnants. Slopes range from 2 to 8 percent. These soils formed in alluvium derived granite and gneiss or granitoid rocks. Elevation is 645 to 1310 meters (2,115 to 4,295 feet). The climate is arid with hot, dry summers and warm, moist winters. The mean annual precipitation is 75 to 175 millimeters and the mean annual air temperature is 13 to 20 degrees C. The frost free season is 210 to 320 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Morongo and Yander soils. The Morongo soils are found on fan aprons, are sandy throughout and do not have a diagnostic horizon. The Yander soils are found on fan aprons over pediment surfaces and have a paralithic contact between 100 and 150 centimeters.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Well drained; low to medium runoff; moderately high saturated hydraulic conductivity.

USE AND VEGETATION: Bluecut soils are used for recreation and wildlife habitat. Vegetation is blackbrush, creosote bush, burrobush, and big galleta.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southern Mojave Desert of southeastern California; MLRA 30. These soils are of small extent.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: PHOENIX, ARIZONA

SERIES ESTABLISHED: San Bernardino County, California, Soil Survey of Joshua Tree National Park, 2012. The name is from the Bluecut Fault within the survey area.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features in this pedon include:

Ochric Epipedon - from a depth of 0 to 10 centimeters (A horizon).
Argillic Horizon - from a depth of 27 to 53 centimeters (2Bt1 horizon).
Particle Size Control Section - from a depth of 27 to 53 centimeters (2Bt1 horizon).
Abrupt textural change - the zone beginning at 27 centimeters (top of 2Bt1 horizon).

ADDITIONAL DATA: NASIS User Pedon ID: 1249759008.

Responsibility for this series was transferred from Davis to Phoenix 4/2015. The last revision to the series was 5/2012. ET

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.