LOCATION BUCKLAKE                CA+NV OR

Established Series
Rev. SES/JBF/TM/JVC
01/2012

BUCKLAKE SERIES

The Bucklake series consists of moderately deep, well drained soils that formed in colluvium and residuum derived from basalt or andesite. Bucklake soils are on plateaus and mountains. Slopes are 2 to 50 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 280 mm and the mean annual temperature is about 8 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, mesic Aridic Argixerolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Bucklake very stony loam--on a 38 percent southeast-facing slope under Wyoming big sagebrush, bluebunch wheatgrass, and Thurber's needlegrass at 1600 meters elevation--rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted. When described April 10, 1979, the soil was moist throughout.) The surface is covered with 20 percent stones, 15 percent cobbles, and 10 percent gravel.

A1--0 to 8 cm; brown (7.5YR 5/2) very stony loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) moist; weak medium and thick platy structure; hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine, many fine, and few coarse roots; many very fine tubular pores; 20 percent stones, 20 percent cobbles, and 15 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.0); clear wavy boundary.

A2--8 to 20 cm; brown (7.5YR 5/2) very cobbly loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) moist; weak medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine, many fine, and few coarse roots; many very fine tubular pores; 10 percent stones, 15 percent cobbles, and 20 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.0); clear wavy boundary. (The combined thickness of the A horizons is 5 to 23 cm)

Bt1--20 to 30 cm; brown (7.5YR 5/2) gravelly clay loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; hard, very friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine and few fine roots; many very fine tubular pores; common faint and distinct clay films on faces of peds; 25 percent gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.5); clear wavy boundary. (10 to 36 cm thick)

Bt2--30 to 46 cm; brown (7.5YR 5/4) gravelly clay, dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) moist; moderate medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; very hard, friable, very sticky and very plastic; common very fine roots; many very fine tubular pores; many distinct clay films on faces of peds; 25 percent gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.5); clear wavy boundary.

Bt3--46 to 61 cm; brown (7.5YR 5/4) gravelly clay, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/4) moist; weak medium and coarse angular blocky structure; very hard, firm, very sticky and very plastic; common very fine roots; many very fine tubular pores; many distinct clay films on faces of peds; 25 percent gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.5); clear wavy boundary. (The combined thickness of the Bt2 and Bt3 horizons is 25 to 70 cm)

R--61 cm; hard basalt with some fractures.

TYPE LOCATION: Lassen County, California; about 2.2 miles north-northwest of Smoke Creek Reservoir; approximately 1,000 feet north and 700 feet east of the approximate center of section 2, T. 32 N., R. 17 E.; USGS Al Shinn Canyon 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle; latitude 40 degrees 40 minutes 02 seconds N and longitude 120 degrees 1 minutes 01 seconds W; NAD 83.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: The moisture control section (25 to 61 cm) is dry from about July to November for between 100 and 130 days. It is moist throughout from December to June; aridic soil moisture regime that borders on xeric.
Mean annual soil temperature: 8 to 11 degrees C.
Mollic epipedon thickness: 25 to 50 cm; includes the Bt1 horizon.
Depth to base of argillic horizon: 50 to 100 cm.
Depth to bedrock: 50 to 100 cm to a lithic contact.

Particle-size control section - Clay content: Averages 35 to 45 percent.
Rock fragments: Average 5 to 30 percent.

A horizons
Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR.
Chroma: 2 or 3.
Reaction: Slightly acid through slightly alkaline.
Organic matter content: 1 to 4 percent.

Bt1 horizon
Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR.
Chroma: 2 through 4. dry.
Texture: Gravelly clay loam or clay loam.
Clay content: 27 to 35 percent.
Sand content: 20 to 35 percent.
Reaction: Slightly alkaline or neutral.
Organic matter content: 0.5 to 2 percent.

Bt2 and Bt3 horizons
Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR.
Value: 4 or 5 dry.
Chroma: 3 through 6 dry, 2 through 4 moist.
Texture: Gravelly clay, gravelly clay loam, clay, or clay loam.
Clay content: 35 to 50 percent.
Sand content: 20 to 35 percent.
Rock fragments: 5 to 30 percent, mainly gravel.
Reaction: Neutral or slightly alkaline.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Brownscombe, Cagle, Correco, Holmzie, Jasseek, Northmore, Perla, Schoer, Sherar, Wicup, and Zymans series.

Brownscombe soils are moderately deep to paralithic contacts and have more than 15 percent coarse and very coarse sand in the particle-size control section. Cagle, Holmzie, Sherar, and Wicup soils are moderately deep to paralithic contacts. Correco, Jasseek, Northmore, and Schoer soils are very deep. Perla soils have more than 35 percent clay in all subhorizons of the particle-size control section and are dry for shorter consecutive periods between July and November. Zymans soils are greater than 100 cm deep.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Bucklake soils are on plateaus and mountains. They typically occur on backslope positions. These soils formed in colluvium and residuum derived from volcanic rocks such as basalt and andesite. Slopes are 2 to 50 percent. Elevation ranges from 1,000 to 2,400 meters. The climate is semiarid with cold, moist winters and warm, dry summers. The mean annual precipitation is 230 to 310 mm and annual snowfall totals 500 to 1,020 mm. The mean annual temperature is 7 to 10 degrees C., mean January temperature is -3 to 0 degrees C., and mean July temperature is 17 to 19 degrees C. The frost-free period is 50 to 100 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Corral, Devada, and Petescreek soils. Corral soils are loamy, shallow to paralithic contacts, and have ochric epipedons. Devada soils are shallow to lithic contacts. Petescreek soils are fine-loamy, moderately deep to paralithic contacts, have thick mollic epipedons, and do not have argillic horizons.

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

USE AND VEGETATION: Bucklake soils are used for rangeland and wildlife habitat. The vegetation is mainly Wyoming big sagebrush, bluebunch wheatgrass, Thurber's needlegrass, and scattered western juniper.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northeastern California, northwestern Nevada, and south-central Oregon. These soils are extensive with about 147,000 acres of the series mapped to date. The series concept and main acreage is in MLRA 23, while other acreage occurs in MLRAs 10, 21, 26, and 27.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California.

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Washoe County (Central Part), Nevada, 1990.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - The zone from the soil surface to 30 cm (A1, A2, and Bt1 horizons).
Argillic horizon - The zone from 20 to 61 cm (Bt1, Bt2, and Bt3 horizons).
Lithic contact - The boundary at 61 cm to underlying hard, unweathered bedrock (R layer).
Particle-size control section - The zone from 20 to 61 cm (Bt1, Bt2, and Bt3 horizons).

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.