LOCATION BUTTELAKE CAEstablished Series
The Buttelake series consists of deep, well drained soils that formed in recently deposited tephra over till from volcanic rocks. Buttelake soils are on ground moraines on volcanic plateaus and glacial-valley floors and walls in the Southern Cascade mountains. Slopes range from 3 to 65 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 25 inches (635 mm) and the mean annual temperature is about 44 degrees F (7 degrees C).
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Ashy over medial-skeletal, glassy over amorphic, frigid Humic Vitrixerands
TYPICAL PEDON: Buttelake ashy sand, on a north facing (345 degrees) slope of 10 percent, under a cover of Jeffery pine and white fir at an elevation of 5891 feet, (1796 m). When described on 10/3/06, the soil was dry throughout. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted).
Oi--0 to 0 inches (0 to 1 cm); slightly decomposed pine needles and twig litter; abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 1 inches, (0.5 to 2 cm) thick)
A--0 to 3 inches (1 to 8 cm); dark gray (2.5Y 4/1) ashy sand, black (2.5Y 2.5/1) moist; 0 percent clay; single grain; loose, nonsticky, nonplastic; common very fine and few fine roots; many very fine and fine interstitial pores; 1 percent subangular fine gravel and 1 percent subangular medium and coarse gravel; moderately acid, pH 5.9 by pH meter 1:1 water; NaF pH 8.2; abrupt smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the A horizon is 2.5 to 5 inches, (7 to 12 cm) thick)
C1--3 to 11 inches (8 to 27 cm); dark gray (2.5Y 4/1) ashy coarse sand, black (2.5Y 2.5/1) moist; 0 percent clay; single grain; loose, nonsticky, nonplastic; many very fine and few fine and medium roots; many very fine to medium interstitial pores; 2 percent subangular fine gravel; slightly acid, pH 6.5 by pH meter 1:1 water; NaF pH 9.1; abrupt smooth boundary.
C2--11 to 13 inches (27 to 33 cm); dark gray (2.5Y 4/1) and grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) very gravelly ashy coarse sand, black (2.5Y 2.5/1) and very dark grayish brown (2.5Y 3/2) moist; 0 percent clay; single grain; loose, nonsticky, nonplastic; few fine roots and common very fine roots; many very fine to coarse interstitial pores; 20 percent subangular fine gravel and 20 percent subangular medium and coarse gravel; neutral, pH 6.7 by pH meter 1:1 water; NaF pH 9.3; abrupt smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the C horizon is 2 to 16 inches, (6 to 40 cm) thick)
2Ab--13 to 19 inches (33 to 49 cm); light olive brown (2.5Y 5/3) very gravelly medial loamy coarse sand, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; 3 percent clay; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; common very fine to medium and few coarse roots; many very fine and fine interstitial pores; 15 percent subangular fine gravel and 25 percent subangular medium and coarse gravel; neutral, pH 6.7 by pH meter 1:1 water; NaF pH 10.8; abrupt wavy boundary. (3 to 14.5 inches, (8 to 36 cm) thick)
2Bwb1--19 to 31 inches (49 to 79 cm); brown (10YR 5/3) very gravelly medial coarse sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; 3 percent clay; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; common very fine to coarse roots; common very fine and fine tubular and interstitial pores; 15 percent subangular fine gravel and 20 percent subangular medium and coarse gravel; neutral, pH 6.7 by pH meter 1:1 water; NaF pH 11.0; clear smooth boundary.
2Bwb2--31 to 40 inches (79 to 102 cm); pale brown (10YR 6/3) extremely cobbly medial sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; 2 percent clay; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; few very fine to medium roots; common very fine and fine tubular and interstitial pores; 7 percent subangular fine gravel, 28 percent subangular medium and coarse gravel, 20 percent subangular cobbles and 10 percent subangular stones; neutral, pH 7.0 by pH meter 1:1 water; NaF pH 10.9; abrupt irregular boundary. (Combined thickness of the 2Bwb horizon is 17 to 31.5 inches, (44 to 79 cm) thick)
2Cdqb1--40 to 53 inches (102 to 135 cm); light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) extremely gravelly loamy coarse sand, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; 1 percent clay; massive; hard, firm, noncemented, nonsticky, nonplastic; few very fine and fine roots; common very fine vesicular and few fine vesicular pores; 10 percent prominent yellow (10YR 7/6), dry, and dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6), moist, masses of oxidized iron on faces of peds and around rock fragments; 5 percent threadlike silica masses; 25 percent subangular fine gravel, 40 percent subangular medium and coarse gravel and 5 percent subangular cobbles; neutral, pH 6.9 by pH meter 1:1 water; NaF pH 10.4; clear smooth boundary.
2Cdqb2--53 to 63 inches (135 to 160 cm); light gray (10YR 7/1) gravel, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; 2 percent clay; massive; hard, firm, noncemented, nonsticky, nonplastic; few very fine and fine roots; common very fine to medium vesicular pores; 10 percent threadlike silica masses around rock fragments and in cracks; 9 percent subangular fine gravel, 72 percent subangular medium and coarse gravel and 10 percent subangular cobbles; neutral, pH 6.7 by pH meter 1:1 water; NaF pH 10.4;
TYPE LOCATION: Lassen County, California; about 0.75 miles north of Bathtub Lake, approximately 1,250 feet south and 1,530 feet east of the northwest corner of sec. 3, T. 31 N., R. 6 E.; 40 degrees, 34 minutes, 54 seconds north latitude and 121 degrees, 17 minutes, 54 seconds west longitude; NAD83; USGS Quad: Prospect Peak, California.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Depth to restrictive feature: Densic contact 40 to 60 inches (102 to 152 cm).
Mean annual soil temperature: 45 to 47 degrees F (7 to 8 degrees C).
Soil moisture control section is dry: July to October (about 90 days).
Particle-size control section (weighted average): 0 to 1 percent clay, and 5 to 22 percent rock fragments for the ashy portion of the particle size control section; 0 to 8 percent clay, and 30 to 66 percent rock fragments for the medial-skeletal portion of the particle size control section.
Surface fragments: 0 to 5 percent gravel, 0 to 3 percent cobbles.
A horizon:
Color dry: 10YR 3/1, 4/1, 2.5Y 2.5/1, 3/1, 4/1, 4/2, 5Y 2/1, 2.5/1, 3/2
Color moist: 10YR 2/1, 3/1, 2.5Y 2.5/1, 3/1, 5Y 2/1, 2.5/1
Texture: ashy sand, gravelly ashy sand, ashy loamy sand, ashy sandy loam, ashy coarse sand
Clay content: 0 to 2 percent
Rock fragments: 1 to 10 percent fine gravel, 0 to 5 percent medium and coarse gravel, 1 to 15 percent total gravel, 1 to 15 percent total rock fragments
Organic matter: 0.5 to 3.5 percent
Base saturation by ammonium acetate: 55 to 70 percent
Acid oxalate extractable Al plus 1/2 Fe: 0.05 to 0.15
P retention: 2 to 6 percent
Glass content: 9 to 18 percent
NaF pH: 8.2 to 10.4
Soil reaction: moderately acid to neutral
C horizon:
Color dry: N 3/, 4/, 5/, 10YR 3/1, 3/2, 4/1, 4/2, 4/4, 6/6, 7/2, 7/4, 2.5Y 3/1, 4/1, 4/2, 5/1, 5/2, 5/3, 5Y 2/1, 2.5/1, 3/1, 4/1, 5/2
Color moist: N 2.5/, 3/, 5B 4/1, 5/1, 6/1, 7.5YR 2.5/1, 10YR 2/1, 3/1, 3/4, 4/1, 4/2, 4/3, 5/6, 2.5Y 2.5/1, 3/1, 3/2, 4/2, 5Y 2/1, 2.5/1, 2.5/2, 4/3
Texture: ashy sand, gravelly ashy sand, extremely gravelly ashy sand, ashy coarse sand, gravelly ashy coarse sand, very gravelly ashy coarse sand, ashy loamy fine sand
Clay content: 0 to 1 percent
Rock fragments: 2 to 30 percent fine gravel, 0 to 20 percent medium and coarse gravel, 2 to 50 percent total gravel, 0 to 15 percent cobbles, 2 to 65 percent total rock fragments
Organic matter: 0 to 0.8 percent
Base saturation by ammonium acetate: 58 to 75 percent
Acid oxalate extractable Al plus 1/2 Fe: 0.05 to 0.25 percent
P retention: 2 to 10 percent
Glass content: 7 to 65 percent
NaF pH: 9.1 to 11.0
Soil reaction: slightly acid or neutral
2Ab horizon:
Color dry: 10YR 4/3, 5/3, 6/3, 2.5Y 5/3
Color moist: 10YR 2/2, 3/2, 4/2, 4/3, 2.5Y 3/2
Texture: gravelly medial loamy sand, gravelly medial loamy coarse sand, gravelly medial sandy loam, very gravelly medial sandy loam, very gravelly medial loamy coarse sand, stony medial sandy loam
Clay content: 0 to 10 percent
Rock fragments: 8 to 15 percent fine gravel, 7 to 25 percent medium and coarse gravel, 15 to 40 percent total gravel, 0 to 8 percent cobbles, 0 to 10 percent stones, 20 to 40 percent total rock fragments
Organic matter: 4.0 to 6.5 percent
Base saturation by ammonium acetate: 43 to 58 percent
Acid oxalate extractable Al plus 1/2 Fe: 1.2 to 2.0 percent
P retention: 75 to 90 percent
Glass content: 22 to 29 percent
NaF pH: 10 to 11.7
Soil reaction: slightly acid to slightly alkaline
2Bwb horizon:
Color dry: 10YR 5/3, 6/3, 6/4, 2.5Y 5/3, 5/4, 6/4
Color moist: 10YR 3/2, 3/3, 4/3, 3/4, 4/4, 2.5Y 4/2
Texture: cobbly medial fine sandy loam, very gravelly medial sandy loam, very gravelly medial coarse sandy loam, very cobbly medial sandy loam, extremely cobbly medial sandy loam, extremely cobbly medial coarse sandy loam, bouldery medial sandy loam, very cobbly medial loam
Clay content: 0 to 12 percent
Rock fragments: 7 to 15 percent fine gravel, 6 to 40 percent medium and coarse gravel, 10 to 35 percent total gravel, 0 to 45 percent cobbles, 0 to 10 percent stones, 32 to 70 percent total rock fragments
Organic matter: 3.0 to 5.5 percent
Base saturation by ammonium acetate: 23 to 38 percent
Acid oxalate extractable Al plus 1/2 Fe: 2.25 to 3.75 percent
P retention: 85 to 100 percent
Glass content: 4 to 14 percent
NaF pH: 10.5 to 11.8
Soil reaction: slightly acid to moderately alkaline
2Cdqb horizon:
Color dry: 10YR 6/1, 7/1, 6/2, 6/3, 6/6, 7/6
Color moist: 10YR 3/2, 4/2
Texture: very gravelly loamy sand, extremely gravelly loamy sand, extremely gravelly loamy coarse sand, very gravelly sandy loam, extremely gravelly sandy loam, extremely stony loamy coarse sand, extremely stony sandy loam, gravel
Clay content: 0 to 7 percent
Rock fragments: 9 to 25 percent fine gravel, 23 to 72 percent medium and coarse gravel, 35 to 81 percent total gravel, 5 to 20 percent cobbles, 0 to 20 percent stones, 51 to 91 percent total rock fragments
Organic matter: 0 to 0.7 percent
Base saturation by ammonium acetate: 20 to 28 percent
Acid oxalate extractable Al plus 1/2 Fe: 1.25 to 1.60 percent
P retention: 45 to 60 percent
NaF pH: 10.0 to 11.0
Rupture resistance: noncemented
Soil reaction: slightly acid to slightly alkaline
COMPETING SERIES: There are no other series in this family.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Buttelake soils are on ground moraines on volcanic plateaus and glacial-valley floors and walls in the Southern Cascade mountains. Slopes are 3 to 65 percent. These soils formed in recently deposited tephra from Cinder Cone over till from volcanic rocks. Elevation is 5852 to 7603 feet (1784 to 2318 m). Mean annual precipitation is 23 to 45 inches (584 to 1143 mm). The mean annual temperature is 42 to 44 degrees F (5.5 to 7 degrees C). Frost free season is 60 to 85 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Buttewash, Sunhoff and Talved soils. The Buttewash soils are deep to a duripan and are on adjacent outwash plains. The Sunhoff soils are moderately deep to dense till and are on ground moraines on glacial-valley walls. The Talved soils are very deep and formed in colluvium from glacially scoured bedrock on glacial-valley walls.
DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Well drained; saturated hydraulic conductivity is very high in the A and C horizons, high to very high in the 2Ab horizon, high in the 2Bwb horizons, and moderately low in the 2Cdqb horizons.
USE AND VEGETATION: This soil is used for wildlife habitat, recreation, ecosystem management, and watershed. Vegetation is Jeffrey pine, white fir, western needlegrass, snowbrush ceanothus, squirreltail, mountain monardella, silverleaf phacelia, and rubber rabbitbrush.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: The soils are inextensive and are mapped in MLRA: 22B Southern Cascade mountains
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California
SERIES ESTABLISHED: 2009 Lassen County, California. Source of name from Butte Lake.
REMARKS:
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Umbric epipedon: 13 to 31 inches, (33 to 79 cm)
Cambric horizon: 31 to 40 inches, (79 to 102 cm)
Andic soil properties: 13 to 53 inches, (33 to 135 cm)
Densic contact: 40 inches, (102 cm)
Particle-size control section: 10 to 40 inches, (1 to 101 cm)
Soil moisture control section: 23 to 53 inches, (57 to 135 cm)
ADDITIONAL DATA:
Characterization data from lab pedon number: 07N0128, NSSL Lincoln, NE. NASIS User Pedon ID in Davis, MLRA Office: 789179.