LOCATION BELLECANYON CA

Established Series
CES/JBB/JTW
09/2021

BELLECANYON SERIES

The Bellecanyon series consists of very deep, well drained soils formed in outwash over till derived from granitic rocks. The Bellecanyon soils are on plateaus and outwash plains of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Slopes range from 2 to 15 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 860 mm and the mean annual air temperature is about 5 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy, isotic, frigid Vitrandic Humixerepts

TYPICAL PEDON: Bellecanyon loamy coarse sand on a south-east-facing (153 degree), 9 percent slope under a canopy of Jeffrey and lodgepole pine at an elevation of 2366 meters. (Colors are for dry soils unless otherwise noted. When described on September 12, 2014 the soil was dry throughout.)

Oi--0 to 5 cm; slightly decomposed plant material, dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) moist; about 100 percent fiber, 90 percent rubbed; few very fine roots throughout; very strongly acid (pH 5.0); abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 5 cm thick) Lab sample # 15N02494

A--5 to 18 cm; brown (10YR 4/3) loamy coarse sand, dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) moist; 80 percent sand; 17 percent silt; 3 percent clay; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky, nonplastic; common very fine, fine, and medium roots throughout; common very fine and fine irregular pores; 10 percent subangular very strongly cemented granite gravel; NaF pH 10.3; strongly acid (pH 5.4); clear smooth boundary. (3 to 20 cm thick) Lab sample # 15N02495

Bw1--18 to 43 cm; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) gravelly loamy coarse sand, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; 80 percent sand; 17 percent silt; 4 percent clay; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky, nonplastic; common very fine, fine, medium, coarse, and very coarse roots throughout; common very fine, fine, and medium irregular pores; 15 percent subrounded very strongly cemented granite gravel; NaF pH 10.8; strongly acid (pH 5.4); clear smooth boundary. (15 to 40 cm thick) Lab sample # 15N02496

Bw2--43 to 89 cm; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) gravelly loamy coarse sand, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; 82 percent sand; 15 percent silt; 4 percent clay; weak medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; common very fine, few fine, and common medium, coarse, and very coarse roots throughout; common very fine, fine, and medium irregular pores; 20 percent subrounded very strongly cemented granite gravel, 3 percent subrounded very strongly cemented granite cobbles; NaF pH 10.8; strongly acid (pH 5.4); clear smooth boundary. (25 to 50 cm thick) Lab sample # 15N02497

2C--89 to 160 cm; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) very cobbly loamy coarse sand, very dark brown (7.5YR 2.5/3) moist; 83 percent sand; 14 percent silt; 4 percent clay; structureless single grain; loose, loose, nonsticky, nonplastic; common medium and coarse roots throughout; common very fine, fine, and medium irregular pores; 35 percent subrounded strongly cemented granite gravel, 22 percent subrounded strongly cemented granite cobbles, 2 percent subrounded strongly cemented granite stones; NaF pH 10.7; strongly acid (pH 5.4). Lab sample # 15N02498

TYPE LOCATION: Tulare County, California, approximately 2.7 km south west of Sugarloaf Peak, Kings Canyon National Park; USGS 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle: Mount Silliman, California; WGS84 36.712840 latitude and -118.680644 longitude; UTM zone 11 4064333 meters N 349897 meters E NAD83.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil temperature: The mean annual soil temperature at 50 cm is 5 to 8 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: 25 to 100 cm

Reaction: slightly to strongly acid

Base saturation: less than 50 percent (by ammonium acetate)

Acid-oxalate extractable Al plus 1/2 Fe: 0.4 to 2.0 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 20 percent, with 0 to 20 percent gravel, 0 to 5 percent cobbles, and 0 to 5 percent stones
Clay content: 3 to 7 percent
NaF pH: 8.5 to 11.0

A horizon
Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR
Value: 4 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3 dry, 1 or 2 moist
Texture: loamy sand, loamy coarse sand
Clay content: 3 to 6 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 20 percent gravel

Bw1 horizon
Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 3 or 4, dry or moist
Texture: loamy sand, loamy coarse sand
Clay content: 3 to 7 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 20 percent gravel

Bw2 horizon
Hue: 10YR
Value: 5 to 7 dry, 3 to 5 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4 dry, 3 to 6 moist
Texture: loamy sand, loamy coarse sand
Clay content: 3 to 7 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 25 percent
0 to 20 percent gravel
0 to 5 percent cobbles

2C horizon
Hue: 10YR, 2.5Y
Value: 6 or 7 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4 dry, 3 to 6 moist
Texture: loamy sand, loamy coarse sand, sand
Clay content: 2 to 6 percent
Rock fragments: 30 to 60 percent
30 to 60 percent gravel
0 to 30 percent cobbles
0 to 5 percent stones

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Beetlerock, Hockett, and Packerjohn soils. Beetlerock soils are formed in colluvium and residuum, have subangular fragments, and contain fragments larger than cobbles throughout the profile. Packerjohn soils have pH values that range up to neutral and textures with ashy modifiers in the particle size control section. Hockett soils are 50 to 100 cm deep to a lithic contact.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Bellecanyon soils are on linear footslopes of plateaus and outwash plains. Slopes range from 2 to 15 percent. These soils formed in glacial outwash over glacial till derived from granite and granodiorite. Elevation is 2000 to 2900 meters. The climate is Mediterranean with warm, dry summers and cool, moist winters. The mean annual precipitation is 770 to 1350 mm and the mean annual air temperature is 4 to 7 degrees C. The frost free season is 80 to 115 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Kanawyer soils. Kanawyer soils are on linear backslopes of moraines and are sandy-skeletal.

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 Jeffrey pine, Sierra lodgepole pine, white fir, greenleaf manzanita, whitethorn ceanothus, and chinquapin.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Sierra Nevada Mountains of California; MLRA 22A. These soils are not extensive.

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 Kings Canyon 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 89 cm
Andic Soil Properties 18 to 43 cm

ADDITIONAL DATA:
Pedon information for this type location only:
Lab Source ID: KSSL
Lab Pedon #: 15N0491
NASIS User Pedon ID: S2014CA107003

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

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.