LOCATION BLICKENSTAFF CAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Aridic Calcixerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Blickenstaff sandy loam--on a 1 percent slope at 4,045 feet elevation--irrigated cropland. (When described on November 6, 1984, the soil was moist throughout and the soil temperature at 20 inches was 46 degrees F. Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted).
Ap--0 to 9 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; common very fine and few fine roots; many very fine interstitial pores; 10 percent fine gravel; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); clear wavy boundary.
A--9 to 15 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; few very fine roots; many very fine interstitial pores; 10 percent fine gravel; violently effervescent; very strongly alkaline (pH 9.1); clear wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the A horizons is 10 to 15 inches).
Bw--15 to 34 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) gravelly sandy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; few very fine roots; many very fine interstitial pores; 25 percent fine gravel; strongly effervescent; very strongly alkaline (pH 9.6); clear wavy boundary. (10 to 20 inches thick)
Bk1--34 to 53 inches; light gray (10YR 7/2) gravelly sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; no roots; many very fine interstitial pores; 25 percent fine gravel; strongly effervescent, secondary carbonates segregated in few fine masses; very strongly alkaline (pH 9.3); clear wavy boundary.
Bk2--53 to 60 inches; white (10YR 8/1) gravelly sandy loam, pale brown (10YR 6/3) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; no roots; many very fine interstitial pores; 25 percent fine gravel; strongly effervescent, secondary carbonates segregated in common medium filaments; strongly alkaline (pH 8.8). (Combined thickness of the Bk horizons is 10 to 30 inches).
TYPE LOCATION: Lassen County, California; in Honey Lake Valley about 1.3 miles northeast of Buntingville; about 1 mile east of County Road A3 on Hemphill Road and 300 feet northwest of the right angle bend in the road; approximately 1,200 feet north and 2,400 feet east of the southwest corner of section 12, T. 28 N., R. 13 E.; USGS Standish 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle; 40 degrees 17 minutes 49.92 seconds north latitude and 120 degrees 27 minutes 50.08 seconds west longitude, NAD27.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture - The moisture control section is dry from June 15 to November 15 (153 days) and is moist in all parts from December 1 to April 15 (136 days). The soil temperature exceeds 41 degrees F. from April 15 to November 15 (214 days); Aridic moisture regime that borders on xeric.
Mean annual soil temperature - 52 to 54 degrees F.
Mollic epipedon thickness - 10 to 16 inches.
Depth to base of cambic horizon - 30 to 40 inches.
Depth to calcic horizon - 30 to 40 inches.
Particle-size control section - Clay content: Averages 10 to 18 percent; Rock fragments: 15 to 25 percent, mainly fine gravel. Lithology of fragments is granite.
Ap and A horizons - Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y.
Chroma: 1 or 2 dry, 1 through 3 moist.
Organic matter content: 1 or 2 percent.
Reaction: Moderately alkaline to very strongly alkaline.
Salinity (EC): 0 to 4 mmhos/cm.
Sodicity (SAR): 0 to 4.
Effervescence: Strongly effervescent or violently effervescent.
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 1 to 3 percent.
Bw horizon - Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y.
Value: 6 or 7 dry, 3 through 5 moist.
Chroma: 2 through 4, dry or moist.
Rock fragments: 15 to 25 percent.
Reaction: Strongly alkaline or very strongly alkaline.
Salinity (EC): 0 to 4 mmhos/cm.
Sodicity (SAR): 4 to 13.
Effervescence: Strongly effervescent or violently effervescent.
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 1 to 5 percent.
Bk horizons - Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y.
Value: 6 through 8 dry, 4 through 6 moist.
Chroma: 1 through 4 dry, 2 through 4 moist.
Reaction: Strongly alkaline or very strongly alkaline.
Salinity (EC): 0 to 4 mmhos/cm.
Sodicity (SAR): 4 to 13.
Effervescence: Strongly effervescent or violently effervescent.
Identifiable secondary carbonates: Segregated as few to common masses and filaments.
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 5 to 15 percent.
COMPETING SERIES: This is the Blackett series. Blackett soils do not have cambic horizons, have calcic horizons at depths of 8 to 14 inches from the soil surface, and average less than 15 percent rock fragments in the particle-size control section.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Blickenstaff soils are on stream terraces. These soils formed in alluvium derived from granite. Slopes are 0 to 2 percent. Elevation ranges from 4,000 to 4,100 feet. The climate is semiarid with cool, moist winters and warm, dry summers. The mean annual precipitation is 9 to 12 inches, including 10 to 20 inches of snow. The mean annual temperature is 50 to 52 degrees F., the mean July temperature is about 68 degrees F., and the mean January temperature is about 30 degrees F. The frost-free period is 100 to 130 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Massack, Plinco, Standish, and Truckee soils. Massack soils are noncalcareous, have thick dark epipedons, gleyed C horizons, and are on flood plains. Plinco soils are noncalcareous, have thick dark epipedons, and are on fans. Standish soils have natric horizons and are on natural levees. Truckee soils are fine-loamy and have buried A horizons.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Moderately well drained; very low surface runoff; moderately rapid permeability. Endosaturation is present with an apparent seasonal high water table between 3.5 and 5 feet (deep free water occurrence class) from March through May. Cumulative annual duration class is Transitory.
USE AND VEGETATION: Blickenstaff soils are used for irrigated cropland and livestock grazing. Common crops are small grains, pasture, and alfalfa for hay and seed. The vegetation in rangeland is mainly basin big sagebrush and basin wildrye.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northeastern California. These soils are not extensive with about 1,600 acres of the series mapped to date. MLRA 23.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California.
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Lassen County (Susanville Area Soil Survey), California, 2000.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - The zone from the soil surface to 15 inches (Ap and A horizons).
Cambic horizon - The zone from 15 to 34 inches (Bw horizon).
Calcic horizon - The zone from 34 to 60 inches (Bk1 and Bk2 horizons).
Endosaturation feature - The condition of ground water with an upper boundary between 42 and 60 inches at certain times in normal years (parts of the Bk1 and Bk2 horizons).
Particle size control section - The zone from 10 to 40 inches (Bw horizon and parts of the A and Bk1 horizons).
ADDITIONAL DATA: The typical pedon at the series type location is reference sampled for the Soil Survey Laboratory, Lincoln, NE as soil survey sample number S86CA-035-006 (pedon # 86P0489). Data on organic carbon, electrical conductivity, sodium adsorption ratio, 1:1 water pH, and calcium carbonate equivalent are available.