LOCATION CANNELL            CA 
Established Series
Rev. JTB-GWH-RWK
7/98

CANNELL SERIES


The Cannell series consists of deep, well drained soils formed on mountainous uplands in material weathered from granitic rock. Cannell soils have slopes of 0 to 75 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 20 inches and the mean annual air temperature is about 40 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Typic Dystroxerepts

TYPICAL PEDON: Cannell sandy loam, forested. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted).

Oi--2 to 0 inches; dead and decomposing pine needles, twigs and bark; forest duff.

A1--0 to 7 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky and moderate fine granular structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine and very fine roots; common fine and very fine tubular and interstitial pores; 15 percent fine and very fine gravel; strongly acid (pH5.3); clear smooth boundary. (4 to 8 inches thick)

Bw--7 to 27 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) sandy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist; moderate medium and fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine and very fine and many medium and coarse roots; common fine and very fine tubular pores; 10 percent fine and very fine gravel; moderately acid (pH 6.0); gradual smooth boundary. (15 to 24 inches thick)

C--27 to 50 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak coarse and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine and very fine and many medium and coarse roots; common fine and very fine tubular pores; slightly acid (pH 6.3); gradual smooth boundary. (21 to 34 inches thick)

Cr--50 to 60 inches; highly weathered granitic rock with mineral grains retaining original orientation; grades to unweathered rock at undetermined depth.

TYPE LOCATION: Tulare County, California; Sequoia National Forest; Cannel Meadow Ranger District. Approximately 1.5 miles north of Blackrock Station on Forest Service Road 21S03, on west side of road in NW 1/4, sec. 12, T. 21 S., R. 34 E.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Thickness of solum is 20 to 30 inches. Depth to a paralithic contact of weathered granitic rock ranges from 40 to greater than 60 inches. Soil reaction is slightly acid to strongly acid. Rock fragment content in fine and very fine gravel size ranges from 5 to 20 percent by volume. Clay content is 5 to 15 percent. Base saturation is 50 to 60 percent. Dark colors do not extend below a depth of 8 inches.

The A horizon has color value of 4 or 5 dry, 3 or 4 moist, and chroma of 2 or 3. It is coarse sandy loam or sandy loam and has weak or moderate subangular blocky to weak or moderate granular structure.

The Bw horizon has color value of 4 through 6 dry, 3 through 5 moist and chroma of 3 through 5. It is coarse sandy loam or sandy loam and has weak or moderate, medium or fine subangular blocky structure.

The C horizon has color value of 5 through 7 dry, 4 through 6 moist and chroma of 3 through 5. It is coarse sandy loam, sandy loam, or in some pedons loamy sand or loamy coarse sand. The Cr material grades into hard granitic rock at varying depths.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Kriest, Moscow, and Rogue series. Similar soils are the Chaix and Chawanakee series. Kriest soils have 15 to 35 percent rock fragments in the profile and have a thin mantle of volcanic ash on the surface. Moscow soils have a paralithic contact at depths of 20 to 36 inches. Rogue soils have 20 to 35 percent rock fragments. Chaix soils have a mean annual soil temperature of 54 to 59 degrees F. Chawanakee soils have a paralithic contact at depths of 12 to 20 inches and a mean annual soil temperature of 50 to 59 degrees F.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Cannell soils are on nearly level to steep mountain slopes at elevations of 7,000 to 9,500 feet. They formed in material weathered from Mesozoic granitic rock, principally granodiorite. The climate is characterized by cool moist winters and warm dry summers. Mean annual precipitation is 15 to 30 inches, most of which falls as snow. Mean annual temperature is about 35 to 45 degrees F, and the frost-free season is about 75 to 150 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Albanita, Osa and Overlook series all of which are tentative. Albanita and Osa soils have sandy control sections and a paralithic contact within 40 inches. Overlook soils have greater than 35 percent rock fragments in the control section.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; low to medium runoff; moderately rapid permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: Used for timber production, recreation, wildlife habitat and water production. Native vegetation is white fir, Jeffrey pine, red fir, lodgepole pine, mountain whitethorn, greenleaf manzanita, chinquapin, grasses and forbs.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: The southern mountain area of the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range of California. The series is moderately extensive.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Sequoia National Forest Area, Tulare County, California, 1981. The name is taken from Cannell meadow.

REMARKS:


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.