LOCATION CHENHIGH                CA

Established Series
Rev. EWB/JVC/JBF
03/2017

CHENHIGH SERIES

The Chenhigh series consists of shallow, well drained soils that formed in residuum derived from volcanic rocks. Chenhigh soils are on mountains. Slopes are 4 to 30 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 480 mm and the mean annual temperature is about 6 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Clayey-skeletal, mixed, superactive, frigid Lithic Argixerolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Chenhigh very gravelly sandy loam--rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.) The soil surface is covered with 30 percent gravel, 5 percent cobbles, and 5 percent stones.

A--0 to 8 cm; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) very gravelly sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine roots; common very fine tubular and interstitial pores; 45 percent gravel, 5 percent cobbles and 5 percent stones; slightly acid (pH 6.4); abrupt wavy boundary. (5 to 13 cm thick)

Bt1--8 to 15 cm; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) very gravelly clay loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; strong fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine tubular and interstitial pores; many distinct clay films on faces of peds and lining pores; 45 percent gravel and 5 percent cobbles; slightly acid (pH 6.4); clear wavy boundary. (5 to 8 cm thick)

Bt2--15 to 25 cm; brown (10YR 4/3) very gravelly clay, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; strong fine and medium angular blocky structure; very hard, firm, very sticky and very plastic; common very fine through medium roots; common very fine tubular and interstitial pores; many distinct clay films on faces of peds and lining pores; 45 percent gravel and 5 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 7.0); clear wavy boundary. (8 to 15 cm thick)

Bt3--25 to 46 cm; brown (7.5YR 5/3) extremely gravelly clay, brown (7.5YR 4/3) moist; strong fine and medium angular blocky structure; very hard, firm, very sticky and very plastic; common very fine through medium roots; common very fine tubular and interstitial pores; many prominent clay films on faces of peds and lining pores; 70 percent gravel and 5 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 7.2); abrupt irregular boundary. (8 to 20 cm thick)

R--46 cm; hard, fractured andesitic tuff.

TYPE LOCATION: Alpine County, California; on the Toiyabe National Forest about 0.6 mile north of Heenan Lake; approximately 300 feet north and 900 feet east of the southwest corner of section 34, T. 10 N., R. 21 E.; USGS Heenan Lake 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle; latitude 38 degrees 39 minutes 48.6 seconds N and longitude 119 degrees 39 minutes 53.8 seconds W; WGS84 Decimal Degrees 38.6635000 latitude, -119.6649444 longitude.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture; Usually moist in the moisture control section during late fall, winter, and spring; dry from July through early October for 75 to 90 consecutive days in the four months following the summer solstice; xeric moisture regime that borders on aridic.
Mean annual soil temperature: 6 to 8 degrees C.
Mollic epipedon thickness: 10 to 36 cm; includes the Bt1 and Bt2 horizons.
Depth to bedrock: 36 to 50 cm to a lithic contact.
Reaction: Slightly acid or neutral.

Particle-size control section - Clay content: Averages 35 to 50 percent; Rock fragments: Averages 50 to 80 percent, mainly gravel. Lithology of fragments are volcanic rocks such as tuff, tuff-breccia, and andesite.

A horizon
Value: 4 or 5 dry.
Chroma: 2 or 3, dry or moist.
Organic matter content: 2 to 4 percent.

Bt1 horizon
Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR.
Value: 4 or 5 dry.
Chroma: 2 or 3, dry or moist.
Texture: Very gravelly clay loam or very gravelly clay.
Clay content: 30 to 45 percent.
Rock fragments: 35 to 60 percent.
Organic matter content: 1 to 3 percent.

Bt2 horizon
Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR.
Value: 4 or 5 dry.
Chroma: 2 or 3, dry or moist.
Texture: Very gravelly clay loam, very gravelly clay, or extremely gravelly clay.
Clay content: 35 to 50 percent.
Rock fragments: 50 to 80 percent.
Organic matter content: 1 to 3 percent.

Bt3 horizon
Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR.
Value: 4 through 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist.
Chroma: 3 or 4, dry or moist.
Texture: Very gravelly clay loam, very gravelly clay, or extremely gravelly clay.
Clay content: 35 to 50 percent.
Rock fragments: 50 to 80 percent.

COMPETING SERIES: There are currently no other series in this family.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Chenhigh soils are on mountains. They typically occur on summit or shoulder positions. They formed in residuum derived from volcanic rocks. Slopes are 4 to 30 percent. Elevations range from 1,646 to 2,740 meters. The climate is subhumid-continental with cold, moist winters and warm, dry summers. The mean annual precipitation is 400 to 600 mm, mean annual temperature is 4 to 7 degrees C., and the frost-free period is 40 to 80 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Celeridge, Heenlake, Leroman, and Loope soils. These soils are loamy-skeletal. In addition, Heenlake and Leroman soils are moderately deep to paralithic contacts.

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

USE AND VEGETATION: Chenhigh soils are used for livestock grazing, recreation, watershed, and wildlife habitat. The native vegetation is mainly low sagebrush, antelope bitterbrush, currant, bluegrass, western needlegrass, and mountain brome.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Eastern California, on the east side of the Sierra Nevada Range. These soils are not extensive with about 4,500 acres of the series mapped to date. MLRAs 22A and 26.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Alpine County (Toiyabe National Forest Area), California, 2006.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - The zone from the soil surface to 25 cm (A, Bt1, and Bt2 horizons).
Argillic horizon - The zone from 8 to 46 cm (Bt1, Bt2, and Bt3 horizons).
Lithic contact - The boundary at 46 cm to underlying hard bedrock (R layer).
Particle-size control section - The zone from 8 to 46 cm (Bt1, Bt2, and Bt3 horizons).

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.