LOCATION CONEWARD CAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Mixed, mesic Typic Xeropsamments
TYPICAL PEDON: Coneward loamy sand on a northeast-facing 2 percent slope under a cover of western juniper, digger pine, antelope bitterbrush, curlleaf mountain mahogany and perennial grasses at an elevation of 3,600 feet. (Colors are for dry soil unless, otherwise stated. When described May 30, 1979, the soil was dry throughout.)
A1--0 to 4 inches; dark brown (10YR 4/3) loamy sand, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine and few fine roots; many very fine interstitial pores; neutral (pH 6.8); gradual smooth boundary. (0 to 5 inches thick)
A2--4 to 8 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) loamy sand, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine and few fine roots; many very fine interstitial pores; neutral (pH 7.0); gradual smooth boundary. (6 to 13 inches thick)
Bt1--8 to 24 inches; dark brown (7.5YR 4/4) loamy sand, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and fine and few medium roots; many very fine interstitial and few very fine tubular pores, few thin clay films in bridges between mineral grains; neutral (pH 7.0); diffuse smooth boundary.
Bt2--24 to 50 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) loamy sand, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine, medium, and few fine roots; few very fine tubular and common very fine interstitial pores; few thin clay films in bridges between mineral grains; neutral (pH 7.0); abrupt smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bt horizon is 34 to 42 inches)
Btq--50 to 60 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) loamy sand, dark brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak fine and medium platy structure; extremely hard, very firm, slightly sticky and nonplastic; few very fine and fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; many thin clay films in bridges between mineral grains, on faces of peds and in pores; weakly cemented by silica, slakes in water; neutral (pH 7.0). (10 to 30 inches thick)
TYPE LOCATION: Lassen County, California; about 6 miles SE of McArthur, 660 feet W of the Pittville Road and Cindercone Resource Area Road intersection, 550 feet S and 750 feet W from the NE corner of Sec. 13, T. 36 N, R. 5 E. Jellico NE (Cable Mountain) Quadrangle (7.5 minute series).
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Depth to a weakly cemented Btq horizon is 40 to 60 inches. The mean annual soil temperature is 47 to 50 degrees F. The soil temperature exceed 41 degrees F.
f.om mid March to late November for about 240 to 250 days and exceeds 47 degrees F. from mid April to late October for about 190 to 200 days. The soil moisture control section (14 to 43 inches to slightly cemented pan) is dry in all parts from early July to late October for about 110 to 120 days.
The A1 horizon color is 7.5YR 5/3, 4/4; 10YR 5/3, 4/4, or 4/3. Moist color is 7.5YR 3/2; 10YR 3/2, 2/2.
The A2 horizon color is 10YR 4/4; 7.5YR 6/4, or 5/4. Moist color is 7.5YR 3/4, 4/4; 10YR 3/4. Organic matter ranges from 1 to .5 percent. Clay content ranges from 3 to 5 percent. Base saturation by ammonium acetate ranges from 60 to 70 percent.
The Bt horizon color is 7.5YR 6/4, 5/4, 5/3, 4/4; 10YR 6/4, or 4/4. Moist color is 7.5YR; 10YR 4/4, 4/3 or 3/4. Organic matter ranges from 0.5 to 0.3 percent. In some pedons texture is cobbly loamy sand and stony loamy sand below 40 inches. Clay content ranges from 3 to 5 percent. In some pedons rock fragments mostly cobbles or stones, range from 0 to 25 percent in the lower part. Base saturation by ammonium acetate ranges from 70 to 85 percent.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Bisbee (WA), Chimney (T CA), Dart (WA), Ewall (WA), Panmaker (T WA), Preston (UT), Santaquin (UT), and Solo (WA) series. Bisbee, Chiminey, Ewall, Panamaker, and Preston do not have Bt horizons. Santaquin soils have mildly or moderately alkaline profiles. Dart soils have solum thickness of less than 20 inches.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Coneward soils are on lava plateaus, and hills. Slopes are 2 to 50 percent. These soils formed in eolian and alluvial deposits weathered from extrusive igneous rocks. Elevation is 2800 to 4200 feet. The climate is semiarid with warm dry summers and cold moist winters. Mean annual precipitation is 16 to 22 inches. Snowfall is 24 to 36 inches. The mean annual temperature is 45 to 48 degrees F. The mean January temperature is about 35 degrees F. The mean July temperature is about 65 degrees F. Frost-free period is 80 to 100 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Bollibokka, Britton, Jellico and Splawn series. Bollibokka soils are on hills, are loamy and 10 to 20 inches deep to a lithic contact. Britton soils are on hills and are clayey and shallow to a paralithic contact. Jellico soils are on lava plateaus, are loamy-skeletal and 20 to 40 inches deep to a lithic contact. Splawn soils are on lava plateaus and hills, are clayey-skeletal and 20 to 40 inches deep to a lithic contact.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat excessively drained; slow to rapid runoff; rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: This soil is used for timber production and livestock grazing. The vegetation is ponderosa pine western juniper, Digger pine, antelope bitterbrush, curlleaf mountain mahogany and Columbia needlegrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northeastern California. The soils are not extensive. MLRA is 22.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Lassen County, Intermountain Area, California 1994. Source of name is coined from Cone and Ward Ranch.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - the zone from 0 to 8 inches (A1, A2)