LOCATION CRANEFLAT CAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy-skeletal, isotic, frigid Humic Dystroxerepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Craneflat very stony sandy loam, on a north facing 40 percent slope under a cover of mixed conifers at an elevation of 5,740 feet (1,749.6 meters).When described the soil was moist throughout. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted).
Oi--0 to 1 inch, (0 to 2 centimeters); slightly decomposed plant material; 1 percent subangular very strongly cemented granitoid rock fragments 2 to 76 millimeters in size. (0 to 1 inch [0 to 2 centimeters] thick)
Oe--1 to 1 inch, (2 to 3 centimeters); moderately decomposed plant material; 1 percent subangular very strongly cemented granitoid rock fragments 2 to 76 millimeters in size. (0 to 1 inch [0 to 1 centimeter] thick)
Oa--1 to 2 inches, (3 to 5 centimeters); highly decomposed plant material 1 percent subangular very strongly cemented granitoid rock fragments 2 to 76 millimeters in size. (0 to 1 inches [0 to 2 centimeters] thick)
A--2 to 4 inches, (5 to 11 centimeters); brown (10YR 5/3) very stony sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate fine granular structure; loose, non-sticky, non-plastic; few fine and many very fine roots; 3 percent subangular very strongly cemented granitoid rock fragments 75 to 250 millimeters in size, 7 percent subangular very strongly cemented granitoid rock fragments 2 to 75 millimeters in size, and 30 percent subangular very strongly cemented granitoid rock fragments 250 to 600 millimeters in size; slightly acid (pH 6.3); clear smooth boundary. (1 to 8 inches [2 to 21 centimeters] thick) NSSL Lab sample # 98P01196
Bw1--4 to 11 inches, (11 to 28 centimeters); brown (10YR 4/3) very stony loamy sand, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak medium granular and weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable, non-sticky, non-plastic; few fine and common very fine roots; 3 percent subangular very strongly cemented granitoid rock fragments 75 to 250 millimeters in size, 10 percent subangular very strongly cemented granitoid rock fragments 2 to 75 millimeters in size, and 35 percent subangular very strongly cemented granitoid rock fragments 250 to 600 millimeters in size; slightly acid (pH 6.4); gradual wavy boundary. (2 to 16 inches [4 to 40 centimeters] thick) NSSL Lab sample # 98P01197
Bw2--11 to 22 inches, (28 to 57 centimeters); brown (10YR 4/3) very stony loamy coarse sand, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate coarse granular, weak fine granular and weak very fine granular structure; soft, very friable, non-sticky, non-plastic; few fine, common medium, coarse, and very fine roots; 5 percent subangular very strongly cemented granitoid rock fragments 75 to 250 millimeters in size, 10 percent subangular very strongly cemented granitoid rock fragments 2 to 75 millimeters in size, and 25 percent subangular very strongly cemented granitoid rock fragments 250 to 600 millimeters in size; slightly acid (pH 6.1); gradual wavy boundary. (2 to 16 inches [4 to 40 centimeters] thick) NSSL Lab sample # 98P01198
Bw3--22 to 30 inches, (57 to 75 centimeters); yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) very stony loamy sand, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky, weak fine subangular blocky, and weak very fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, non-sticky, non-plastic; few fine, common medium, coarse, very coarse, and very fine roots; 5 percent subangular very strongly cemented granitoid rock fragments 75 to 250 millimeters in size, 10 percent subangular very strongly cemented granitoid rock fragments 2 to 75 millimeters in size, and 25 percent subangular very strongly cemented granitoid rock fragments 250 to 600 millimeters in size; moderately acid (pH 5.8); gradual wavy boundary. (2 to 16 inches [4 to 40 centimeters] thick) NSSL Lab sample # 98P01199
Bw4--30 to 60 inches, (75 to 152 centimeters); yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) very cobbly loamy coarse sand, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; single grain and weak medium subangular blocky, weak fine subangular blocky, weak very fine granular structure; slightly hard, friable, non-sticky, non-plastic; few fine and common medium roots; 15 percent subangular very strongly cemented granitoid rock fragments 75 to 250 millimeters in size and 20 percent subangular very strongly cemented granitoid rock fragments 2 to 75 millimeters in size; moderately acid (pH 5.8). NSSL Lab sample # 98P01200
TYPE LOCATION: Mariposa County, California; approximately 1,000 feet (304.9 meters) east of Wawona Road on a slope above Bishop Creek; approximately 790 feet (240.9 meters) east and 2,450 feet (747.0 meters) south of the northwest corner of section 4, T. 4 S., R. 21 E., Mount Diablo Base and Meridian; Latitude 37 degrees, 36 minutes, 55.3 seconds north and Longitude 119 degrees, 41 minutes, 5.6 seconds west; USGS Wawona, California Quadrangle, NAD 83.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature is less than 46.4 degrees F (8.0 degrees C).The particle-size control section has 0.5 to 7 percent clay and 70 to 85 percent sand. Rock fragment content is 0 to 60 percent, by volume, in any horizon, but the particle-size control section by weighted average has 35 percent or more rock fragments. The soil has an umbric epipedon and/or cambic horizon. Some pedons do not have one or more O horizons. The content of surface rock fragments is 0 to 85 percent.
A horizon
Hue: 10YR (dry) and 10YR or 2.5Y (moist)
Value: 3 to 5 (dry) and 2 or 3 (moist)
Chroma: 2 to 4 (dry and moist)
Texture of the fine earth fraction: loamy sand, loamy fine sand, coarse sandy loam, or sandy loam
Clay content: 0.5 to 7 percent
Rock fragment content: 5 to 75 percent
Organic matter content: 2 to 30 percent
Reaction: extremely acid to slightly acid
Other characteristics: some pedons have an AC horizon
Bw horizon
Hue: 10YR (dry and moist)
Value: 3 or 4 (dry) and 4 to 6 (moist)
Chroma: 2 to 6 (dry and moist)
Texture of the fine earth fraction: sand, loamy coarse sand, loamy sand, coarse sandy loam, or sandy loam
Clay content: 0.5 to 7 percent
Rock fragment content: 15 to 85 percent
Organic matter content: 0.2 to 6 percent
Reaction: very strongly acid to slightly acid
Other characteristics: some pedons have a BC horizon and/or a C horizon
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series at this time.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Craneflat soils are on mountainsides, mountain summits, moraines, landslides, and aprons. Slope is 0 to 75 percent. Elevation is 3,795 to 8,776 feet (1,156.8 to 2,675.1 meters). These soils formed in colluvium or till from granitic rock. The mean annual precipitation is 33 to 53 inches (838 to 1,346 millimeters). Mean annual temperature is 42 to 52 degrees F (5.6 to 11.1 degrees C). The frost-free period is 20 to 60 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Clarkslodge, Nevadafalls, Waterwheel, and Badgerpass soils. Clarkslodge soils have an argillic horizon. Nevadafalls soils have a coarse-loamy particle-size class. Waterwheel soils do not have an umbric epipedon and/or cambic horizon. Badgerpass soils have a sandy particle-size class.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat excessively drained; low to medium runoff; saturated hydraulic conductivity is high or very high.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for watershed and recreation in Yosemite National Park. The vegetation is red fir, white fir, lodgepole pine, Jeffrey pine, mountain hemlock, and western white pine.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: These soils are in the Sierra Nevada in and near Yosemite National Park. The soils of this series are of moderate extent. MLRA 22A.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Yosemite National Park, California, 2006.
REMARKS: Isotic mineralogy class based on lab data. Craneflat soils have an umbric epipedon. Some Craneflat soils also have a cambic horizon. The vegetation according to Preliminary Description of Terrestrial Natural Community of California, Robert F. Holland and Fish and Game, State of California, 1986 is Red Fir Forest (85310), generally below 9,000 feet (2,743.2 meters) elevation. White Fir Mixed Coniferous Forest (84232), Lodgepole Pine Forest (86110), Jeffrey Pine-Fir Forest (85210), Sierra Mixed Subalpine Coniferous Forest (86200), Mountain Hemlock Forest (86800), Dry Subalpine and Alpine Meadows (45220), and Western White Pine Forest (85120).
ADDITIONAL DATA: NSSL lab data pedon number 98P0190 (Pedon ID: 97CA043008) for this Craneflat series typical profile and 01N0152 (Pedon ID: 00CA109015) are available from the National Soil Survey Laboratory at the National Soil Survey Center in Lincoln, Nebraska.