LOCATION DEVILSNOSE              CA

Established Series
SMM/AGB/TKK/JW
09/2018

DEVILSNOSE SERIES

The Devilsnose series consists of very deep, well drained soils formed in ashy colluvium over weathered colluvium and residuum from andesitic tuff breccia. The Devilsnose soils are on mountainflanks of lahars. Slopes range from 3 to 60 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 1245 mm and the mean annual air temperature is about 11 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Medial over loamy-skeletal, mixed over isotic, mesic Alfic Humic Haploxerands

TYPICAL PEDON: Devilsnose medial loam on a northwest facing, linear, 20 percent slope, under cover of ponderosa pine, white fir, incense cedar, and bear clover at an elevation of 1352 meters. When described on August 6th, 2009 the soil was dry to a depth of 63 centimeters, and moist beneath. Colors are for dry soils unless otherwise noted.

Oi--0 to 5 cm; slightly decomposed plant material.

Oe--5 to 10 cm; moderately decomposed plant material; abrupt wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of Oi and Oe [where present] horizons is 4 to 15 cm)

A--10 to 22 cm; brown (7.5YR 4/3) medial loam, very dark brown (7.5YR 2.5/2) moist; 45 percent sand; 17 percent clay; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky, slightly plastic; slightly fluid; common very fine, fine and medium roots; many very fine and fine irregular pores; 10 percent subrounded indurated tuff breccia gravel; moderately acid (pH 5.9); clear wavy boundary.

AB--22 to 40 cm; brown (7.5YR 4/4) gravelly medial loam, very dark brown (7.5YR 2.5/3) moist; 49 percent sand; 15 percent clay; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky, slightly plastic; slightly fluid; many very fine and fine roots and few medium roots; many very fine and fine irregular pores; 15 percent subrounded indurated tuff breccia gravel, 3 percent subangular indurated tuff breccia cobbles; slightly acid (pH 6.1); gradual wavy boundary.

Bw--40 to 63 cm; brown (7.5YR 4/4) gravelly medial loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/3) moist; 50 percent sand; 16 percent clay; weak medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky, slightly plastic; slightly fluid; common very fine to coarse roots; many very fine and fine irregular and common medium tubular pores; 20 percent subrounded indurated tuff breccia gravel, 5 percent subangular indurated tuff breccia cobbles; slightly acid (pH 6.1); clear irregular boundary. (Combined thickness of A, AB and Bw horizons is 36 to 90 cm)

2Bt1--63 to 101 cm; strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) very cobbly loam, brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; 46 percent sand; 21 percent clay; moderate coarse subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; few very fine to coarse roots; many fine and medium tubular pores; 20 percent distinct clay films on all faces of peds; 10 percent subrounded very strongly cemented tuff breccia gravel, 3 percent subangular moderately cemented tuff breccia paragravel, 30 percent subangular very strongly cemented tuff breccia cobbles; moderately acid (pH 6.0); gradual wavy boundary.

2Bt2--101 to 123 cm; strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) very cobbly loam, brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; 48 percent sand; 22 percent clay; moderate coarse subangular blocky structure; very hard, very firm, moderately sticky, moderately plastic; few very fine to coarse roots; common fine tubular and common medium tubular pores; 10 percent prominent clay films on all faces of peds and 20 percent prominent organoargillans on all faces of peds; 15 percent subrounded very strongly cemented tuff breccia gravel, 5 percent subrounded moderately cemented tuff breccia paragravels, 30 percent subangular very strongly cemented tuff breccia cobbles, 20 percent subangular moderately cemented tuff breccia paracobbles; moderately acid (pH 5.8); gradual wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of 2Bt horizons is 50 to 125 cm)

2BCt--123 to 165 cm; strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) very cobbly clay, brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; 27 percent sand; 42 percent clay; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; very hard, very firm, moderately sticky, moderately plastic; few very fine and fine roots; few fine and medium tubular pores; 15 percent distinct clay films on all faces of peds; 15 percent subrounded very strongly cemented tuff breccia gravel, 5 percent subrounded moderately cemented tuff breccia paragravel, 40 percent subangular very strongly cemented tuff breccia cobbles, 10 percent subangular moderately cemented tuff breccia paracobbles; strongly acid (pH 5.5); abrupt wavy boundary. (30 to 60 cm thick)

2Cr--165 to 200 cm; 30 percent reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/6) and 70 percent reddish yellow (5YR 6/6) moderately cemented tuff breccia bedrock, fractured at intervals of 45 to <100 cm, strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) moist; massive; strongly acid (pH 5.5); Bedrock is composed of moderately cemented andesitic tuff matrix with 35 percent clasts that range from strongly cemented to indurated. The matrix can be dug with a spade.

TYPE LOCATION: Calaveras County, California, 12.6 km (8 mi) southeast of the community of Railroad Flat, on the south side of Summit Level Road; USGS 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle: Fort Mountain, California. WGS84 38.2941666 latitude and -120.3819427 longitude; UTM Zone 10 4241709 meters N 728965 meters E NAD83.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:

Soil temperature: The mean annual soil temperature at 50 cm is 12 to 15 degrees C and the difference between mean summer and mean winter soil temperature is greater than 6 degrees C. The soils have a mesic temperature regime.

Soil moisture: The soil moisture control section is dry in all parts from about June to October. The soils have a xeric moisture regime.

Diagnostic Feature(s):
Umbric epipedon thickness: 27 to 105 cm
Andic soil properties thickness: 36 to 90 cm
Argillic horizon thickness: 50 to >150 cm
Depth to paralithic contact: >150 cm

Andic soil properties (A, AB and Bw horizons)
Volcanic glass content in the 0.02 to 2 mm fraction: 5 to 20 percent
Acid-oxalate extractable Al + 1/2 Fe: 1 to 3 percent
NZ Phosphate retention: 85 to 97 percent
15 bar water retention: 15 to 21 percent (on air-dried samples)
Bulk density (1/3 bar): 0.65 to 1.05 g/cc

Particle size control section weighted-average:
Rock fragments (upper part): 0 to 60 percent
Rock fragments (lower part): 35 to 70 percent
Clay content (upper part): 4 to 25 percent
Clay content (lower part): 24 to 35 percent

A (and AB) horizons
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 3 to 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Texture: ashy sandy loam or medial loam
Clay content: 4 to 18 percent
Rock fragments: 5 to 30 percent;
0 to 30 percent gravels
0 to 5 percent cobbles
Reaction: strongly acid to neutral

Bw horizons
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 3 to 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 3 or 4 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Texture: ashy sandy loam or medial loam
Clay content: 4 to 18 percent
Rock fragments: 15 to 50 percent (less than 35 percent in upper part of control section);
5 to 35 percent gravels
0 to 20 percent cobbles
Reaction: strongly acid to slightly acid

2Bt horizons
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 3 to 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Texture: loam, sandy clay loam, clay loam
Clay content: 18 to 35 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 70 percent;
10 to 40 percent gravels
0 to 10 percent paragravels
0 to 30 percent cobbles
0 to 25 percent paracobbles
Reaction: strongly acid to slightly acid

2BCt horizons
Hue: 5YR or 7.5YR
Value: 5 to 7 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 3 or 4 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Texture: loam, sandy clay loam, clay loam, clay
Clay content: 27 to 45 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 70 percent;
10 to 40 percent gravels
5 to 15 percent paragravels
0 to 35 percent cobbles
5 to 30 percent paracobbles
Reaction: strongly acid to slightly acid

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

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Devilsnose soils are on middle to upper thirds ofmountainflanks) of lahars in the Central Sierra Nevada. Slopes range from 3 to 60 percent. These soils formed in ashy colluvium over weathered colluvium and residuum from andesitic tuff breccia. Elevation is 900 to 1450 meters. The climate is Mediterranean with warm, dry summers and cool, moist winters. The mean annual precipitation is 1000 to 1300 mm and the mean annual air temperature is 11 to 14 degrees C. The frost free season is 175 to 210 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS:
These are the Iron Mountain, Lilygap, Mantree, McCarthy and Redapple soils. Iron Mountain soils are shallow and occur on mountaintops and steep mountainflanks. Lilygap soils are medial over loamy and occur on the lower portions of mountainflanks. Mantree soils occur on mountaintops and mountainflanks below lahars and formed in residuum from intrusive igneous rock. McCarthy soils occur in a similar landform position as Devilsnose but are moderately deep. Redapple soils occur on stable summits and backslopes of lahars and are fine.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately high (lower part) to high (upper part) in the particle size control section and moderately low above the bedrock contact.

USE AND VEGETATION: This soil is used for recreation, wildlife habitat, and watershed. Vegetation is sugar pine, ponderosa pine, white fir, incense cedar, scattered California black oak, deerbrush, whiteleaf manzanita, greenleaf manzanita, gray pinemat manzanita, and mountain misery.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Sierra Nevada Mountains of California; MLRA 22A. The series is not extensive.

SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California

SERIES PROPOSED: Calaveras County, California. Source of name is from a nearby mountain and USGS Quadrangle (Devils Nose).

REMARKS:

Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Andic soil properties 10 to 63 cm
Umbric epipedon 10 to 63 cm
Argillic horizon 63 to 165 cm
Paralithic contact 165 cm

Particle Size Control Section for this pedon: 10 to 110 cm.

ADDITIONAL DATA:
Pedon information for this type location only:
NASIS User Pedon ID: S09CA009007
Pedon Type: OSD pedon
Pedon Purpose: laboratory sampling site
Lab Source ID: SSL
Lab Pedon #: 10N0445

Soil classified using the 12th Edition of the Keys to Soil Taxonomy.

---

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.