LOCATION FIDDLETOWN              CA

Established Series
Rev. GMK-JEM-ET-AGB-TKK-JW
07/2022

FIDDLETOWN SERIES

The Fiddletown series consists of moderately deep to deep, well drained soils formed in material derived from metasedimentary schists and slates. These soils occur on high hills and mountain slopes under mixed conifers and hardwoods. The mean annual precipitation is about 920 mm and the mean annual air temperature is about 14 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, active, mesic Pachic Humixerepts

TYPICAL PEDON: Fiddletown gravelly loam on a north-facing, linear, slope of 28 percent at 600 meters elevation under California black oak, incense cedar, and poison oak.

Oi--0 to 3 cm; Loose litter of leaves, twigs, etc. slightly decomposed in the lower portion.

A--3 to 23 cm; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) gravelly loam, very dark brown (7.5YR 2/2) when moist; 11 percent clay; moderate very fine granular structure; soft, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; abundant very fine, few fine to medium roots; many very fine interstitial and tubular, few fine and medium tubular pores; slightly acid (pH 6.3); gradual, smooth boundary. (15 to 30 cm thick)

AC--23 to 49 cm; brown (7.5YR 4/3) gravelly loam, very dark brown (7.5 YR 2/2) when moist; 11 percent clay; moderate fine granular structure; gradual irregular boundary. (20 to 50 cm thick)

C--49 to 117 cm; brown (7.5YR 4/3) extremely gravelly loam, very dark brown (7.5 YR 2/2) when moist; 11 percent clay; abrupt, irregular boundary. (25 to 75 cm thick)

Cr--117+ cm; Gray (N/5) somewhat fractured schist, very dark gray (N/3) when moist; neutral (pH 7.0; crushed, rotten rock).

TYPE LOCATION: 2.4 km (1.5 miles) east of Fiddletown in Amador County, California; 0.25 km (0.15 miles) northeast of S1/4 corner of Section 35, T. 8 N., R. 11 E.; 35 meters (120 feet) south of the Fiddletown-Silverlake Road. USGS 7.5 minute Topographic Quadrangle: Pine Grove, CA. WGS84 38.496851 latitude and -120.730637 longitude. UTM Zone 10 697904 meters East and 4263384 meters North, NAD83.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil Temperature: The mean annual soil temperature at 50 cm is 8 to 15 degrees C. 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 particle size 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: 50 to over 100 cm
Some pedons have a cambic horizon.
Depth to paralithic contact: 50 to 150 cm

Particle Size Control Section weighted-averages:
Clay content: 8 to 25 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 60 percent (mostly gravel and channers)

Reaction: slightly to moderately acid

A horizons
Hue: 5YR, 7.5YR, 10YR
Value: 4 or 5 dry; 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 2 to 6 dry; 2 to 4 moist
Textures: loam, sandy loam
Rock fragments: 15 to 60 percent gravel, channers and cobbles
Clay content: 5 to 25 percent

Bw or BC horizons (where present)
Hue: 5YR, 7.5YR, 10YR
Value: 4 or 5 dry; 2 to 4 moist
Chroma: 3 to 6 dry or moist
Textures: loam, sandy loam
Rock fragments: 35 to 60 percent gravel, channers and cobbles
Clay content: 5 to 25 percent

C horizon
Hue: 5YR, 7.5YR, 10YR
Value: 4 or 5 dry; 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 3 to 6 dry or moist
Textures: loam, sandy loam, clay loam, sandy clay loam
Rock fragments: 40 to 80 percent gravel, cobbles, channers and stones
Clay content: 5 to 30 percent

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Kinseyridge (MLRA 5) and Sidehill (MLRA 5) soils. Kinseyridge soils do not have a bedrock contact within 150 cm. Sidehill soils are 50 to 100 cm to a lithic contact (sandstone).

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Fiddletown soils have slopes from 3 to 90 percent and occur at an elevation of 400 to 1525 meters in a Mediterranean climate with warm, dry summers and cool, moist winters. Mean annual precipitation is 870 to 1285 mm; average January temperature is about 6 degrees C; average July temperature is about 23 degrees C; mean annual air temperature is 11 to 16 degrees C; and a frost free season of 180 to 265 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Aiken, Bottlehill, Cohasset, Jocal, Mariposa, and Sites soils which all have argillic horizons. Aiken and Cohasset occur on andesitic lahars while Bottlehill, Jocal, Mariposa and Sites formed from metasedimentary rocks. Mariposa and Bottlehill soils occur in similar hillslope positions as Fiddletown. Jocal soils occur on backslopes and footslopes. Sites soils occur on stable summits.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately high in the soil and moderately low to high in the bedrock.

USE AND VEGETATION: California black oak and incense cedar with some canyon live oak, Oregon white oak, and ponderosa pine. The understory varies with species such as poison oak, mountain misery, toyon and annual or perennial grasses. Used primarily for timber production. Some areas are cleared for grazing.

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

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Amador County California, 1960; source of name is a town in Amador County.

REMARKS:

Particle Size Control Section for this pedon: 28 to 103 cm

Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Umbric epipedon: 0 to 117 cm
Paralithic contact: 117 cm

ADDITIONAL DATA:
NASIS User Pedon ID: S1960CA005028

No laboratory data are available for this soil

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

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.