LOCATION FOOTPATH CAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Pachic Argixerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Footpath gravelly coarse sandy loam on a north facing (310 degree), 30 percent slope at an elevation of 292 meters. When described on 05/08/2007 the soil was dry throughout. Colors are for dry soils unless otherwise noted.
Oi--0 to 3 centimeters; slightly decomposed plant material; dead grasses and leaves, abrupt smooth boundary.
A--3 to 7 centimeters; brown (7.5YR 5/3), gravelly coarse sandy loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/3), moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure parting to strong very fine granular structure; moderately hard, friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; many very fine through medium roots; many very fine tubular and irregular pores; 30 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.8); clear smooth boundary. (4 to 20 centimeters thick)
ABt--7 to 14 centimeters; brown (7.5YR 5/3), gravelly loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/3), moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; many very fine through medium roots; many very fine tubular and irregular pores; few faint clay films on all faces of peds; 25 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.6); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 10 centimeters thick)
Bt1--14 to 30 centimeters; reddish brown (5YR 5/3), gravelly loam, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/3), moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; many very fine through medium roots; many very fine through medium tubular pores; common faint clay films on all faces of peds; 28 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.6); clear smooth boundary.
Bt2--30 to 90 centimeters; reddish brown (5YR 4/3), gravelly silty clay loam, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/3), moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; many fine, medium, and common very fine roots; many very fine through medium tubular pores; many faint clay films on all faces of peds; 34 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.5); abrupt wavy boundary. (combined thickness of Bt horizons is 50 to 80 centimeters thick)
Cr--90 to 153 centimeters; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4), paralithic greenstone, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4), moist; fractures that roots can enter are greater than 10 centimeters apart.
TYPE LOCATION: Santa Clara County, California, New Almaden Quicksilver County Park, on Randol Trail, in an un-sectionalized area of Range 1E, Township 8S, UTM Zone 10, UTM Northing 4116092, Easting 602795, NAD83, U.S.G.S Quad: Santa Teresa Hills, California.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Depth to a paralithic contact of sandstone or greenstone is 50 to 100 centimeters.
Soil moisture: Usually moist in some part of the soil moisture control section between the first of November and the end of April. The soils have a xeric moisture regime.
Particle size control section: The zone from 14 to 64 centimeters.
Rock fragments: 15 to 35 percent, mostly gravel and cobbles.
Pararock Fragments: 15 to 70 percent, mostly gravel and cobbles, occurs in the lower Bt horizons or a C horizon if one occurs, parafragments do not occur in all pedons.
Clay content: averages 20 to 35 percent clay
A horizon(s):
Dry colors: 10YR 4/3; 7.5YR 5/3, 5/2.
Moist colors: 10YR 3/3, 3/2, 2.5/2; 7.5YR 3/3, 3/2.
Texture: gravelly coarse sandy loam, gravelly sandy loam, gravelly loam.
Clay content: 12 to 26 percent
Rock fragments: 15 to 30 percent, mostly gravel
Reaction: pH 5.5 to 7.1
Bt1 horizon:
Dry colors: 10YR 4/4, 4/3, 3/3; 7.5YR 5/3, 4/2; 5YR 5/6.
Moist colors: 10YR 3/4, 3/3; 7.5YR 3/3, 3/2, 2.5/2; 5YR 4/6.
Texture: Loam, gravelly sandy clay loam, gravelly loam
Clay content: 25 to 35 percent
Rock fragments: 15 to 30 percent, mostly gravel
Reaction: pH 5.6 to 7.1
Bt2 horizon:
Dry colors: 10YR 4/3; 7.5YR 4/3; 5YR 6/2, 4/3, 4/2.
Moist colors: 10YR 3/3; 7.5YR 3/3; 5YR 4/2, 3/3, 3/2.
Texture: gravelly sandy clay loam, extremely gravelly silty clay loam
Clay content: 25 to 35 percent
Rock fragments: 15 to 70 percent, mostly paragravels
Reaction: pH 6.1 to 7.1
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Adieux, Banning, Blockhouse, Coolbrith, Deadpan(T), Dotta, Drews, Gorman, Harriman, Haysum, Henhill, Lonkey, Mouser(T), Piercepark, Rankor soils have a paralithic contact between 102 and 152 cm., Rankor(T), Pushtay(T), Robinette, Starboard, Supan, Van Dusen, Waha, Wapinitia and Yaxon series. Adieux, Lonkey and Waha soils contain a lithic contact between 51 and 102 cm. Banning soils contain mottles in the A and upper Bt horizons, are very deep and occur in MLRA 5. Blockhouse soils are very deep and occur in MLRA 5. Coolbrith soils contain redoximorphic concentrations and mottles in the lower Bt and B horizons, are very deep and occur in MLRA 8. Dotta soils are very deep and can have a soil temperature below 41 degrees F from November to March in MLRA 21. Gorman soils are very deep and have a difference between mean summer and mean winter air temperatures of 35 degrees F, occurring in MLRA 20. Haysum soils are very deep can have a soil temperature below 41 degrees F from late December to mid-March. Drews soils are very deep, formed in alluvium derived from volcanic rocks and are dry for 90 to 100 consecutive days following the summer solstice in MLRA 21. Harriman soils formed in lacustrine sediment from diatomite lava rocks and have a paralithic contact between 102 and 152 cm. Henhill soils contain masses of iron accumulations throughout the profile, are very deep and have mean annual air temperatures of 48 to 52 degrees F, occurring in MLRA 21. Piercepark soils are moist less than 90 consecutive days, are very deep and have mean annual air temperatures of 47 to 51 degrees F., occurring in MLRA 10. Rankor soils have a paralithic contact between 102 and 152 cm of schist and granitic rocks, and are in MLRA 18. Robinette soils contain a lithic contact between 102 and 152 cm, are developed in colluvium from basalt and have mean annual air temperatures of 45 to 50 degrees. Starboard soils are dry in all parts from mid-September to mid-November, are developed from basalt, andesite, breccia and serpentinitic rock, and occur in MLRA 20. Supan soils contain a lithic contact between 76 and 123 cm. Van Dusen soils contain stratified lacustrine deposits at a depth between 102 and 152 cm. Wapinitia soils contain a lithic contact between 102 and 152 cm, are developed in loess, colluvium and alluvium from basalt and consolidated sediments and are in MLRA 8 and 10. Yaxon soils are very deep, have loess in the surface horizons, and are dry for 90 to 100 consecutive days following the summer solstice.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Footpath soils are on side slopes and summits of mountains and hills. Slopes range from 8 to 75 percent. These soils formed in residuum weathered from greenstone. Elevation is 1320 to 2950 feet. The climate is subhumid, mesothermal with warm, dry summers and cool moist winters. The
mean annual precipitation is 40 to 60 inches and the mean annual air temperature is 55 to 59 degrees F. The frost free season is 200 to 250 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are Mouser(T), Katykat(T), and Sanikara(T) soils. The Mouser(T) soils are deep and very deep. The Katykat(T) soils do not have mollic epipedons and are very deep. Sanikara(T) soils are shallow to a lithic contact.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained, moderately slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for watershed, recreation, and wildlife habitat. Vegetation is California live oak, bay laurel, buckeye, poison oak and annual grasses.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Central Part of the Coastal Range of California, Major Land Resource Area 15 -- Central California Coast Range. The Footpath soils are of moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Santa Clara County, California, 2009.
REMARKS:
Particle Size Control Section for this pedon: (14 to 64 cm)
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
1. Mollic Epipedon - The zone from 3 to 90 centimeters (A, ABt, Bt1, and Bt2 horizons)
2. Argillic Horizon The zone from 14 to 90 centimeters( ABt, Bt1, and Bt2 horizons)
3. Paralithic contact 90 to 150 centimeters (Cr)
ADDITIONAL DATA: NASIS Pedon 07ca085641068
Soil Classified using Keys to Soil Taxonomy, 10th edition.