LOCATION FRICOT CA

Established Series
DWB/CES/TKK/JW
08/2022

FRICOT SERIES

The Fricot series consists of shallow, well drained soils formed in colluvium and residuum derived from phyllite, schist, and other metasedimentary rocks. The Fricot soils are on hills and ridges. Slopes range from 3 to 60 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 930 mm and the mean annual air temperature is about 15 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, active, mesic, shallow Ultic Haploxeralfs

TYPICAL PEDON: Fricot very channery loam on an east-facing, convex, 40 percent slope under ponderosa pine, sugar pine, interior live oak, and black oak at an elevation of 641 meters. (Colors are for dry soils unless otherwise noted. When described on July 17, 2007 the soil was dry throughout.)

A--0 to 8 cm; brown (10YR 5/3) very channery loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak fine subangular blocky parting to weak fine granular structure; soft, friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; few very fine and fine roots; many very fine irregular pores; 45 percent subangular mica schist channers; slightly acid (pH 6.5); abrupt smooth boundary. (2 to 10 cm thick)

AB--8 to 23 cm; brown (10YR 5/3) channery loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak very fine subangular blocky structure; soft, friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; many very fine and fine and common medium roots; common very fine irregular pores; 25 percent subangular mica schist channers; slightly acid (pH 6.3); abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 15 cm thick)

Bt--23 to 36 cm; pale brown (10YR 6/3) very channery loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; soft, friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; few very fine and fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; 10 percent discontinuous prominent clay films on vertical faces of peds and 25 percent discontinuous prominent clay films on surfaces along pores; 40 percent subangular mica schist channers; slightly acid (pH 6.3); clear smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of Bt horizons is 10 to 35 cm)

BCt--36 to 46 cm; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) very channery clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, moderately sticky, moderately plastic; few very fine, fine, and medium roots; many very fine tubular pores; 20 percent discontinuous prominent clay films on vertical faces of peds and 20 percent discontinuous prominent clay films on surfaces along pores; 50 percent subangular mica schist channers; slightly acid (pH 6.3); abrupt wavy boundary. (0 to 20 cm thick)

Crt--46 to 203 cm; moderately cemented, vertically bedded mica schist bedrock; 70 percent continuous prominent clay films on rock faces.

TYPE LOCATION: Calaveras County, California, about 4 km (2.5 miles) northwest of Murphys; USGS 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle: Murphys, California; WGS84 38.166748 latitude and -120.498360 longitude; UTM Zone 10N 719155 meters E 4227277 meters N 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 soil moisture regime.

Diagnostic Feature(s):
Ochric epipedon thickness: 6 to 25 cm
Argillic horizon thickness: 20 to 35 cm
Depth to paralithic contact: 25 to 50 cm

Reaction: slightly acid to strongly acid

Particle size control section weighted average:
Rock fragments: 35 to 60 percent
Clay content: averages 18 to 30 percent clay

Base saturation: less than or equal to 75 percent in one or more subhorizons of the argillic horizon (by sum of cations).

A horizon
Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR
Value: 4 to 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4, dry or moist
Texture: loam, fine sandy loam, sandy loam
Clay content: 7 to 16 percent
Rock fragments: 5 to 45 percent
5 to 45 percent gravel
5 to 45 percent channers

Bt horizon
Hue: 5YR, 7.5YR, 10YR
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 4 moist
Chroma: 3 to 6, dry or moist
Texture: loam, silty clay loam, clay loam, sandy clay loam
Clay content: 20 to 30 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 50 percent
0 to 45 percent gravel
0 to 45 percent channers

BCt horizon (when present)
Hue: 5YR, 7.5YR, 10YR
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 4 moist
Chroma: 3 to 6, dry or moist
Texture: clay loam, sandy clay loam
Clay content: 25 to 30 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 80 percent
0 to 80 percent gravel
0 to 80 percent channers

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Boxrobber soils. The Boxrobber soils average greater than 27 percent clay throughout the particle size control section and are shallow to ultramafic bedrock.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Fricot soils are on crests of high hills and ridges. Slopes range from 3 to 60 percent. These soils formed in colluvium and residuum derived from phyllite, schist, and other metasedimentary rocks. Elevation is 330 to 1120 meters. The climate is Mediterranean with warm, dry summers and cool, moist winters. The mean annual precipitation is 800 to 1125 mm and the mean annual air temperature is 13 to 16 degrees C. The frost free season is 175 to 280 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Arpatutu, Nedsgulch, and Wallyhill soils. The Arpatutu soils are 50 to 100 cm to metasedimentary bedrock and are on headslopes of high hills. The Nedsgulch soils are greater than 150 cm to bedrock and are on sideslopes of high hills. The Wallyhill soils average less than 35 percent rock fragments in the particle size control section and are on nose slopes of high hills.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately high or high throughout the profile.

USE AND VEGETATION: This soil is used for recreation, wildlife habitat, and watershed. Vegetation is whiteleaf manzanita, ponderosa pine, sugar pine, Pacific poison oak, California black oak, canyon live oak, interior live oak, chamise, chapparal coffeeberry, California yerba santa and toyon.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Sierra Nevada Foothills in California; MLRA 1822A. The series is not extensive.

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

SERIES PROPOSED: Calaveras County, California, 2018. Source of name from is from the town Fricot City.

REMARKS:
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric Epipedon 0 to 23 cm
Argillic Horizon 23 to 46 cm
Paralithic Contact 46 cm
Particle Size Control Section for this pedon: 23 to 46 cm

ADDITIONAL DATA:
NASIS User Pedon ID: 07DWB013
No certified laboratory data exists for this soil.

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

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.