LOCATION GALEPPI CA+NV

Established Series
Rev. JVC-JBF
03/2017

GALEPPI SERIES

The Galeppi series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in alluvium derived from mixed igneous rocks. Galeppi soils are on fan remnants and stream terraces. Slopes are 2 to 50 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 280 mm and the mean annual temperature is about 9 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Argiduridic Argixerolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Galeppi loamy coarse sand--on a northwest-facing slope of 13 percent under Wyoming big sagebrush, antelope bitterbrush, Anderson's peachbrush, and bottlebrush squirreltail at 1,565 meters elevation--rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)

A--0 to 10 cm; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) loamy coarse sand, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak very thick platy structure parting to strong medium and coarse granular; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine and common fine and few medium roots; many very fine and common fine and few medium roots; many very fine and fine interstitial pores; slightly acid (pH 6.5); abrupt wavy boundary. (8 to 23 cm thick)

AB--10 to 25 cm; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate coarse and very coarse granular structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine, few fine and medium roots; common very fine tubular and interstitial pores; neutral (pH 6.7); clear wavy boundary. (8 to 25 cm thick)

Bt--25 to 50 cm; brown (10YR 4/3) sandy clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure; hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine and few fine roots; common very fine and fine tubular and interstitial pores; many distinct clay films on faces of peds and lining pores; neutral (pH 7.0); gradual wavy boundary.

Btq--50 to 91 cm; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) sandy clay loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak medium prismatic structure; hard, firm and brittle, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine roots; common very fine tubular and interstitial pores; continuous brittle matrix; many distinct clay films on faces of peds and lining pores; neutral (pH 7.1); gradual wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bt and Btq horizons is 40 to 76 cm.)

Bq--91 to 132 cm; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) sandy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; massive; hard, very firm and brittle, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots; common very fine tubular and interstitial pores; continuous brittle matrix; common faint clay films as bridges and coating sand grains; slightly alkaline (pH 7.5); clear wavy boundary. (25 to 50 cm thick)

C--132 to 152 cm; pale brown (10YR 6/3) loamy sand, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; massive; hard, very firm, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and fine tubular and interstitial pores; neutral (pH 7.1)

TYPE LOCATION: Lassen County, California; about 1 mile north of Hallelujah Junction and 0.25 mile east of U.S. Highway 395; about 550 feet south and 100 feet east of the northwest corner of section 1, T. 22 N., R. 17 E.; USGS Beckwourth Pass 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle; latitude 39 degrees 47 minutes 37 seconds N and longitude 120 degrees 01 minutes 59 seconds W; WGS84 Decimal Degrees 39.7936111 latitude, -120.0330556 longitude.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: Usually dry; moist in winter and early spring; aridic soil moisture regime that borders on xeric.
Mean annual soil temperature: 10 to 12 degrees C.
Mollic epipedon thickness: 23 to 46 cm.
Depth to base of argillic horizon: 53 to 90 cm.
Depth to horizons with firm, brittle matrix: 53 to 86 cm.
Other features: Some pedons have volcanic glass present in the sand fraction in amounts less than 65 percent.

Particle-size control section - Clay content: 20 to 30 percent.
Rock fragments: 0 to 30 percent, mainly cobbles and gravel. Lithology of fragments are mixed igneous rocks such as granodiorite, andesite, and tuff.

A horizon
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist.
Chroma: 1 through 3 dry, 2 or 3 moist.
Reaction: Slightly acid through slightly alkaline.
Organic matter content: 1 to 3 percent.

Bt and Btq horizon
Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR or 2.5Y dry, 7.5YR or 10YR moist.
Value: 3 through 5 dry or moist.
Chroma: 2 through 6 dry.
Texture: Sandy clay loam, clay loam, cobbly sandy clay loam, or cobbly clay loam.
Silt content: Less than 35 percent.
Structure: Weak to strong medium prismatic or moderate angular blocky structure.
Reaction: Neutral or slightly alkaline.
Other features: Some pedons lack transitional Btq horizons.

Bq and C horizons
Hue: 10YR, 7.5YR or 2.5Y dry or moist.
Value: 5 through 7 dry, 4 or 5 moist.
Chroma: 2 through 6 dry or moist.
Texture: Loamy sand, sandy loam, loam, cobbly sandy loam, cobbly loamy sand, or very cobbly loamy sand.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Charlebois and Wredah series.

Charlebois soils have friable horizons with durinodes and have carbonates within 60 cm of the soil surface. Wredah soils have identifiable secondary carbonates within 60 cm of the soil surface and average 15 to 35 percent rock fragments in the particle-size control section.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Galeppi soils are on fan remnants and stream terraces. These soils formed in alluvium derived from mixed igneous rocks such as granodiorite and andesite and may be modified by lacustrine deposites. Slopes are 2 to 50 percent. Elevation ranges from 1,220 to 1,830 meters. The climate is semiarid with cool, moist winters and warm, dry summers. The mean annual precipitation is 230 to 360 mm. The mean annual temperature is 8 to 11 degrees C. The frost-free period is 60 to 130 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Glenbrook, Reba, Reno, Saralegui, and Trosi soils. Glenbrook soils are sandy, shallow to paralithic contacts, and have ochric epipedons. Reba soils are fine textured and have ochric epipedons. Reno soils are fine textured, moderately deep to duripans, and have ochric epipedons. Saralegui soils are coarse-loamy and have ochric epipedons. Trosi soils are clayey-skeletal, shallow to duripans, and have ochric epipedons.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Well drained; medium through very high surface runoff; moderately high saturated hydraulic conductivity.

USE AND VEGETATION: Galeppi soils are used for rangeland. The vegetation is mainly Wyoming big sagebrush, antelope bitterbrush, Anderson's peachbrush, Thurber's needlegrass, and bottlebrush squirreltail.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northeastern California and western Nevada. These soils are moderately extensive. MLRA 26.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Lassen County (Sierra Valley Area), California, 1973.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - The zone from the soil surface to 25 cm (A and AB horizons).
Argillic horizon - The zone from 25 to 90 cm (Bt and Btq horizons).
Duric feature - The zone from 50 to 132 cm (Btq and Bq horizons).
Particle-size control section - The zone from 25 to 75 cm (Bt and part of the Btq horizons).

ADDITIONAL DATA: Previous authors and editors include: GMK-TDC-CEJ.

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.