LOCATION GENERALGRANT CA

Established Series
JBB/CES
09/2021

GENERALGRANT SERIES

The Generalgrant series consists of very deep, moderately well drained soils formed in slope alluvium and/or colluvium over residuum derived from granite. The Generalgrant soils are on stream terraces and drainageways on mountain slopes of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Slopes range from 5 to 45 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 1050 mm and the mean annual air temperature is about 8 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy, isotic, mesic Vitrandic Humixerepts

TYPICAL PEDON: Generalgrant gravelly loamy coarse sand on a west facing (304 degree), 18 percent slope under giant sequoia, white fir, sugar pine, and incense cedar forest at an elevation of 1965 meters. (Colors are for dry soils unless otherwise noted. When described on June 29, 2016 the soil was dry to 9 cm, moist to 183 cm, and wet below 183 cm. A water table was observed at 190 cm.)

Oa--0 to 1 cm; very dark brown (7.5YR 2.5/2) highly decomposed plant material, black (7.5YR 2.5/1) moist; about 20 percent fiber, 5 percent rubbed; 10 percent subangular indurated granite gravel; neutral (pH 6.7); abrupt broken boundary. (0 to 7 cm thick) Lab sample # 16N09738

A1--1 to 9 cm; dark brown (10YR 3/3) gravelly loamy coarse sand, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; 81 percent sand; 15 percent silt; 5 percent clay; weak very thick platy structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky, nonplastic; common very fine and fine roots throughout; many very fine and common fine irregular pores; 24 percent subangular indurated granite gravel; NaF pH 9.8; slightly acid (pH 6.4); abrupt smooth boundary. Lab sample # 16N09739

A2--9 to 26 cm; dark brown (10YR 3/3) gravelly loamy coarse sand, black (10YR 2/1) moist; 81 percent sand; 16 percent silt; 4 percent clay; moderate very coarse and coarse granular structure; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; common very fine, fine, medium, and coarse roots throughout; many very fine and common fine irregular pores; 20 percent subrounded indurated granite gravel; NaF pH 10.1; neutral (pH 6.6); clear smooth boundary. (combined thickness of A horizons is 5 to 75 cm) Lab sample # 16N09740

AB--26 to 48 cm; brown (10YR 5/3) gravelly loamy coarse sand, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; 85 percent sand; 12 percent silt; 3 percent clay; weak medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; common very fine, fine, medium, coarse, and very coarse roots throughout; common very fine irregular pores; 30 percent subrounded indurated granite gravel; NaF pH 10.2; slightly acid (pH 6.3); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 25 cm thick) Lab sample # 16N09741

Bw1--48 to 95 cm; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) gravelly loamy coarse sand, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; 85 percent sand; 12 percent silt; 3 percent clay; weak medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; common very fine, fine, and coarse, and many medium and very coarse roots throughout; common very fine irregular pores; 25 percent subrounded indurated granite gravel; NaF pH 9.8; slightly acid (pH 6.2); clear wavy boundary. (15 to 60 cm thick) Lab sample # 16N09742

Bw2--95 to 130 cm; very pale brown (10YR 7/4) gravelly loamy coarse sand, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; 84 percent sand; 12 percent silt; 4 percent clay; structureless massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; few fine, and common medium and coarse roots throughout; common very fine irregular pores; 5 percent medium irregular yellowish red (5YR 5/6) moist, masses of oxidized iron in matrix and 5 percent coarse irregular light gray (10YR 7/1) moist, masses of reduced iron in matrix; 25 percent subrounded indurated granite gravel, 1 percent subrounded indurated granite cobbles; NaF pH 9.5; moderately acid (pH 6.0); gradual smooth boundary. Lab sample # 16N09743

Bw3--130 to 183 cm; very pale brown (10YR 8/4) gravelly coarse sand, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; 88 percent sand; 10 percent silt; 2 percent clay; structureless massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; few fine, and common medium and coarse roots throughout; common very fine irregular pores; 2 percent fine irregular yellowish red (5YR 5/6) moist, masses of oxidized iron in matrix; 30 percent subrounded indurated granite gravel; NaF pH 9.2; moderately acid (pH 5.9); clear smooth boundary. (combined thickness of lower Bw horizons is 50 to 150 cm) Lab sample # 16N09744

C--183 to 230 cm; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) very gravelly coarse sand, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; 88 percent sand; 8 percent silt; 3 percent clay; structureless single grain; loose, loose, nonsticky, nonplastic; few fine and medium roots throughout; common very fine and fine interstitial pores; 20 percent medium irregular yellowish red (5YR 5/6) moist, masses of oxidized iron in matrix; 35 percent subrounded indurated granite gravel; NaF pH 8.4; moderately acid (pH 6.0). Lab sample # 16N09745

TYPE LOCATION: Fresno County, California, Grant Grove; USGS 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle: General Grant Grove, CA; WGS84 36.747413 latitude and -118.970575 longitude; UTM zone 11 4068663 meters N 324078 meters E WGS84.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil temperature: The mean annual soil temperature at 50 cm is 7 to 12 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 soils have a xeric soil moisture regime. The soil moisture control section is dry in all parts from about August to October (about 90 days).

Diagnostic Feature(s):
Umbric epipedon thickness: 25 to 75 cm

Organic matter: 2 to 6 percent in the epipedon

Base saturation: less than 50 percent (by ammonium acetate)

Acid-oxalate extractable Al plus 1/2 Fe: 0.4 to 1.0 percent (by weight) to a depth of 100 cm.

Volcanic glass: 5 to 30 percent in the 0.02 to 2.0 mm fraction in an 18 cm thick layer within a depth of 75 cm from the mineral soil surface

Depth to redoximorphic features: 50 to 150 cm

Particle size control section weighted average:
Rock fragments: 0 to 35 percent, with 0 to 35 percent gravel, and 0 to 10 percent cobbles.
Clay content: 1 to 6 percent
NaF pH: 8.5 to 11.0

A horizon
Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR
Value: 3 to 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3 dry, 1 or 2 moist
Texture: loamy sand, loamy coarse sand, sandy loam
Clay content: 2 to 6 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 35 percent gravel
Reaction: slightly acid to neutral

AB horizon (where present)
Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR
Value: 3 to 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3, dry or moist
Texture: loamy sand, loamy coarse sand, sandy loam
Clay content: 1 to 6 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 35 percent gravel
Reaction: moderately acid to neutral

Upper Bw horizon (Bw1)
Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR
Value: 4 to 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 3 or 4, dry or moist
Texture: loamy sand, loamy coarse sand
Clay content: 1 to 6 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 35 percent
0 to 35 percent gravel
0 to 10 percent cobbles
Reaction: moderately acid to neutral

Lower Bw horizon(s) (Bw2, Bw3)
Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR
Value: 5 to 8 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 3 or 4, dry or moist
Texture: loamy sand, loamy coarse sand, coarse sand, sand
Clay content: 1 to 6 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 35 percent
0 to 35 percent gravel
0 to 20 percent cobbles
Pararock fragments: 0 to 35 percent paragravel
Reaction: moderately acid to neutral
Redoximorphic features:
Masses of oxidized iron in matrix
Quantity: few to common
Size: fine to coarse
Masses of reduced iron in matrix
Quantity: few to common
Size: fine to coarse

C horizon
Hue: 10YR, 2.5Y
Value: 5 to 8 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 3 or 4, dry or moist
Texture: sand, coarse sand, loamy coarse sand, loamy sand
Clay content: 1 to 6 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 35 percent
0 to 35 percent gravel
0 to 20 percent cobbles
Pararock fragments: 0 to 45 percent paragravel
Reaction: strongly acid to neutral
Redoximorphic features:
Masses of oxidized iron in matrix
Quantity: common to many
Size: fine to coarse

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Azalea, Cabincove, and Tharpslog soils. The Azalea soils are on convex shoulders and backslopes of mountain slopes and have a lithic contact between 50 and 100 cm. The Cabincove soils are on linear to convex backslopes of mountain slopes and have a paralithic contact between 50 and 100 cm. The Tharpslog soils are on broadly concave backslopes of mountain slopes and are somewhat excessively drained.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Generalgrant soils are on concave footslopes of stream terraces and drainageways on mountain slopes. Slopes range from 5 to 45 percent. These soils formed in slope alluvium and/or colluvium over residuum weathered from granite. Elevation is 1385 to 2505 meters. The climate is Mediterranean with warm, dry summers and cool, moist winters. The mean annual precipitation is 885 to 1170 mm and the mean annual air temperature is 7 to 13 degrees C. The frost-free season is 105 to 200 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Tharpslog soils. The Tharpslog soils are on broadly concave backslopes of mountain slopes and are somewhat excessively drained.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Moderately well drained, high to very high saturated hydraulic conductivity. Seasonal high water table from 75 to 150 cm

USE AND VEGETATION: This soil is used for recreation, wildlife habitat, and watershed. Vegetation is giant sequoia, sugar pine, white fir, incense cedar, and chinquapin.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Sierra Nevada Mountains of California; MLRA 22A. These soils are of limited extent.

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

SERIES PROPOSED: Fresno County, California in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Source of name from the General Grant Tree in Grant Grove of Kings Canyon National Park.

REMARKS:
Particle Size Control Section for this pedon: 26 to 101 cm
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Umbric Epipedon 1 to 48 cm
Redox Concentrations 95 to 230 cm
Redox Depletions with Chroma 2 or Less 95 to 130 cm

ADDITIONAL DATA:
Pedon information for this type location only:
Pedon Type: OSD pedon Lab Source ID: KSSL
Pedon Purpose: soil survey inventory Lab Pedon #: 16N2139
NASIS User Pedon ID: S2016CA019001

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

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.