LOCATION GRIZZLYBLUFF CA
Established Series
Rev: DWH/JJJ/ET
10/2016
GRIZZLYBLUFF SERIES
The Grizzlybluff series consists of very deep, well drained soils on flood plains. These soils formed in mixed alluvium. Slope ranges from 0 to 2 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 40 inches. Mean annual air temperature is about 11 degrees C.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy over sandy or sandy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, nonacid, mesic Typic Udifluvents
TYPICAL PEDON: Grizzlybluff loam in an area of Grizzlybluff loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes under pasture grasses and clover at an elevation of 32 meters. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.) When described on August 12, 1993 the soil was moist throughout.
Ap1--0 to 7 centimeters (0 to 3 inches); very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) loam; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) dry; moderate fine and very fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine to medium roots throughout; many very fine interstitial pores; slightly acid (pH 6.5); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 5 inches thick)
Ap2--7 to 20 centimeters (3 to 8 inches); very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) loam; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) dry; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine to medium roots throughout; common very fine tubular pores; slightly acid (pH 6.5); gradual wavy boundary. (4 to 9 inches thick)
C1--20 to 36 centimeters (8 to 14 inches); very dark grayish brown (2.5Y 3/2) loam; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) dry; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine to medium roots throughout; common very fine tubular pores; neutral (pH 7.0); gradual wavy boundary. (4 to 10 inches thick)
C2--36 to 69 centimeters (14 to 27 inches); very dark grayish brown (2.5Y 3/2) very fine sandy loam; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) dry; massive; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine roots throughout; common very fine tubular pores; slightly alkaline (pH 7.5); abrupt wavy boundary. (0 to 15 inches thick)
2C3--69 to 152 centimeters (27 to 60 inches); light gray (2.5Y 7/2), light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2), and very dark grayish brown (2.5Y 3/2) very gravelly loamy coarse sand; pale yellow (2.5Y 8/2), light gray (2.5Y 7/2), and grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) dry; single grain; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine roots throughout; many very fine interstitial pores; slightly alkaline (pH 7.5); 50 percent gravel; 5 percent cobbles. (15 to 35 inches thick)
TYPE LOCATION: Humboldt County, California; about 1/2 mile south of Carlotta, California; 1,350 feet east, 1,050 feet south, northwest corner, Section 27, T.2N., R.1E. HB&M; Hydesville Quadrangle (7.5 minute series;) WGS84 Decimal degrees 40.5314444 latitude and -124.0590230 longitude; UTM Zone 10 410306mE, 4487284mN, NAD 83.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil Moisture: The soil moisture control section is not dry in any part for as long as 90 cumulative days in normal years. The soils have a udic moisture regime.
Soil Temperature: The mean annual soil temperature at 50 centimeters is 12 to 15 degrees C. The average summer soil temperature is about 18 degrees C and the average winter soil temperature is about 9 degrees C. The difference between average summer and winter soil temperatures is about 6 to 9 degrees C.
Depth to strongly contrasting particle size class: sandy or sandy-skeletal material ranges from 28 to 76 centimeters
Endosaturation: The water table is at a depth of 100 to 152 centimeters January through March, falling to below 183 centimeters in April through December.
Particle size control section (weighted average):
Upper-part clay content: 10 to 18 percent
Lower-part strongly contrasting clay content: 2 to 10 percent
Rock fragments: 2 to 60 percent strongly cemented gravels, 2 to 20 percent strongly cemented cobbles
A horizon
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y, moist and dry
Value: 3 or 4, 5 or 6 dry
Chroma: 2 or 3, moist and dry, colors dark enough to meet Mollic
epipedon requirements are 5 or less centimeters thick.
Clay content: 10 to 21 percent
Reaction: very strongly acid to slightly alkaline
C horizon
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y, moist and dry
Value: 3 or 4, 6 dry
Chroma: 2 or 3 moist and dry
Clay content: 7 to 20 percent
Reaction: neutral to slightly alkaline
2C horizon
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y, moist and dry
Value: 3 or 4, 6 dry
Chroma: 2 or 3 moist and dry
Texture of fine earth: loamy sand, sand, or coarse sand and gravelly to
extremely gravelly modifiers of same
Rock fragments: 2 to 65 percent gravel
Clay content: 2 to 10 percent
Reaction: neutral to slightly alkaline
COMPETING SERIES: There are no other soils in this family
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Grizzlybluff soils are on flood plains near current or former channel banks. Slopes are 0 to 2 percent. These soils formed in mixed alluvium. Elevation is 3 to 35 meters. Mean annual precipitation is 890 to 2030 centimeters. The mean annual air temperature is 10 to 13 degrees C. The mean January temperature is about 8 degrees C. The mean July temperature is about 14 degrees C. Frost free season is about 275 to 330 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the
Russ,
Arlynda,
Worswick, and
Weott soils. All of these soils lack the layer of sandy or sandy-skeletal material. In addition the Arlynda, Worswick and Weott soils are very poorly drained and are in concave or lower positions.
DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Well drained; low runoff; moderately high permeability, moderately high saturated hydraulic conductivity; infiltrating water may back up at the contact with the sandy or sandy-skeletal material, but will infiltrate into this material when sufficient hydraulic head is established. The soils are occasionally flooded for brief periods from December through February.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for pasture and hay. Nearly all areas of this soil have been cleared. The natural vegetation is estimated as a sparse canopy of red alder, cottonwood, and willow with an understory of blackberry, ferns, and grasses. There may have been scattered Sitka spruce and redwood.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northern California coastal areas. The soils are not extensive. MLRA 4B
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California
SERIES PROPOSED: Humboldt and Del Norte Area, California, 1994. Name is from region near Ferndale, California.
REMARKS:
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
1. Ochric epipedon - 0 to 20 centimeters (Ap1, Ap2)
2. Particle size control section: strongly contrasting; 25 to 100 centimeters (C1, C2, 2C) the zone from 25 to 69 centimeters averages 17.5 percent clay, the zone from 69 to 152 centimeters is loamy coarse sand, 7.5 percent clay by weighted average, and 50 percent gravel and 5 percent cobble.
3. Depth from coarse-loamy to strongly contrasting sandy or sandy-skeletal material: at 69 centimeters
ADDITIONAL DATA: NASIS User Pedon ID -- 93CA6007770
Soil classified using the 12th Edition of the Keys to Soil Taxonomy.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.