LOCATION HALSTEAD                CA

Established Series
JBB/CES/JTW
09/2021

HALSTEAD SERIES

The Halstead series consists of moderately deep, somewhat excessively drained soils formed in colluvium and till derived from granitic rocks. The Halstead soils are on structural benches of glacial valley walls and mountain slopes of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Slopes range from 15 to 60 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 940 millimeters and the mean annual air temperature is about 6 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy-skeletal, isotic, frigid Vitrandic Humixerepts

TYPICAL PEDON: Halstead gravelly loamy sand on a north facing (12 degree), 30 percent slope under Sierra juniper, Jeffrey pine, greenleaf manzanita, and sagebrush at an elevation of 2271 meters. When described on September 11, 2014 the soil was dry throughout. Colors are for dry soils unless otherwise noted.

Oi--0 to 6 cm; very dark brown (10YR 2/2) slightly decomposed plant material, black (10YR 2/1) moist; slightly acid (pH 6.2); abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 10 cm thick)

A--6 to 14 cm; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) loamy sand, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) moist; 4 percent clay; moderate very fine and fine granular structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky, nonplastic; common very fine, medium, coarse and very coarse, and many fine roots throughout; common very fine and many fine dendritic tubular, and common medium irregular pores; 12 percent subangular strongly cemented granite gravel, 2 percent subangular strongly cemented granite cobbles; NaF pH 10.0; neutral (pH 6.6); abrupt smooth boundary. (6 to 20 cm thick)

Bw--14 to 30 cm; olive brown (2.5Y 4/4) gravelly loamy sand, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; 4 percent clay; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky, nonplastic; common very fine, fine, medium, and coarse, and many very coarse roots throughout; common very fine and fine dendritic tubular, and common medium and very coarse irregular pores; 20 percent subangular strongly cemented granite gravel, 5 percent subangular strongly cemented granite cobbles; NaF pH 10.5; slightly acid (pH 6.4); clear smooth boundary. (12 to 40 cm thick)

C--30 to 66 cm; brown (10YR 4/3) very gravelly loamy fine sand, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; 3 percent clay; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky, nonplastic; few very fine and fine, and common medium, coarse, and very coarse roots throughout; common fine and medium dendritic tubular, and common medium and coarse irregular pores; 48 percent subangular strongly cemented granite gravel, 10 percent subangular strongly cemented granite cobbles; NaF pH 11.0: moderately acid (pH 6.0); clear smooth boundary. (10 to 50 cm thick)

R--66 to 200 cm; strongly cemented granite bedrock, fractured at intervals of 10 to <45 cm; common medium roots around fragments and common coarse roots around fragments.

TYPE LOCATION: Tulare County, California, 0.8 kilometer NW of Roaring River ranger station; USGS 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle: Sphinx Lakes, California; WGS84 36.715400 latitude and -118.591189 longitude; UTM zone 11 4064482 meters N 357891 meters E WGS84.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil temperature: The mean annual soil temperature at 50 cm is 4 to 10 degrees C and the difference between mean summer and mean winter soil temperature is greater than 6 degrees C. The soils have a frigid temperature regime.

Soil moisture: The soils have a xeric soil moisture regime. The soil moisture control section is dry in all parts from about July to October (about 120 days).

Diagnostic Feature(s):
Umbric epipedon thickness: 25 to 75 cm
Depth to lithic contact: 50 to 100 cm

Reaction: slightly to moderately acid

Base saturation: less than 50 percent in some or all parts of the epipedon (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 or to bedrock.

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 75cm from the mineral soil surface

Particle size control section weighted average:
Rock fragments: 35 to 75 percent, with 5 to 50 percent gravel, 0 to 35 percent cobbles, 0 to 25 percent stones, 0 to 5 percent boulders, 0 to 15 percent channers, and 0 to 15 percent flagstones.
Clay content: 2 to 6 percent
NaF pH: 9.0 to 11.0

A horizon
Hue: 10YR
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3 dry, 1 to 3 moist
Texture: loamy sand, loamy fine sand
Clay content: 3 to 8 percent
Rock fragments: 5 to 60 percent
0 to 35 percent gravel
0 to 25 percent cobbles
0 to 15 percent stones
Reaction: moderately acid to neutral

Bw horizon
Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR, 2.5Y
Value: 4 to 6 dry, 2 to 4 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4, dry or moist
Texture: loamy sand, loamy fine sand
Clay content: 2 to 6 percent
Rock fragments: 5 to 60 percent
0 to 60 percent gravel
0 to 25 percent cobbles
0 to 25 percent stones
0 to 5 percent boulders
0 to 15 percent channers
0 to 15 percent flagstones
Reaction: moderately to slightly acid

C horizon
Hue: 10YR, 2.5Y
Value: 4 to 7 dry, 2 to 4 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4, dry or moist
Texture: loamy fine sand, loamy sand, loamy coarse sand
Clay content: 2 to 6 percent
Rock fragments: 15 to 60 percent
0 to 50 percent gravel
0 to 45 percent cobbles
0 to 25 percent stones
0 to 5 percent boulders
0 to 15 percent channers
0 to 15 percent flagstones
Reaction: strongly to slightly acid

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Doncecil, Kanawyer, Pajo (MLRA 43B), Tripod (MLRA 43B), and Windowpeak soils. Doncecil, Kanawyer, Tripod, and Windowpeak soils do not have a lithic contact within 150 cm of the mineral soil surface. Pajo and Tripod soils have ashy textures in the epipedon.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Halstead soils are on convex backslopes of structural benches of mountain slopes and glacial valley walls. Slopes range from 15 to 60 percent. These soils formed in colluvium and till derived from granite and granodiorite. Elevation is 1745 to 3150 meters. The climate is Mediterranean with warm, dry summers and cool, moist winters. The mean annual precipitation is 445 to 1310 mm and the mean annual air temperature is 4 to 10 degrees C. The frost free season is 75 to 175 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Bellecanyon, Dorst, Lackey, and Windowpeak soils. Bellecanyon soils formed in glacial outwash, are on linear footslopes of ground moraines, and are more than 150 cm to a lithic contact. Dorst soils formed on linear to convex summits and shoulders of structural benches on mountain slopes and have a lithic contact within 50 cm. Lackey soils formed in colluvium on linear backslopes of mountain slopes and are more than 150 cm to a lithic contact. Windowpeak soils formed in colluvium and till on linear backslopes and footslopes of moraines and mountainslopes, and are more than 150 cm to a lithic contact.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained, high to very high saturated hydraulic conductivity. Saturated hydraulic conductivity of the bedrock is low to moderately low.

USE AND VEGETATION: This soil is used for recreation, wildlife habitat, and watershed. Vegetation is Sierra juniper, Jeffrey pine, greenleaf manzanita, sagebrush, and oceanspray.

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: Tulare County, California in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Source of name from Halstead Creek in Sequoia National Park.

REMARKS:
Particle Size Control Section for this pedon: 31 to 66 cm.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Umbric Epipedon 6 to 66 cm
Lithic Contact 66 cm

ADDITIONAL DATA:
NASIS User Pedon ID: 2014CA7922038

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

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.