LOCATION HERJUN             CA

Established Series
KJO-SJB-DJE
12/2003

HERJUN SERIES

The Herjun series consists of very deep, moderately well drained soils formed in alluvium and lacustrine sediments. Herjun soils are on lake terraces. Slopes range from 0 to 2 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 10 inches, and the mean annual temperature is about 51 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, calcareous, mesic Oxyaquic Torriorthents

TYPICAL PEDON: Herjun loamy sand, rangeland, on a slope of 2 percent under greasewood and saltgrass at 4,050 feet elevation. (When described, September 8, 1983, the soil was nearly dry above 40 inches, and moist below. Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted).

A--0 to 4 inches; light gray (10YR 7/2) loamy sand, pale brown (10YR 6/3) moist; moderate medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine, few fine and many medium roots; many very fine interstitial pores; E.C. is 1 mmhos; SAR is 3; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear wavy boundary. (4 to 8 inches thick).

C--4 to 18 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) loamy sand, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; moderate medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and common fine roots; many very fine interstitial pores; violently effervescent with disseminated lime; E.C. is 2 mmhos; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); abrupt wavy boundary. (0 to 12 inches thick).

Cnq1--18 to 27 inches; very pale brown (10YR 8/3) sandy loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; continuous thin white (10YR 8/2) opal coatings on upper surface of peds, pale brown (10YR 6/3) moist; moderate medium platy structure parting to strong thin platy; hard, brittle and firm, slightly sticky and nonplastic; few very fine and fine roots; common very fine interstitial pores; plates separate but do not slake after overnight soaking in dilute hydrogen chloride; violently effervescent with disseminated lime; E.C. is 10 mmhos; SAR is 165; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); clear wavy boundary.

Cnq2--27 to 40 inches; pale yellow (2.5Y 7/4) sandy loam, light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) moist; continuous thin yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) opal coatings on upper surface of peds, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; moderate thick platy structure parting to strong thin platy; hard brittle and firm, slightly sticky and nonplastic; few very fine and fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; violently effervescent with disseminated lime; E.C. is 10 mmhos; SAR is 175; strongly alkaline (pH 8.6); clear wavy boundary (The combined thickness of the Cnq horizon is 13 to 22 inches)

2C--40 to 53 inches; pale yellow (2.5Y 7/4) loamy sand, light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine and fine roots; many very fine interstitial and common very fine tubular pores; strongly effervescent with disseminated lime; E.C. is 10 mmhos; strongly alkaline (pH 8.8); abrupt wavy boundary. (0 to 13 inches thick)

3C--53 to 60 inches; light gray (2.5Y 7/2) loam, grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) moist; common fine distinct pale yellow (2.5Y 7/4) and few fine distinct light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) mottles, very dark grayish brown (2.5Y 3/2) moist; massive; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine and few fine roots; common very fine interstitial pores; E.C. is 4 mmhos; strongly alkaline (pH 8.6).

TYPE LOCATION: Lassen County, California; 1.7 miles NE of County Road A25 where it crosses Long Valley Creek; 250 feet S and 1300 feet W of the NE corner of section 32, T.27 N., R.16 E.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: These soils are saturated between the depths of 50 and 60 inches at sometime from December through May due to a seasonal watertable. The mean annual soil temperature varies from 53 to 56 degrees F. Depth to the weakly cemented horizon is 12 to 31 inches. Depth to mottling is 29 to 53 inches. Depth to carbonates is 0 to 7 inches. The 10 to 40 inch control section has a weighted average texture of sandy loam or loam with 10 to 15 percent clay. These soils are dry in all parts of the moisture control section (14 to 30 inches) from June 1 to November 15 (168 days) and moist in some part the rest of the time. The soil temperature exceeds 41 degrees F. from March 1 to December 15 (290 days) and exceeds 47 degrees F. from April 15 to November 15.

The A horizon dry color is 10YR 8/2, 8/1, 7/3, 7/2, 6/2 or 2.5Y 6/2. Moist color is 10YR 6/3, 5/4, 5/3, 4/3, 4/2 or 2.5Y 4/2. It is loamy sand or silt loam. Reaction is moderately or strongly alkaline. E.C. ranges from 0 to 4 mmhos. SAR ranges from 3 to 20.

The Cnq and 2C horizons dry colors are 10YR 8/3, 8/2, 7/3, 7/2, 6/3; 2.5Y 7/4, 7/2 or 8/2. Moist colors are 10YR 5/6, 5/4, 5/3 or 2.5Y 5/4. Texture of the Cnq horizon is sandy loam or loam. Texture of the 2C horizon is loamy sand or loamy coarse sand. E.C. ranges from 8 to 16 mmhos and SAR ranges from 100 to 200.

The 3C horizon is 2.5Y 8/2 or 7/2. Moist color is 2.5Y 6/2 or 5/2. It is loam or silt loam. E.C. ranges from 4 to 16. SAR ranges from 30 to 60.

COMPETING SERIES: This is the Preble series. Preble soils have a mean annual soil temperature of 47 to 52 degrees F., have very fine sandy loam or fine sandy loam control sections and 32 to 53 inches thick Cq horizons.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Herjun soils are on remnant lake terraces and dissected stream terraces. Slopes are 0 to 2 percent. These soils formed in alluvium and lacustrine sediments weathered from mixed rock sources. Elevation is 4,000 to 4,050 feet. The climate is semi-arid with warm dry summers and cold, somewhat moist winters. The mean annual precipitation is 9 to 12 inches. The mean annual temperature is 49 to 52 degrees F. The mean January temperature is about 30 degrees F. and the mean July temperature is about 70 degrees F. The frost free season is 100 to 130 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are Ardep, and Honlak soils. Ardep soils lack weak continuous cementation, Honlak soils have a clay loam natric horizon and are on low stream terraces.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Moderately well drained; runoff is slow; moderate permeability. A seasonal high water table fluctuates between depths of 50 and 60 inches form December through May. Some phases are subject to rare flooding.

USE AND VEGETATION: Used as rangeland. The vegetation is greasewood bluegrass and inland saltgrass.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northeastern California, Eastern Lassen County in the Honey Lake Valley. These soils are not extensive.

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

SERIES PROPOSED: Lassen County, California; Susanville Area, parts of Lassen and Plumas Counties Soil Survey Area, 1988.

Diagnostic features recognized in this pedon are:

Major Diagnostic Horizon:

1. Ochric epipedon - 0 to 4 inches (A1); ranges from 4 to 8 inches thick.
1.1 Color value 7 dry, 6 moist.

Other Diagnostic Features:

1. Aquic Durorthidic Subgroup: 18 to 40 inches (Cnq1, Cnq2); ranges from 13 to 22 inches thick.
1.1 Continuous weak cementation, brittle and firm when moist.
1.2 This soil is saturated from a depth of 50 to 60 inches from December through June.
2. Coarse-loamy family:
2.1 The 10 to 40 inch control section has a weighted average texture of sandy loam or loam and 10 to 15 percent clay.
3. Temperature Regime - Mesic
3.1 The mean annual soil temperature varies form 53 to 56 degrees F. (temperature site #27).
4. Moisture Regime - Aridic
4.1 The MCS (14 to 30 inches) is dry throughout from June 1 to November 15, and moist in some part the rest of the time.
4.2 The soil temperature exceeds 41 degrees F. from March 1 to December 15 (290 days). Within this time period, the MCS is dry from June 1 to November 15 (168 days).
4.3 The soil temperature exceeds 47 degrees from April 15 to November 15 (214 days). Within this time period, the MCS is dry from June 1 to November 15 (168 days).

REMARKS:
Last revised by the state on 4/88.

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.