LOCATION HOFFMAN CAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, thermic Typic Haploxeralfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Hoffman gravelly loamy coarse sand, on a hill slope of 39 percent at 4,500 feet elevation. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwish stated. When described on April 6, 1989, the soil was moist below a depth of 2 inches.)
A1-- 0 to 5 inches (0 to 13 cm); brown (10YR 5/3) gravelly loamy coarse sand, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; single grain; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine roots; common very fine interstitial pores; 25 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.2); clear smooth boundary. (2 to 8 inches thick)
A2-- 5 to 11 inches (13 to 28 cm); brown (10YR 5/3) gravelly loamy coarse sand, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; single grain; loose; nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and few fine roots; common very fine interstitial pores; 23 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.2); gradual smooth boundary. (4 to 10 inches thick)
Bw-- 11 to 22 inches (28 to 56 cm); yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) gravelly loamy coarse sand, brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and fine, few medium and coarse roots; common very fine interstitial pores; 20 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.2); clear smooth boundary. (6 to 15 inches thick)
Bt-- 22 to 34 inches (56 to 86 cm); yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) gravelly coarse sandy loam, brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard; friable; slightly sticky and nonplastic; common very fine and few fine roots; common very fine tubular and few very fine interstitial pores; 23 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.2); clear wavy boundary. (6 to 20 inches thick)
Cr-- 34 inches (86 cm); partly decomposed granodiorite.
TYPE LOCATION: Kern County, California; near Kelso Valley; about 200 feet west and 900 feet north of the southeast corner of Sec. 26, T.29S., R.35E., MDB&M; Cross Mountain, Calif, Quadrange; latitude: 35 degrees 17 minutes 38 seconds N and longitude: 118 degrees 10 minutes 34 seconds W
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Paralithic contact - 20 to 40 inches (51 to 102 cm)
Soil temperature - Average annual: 59 to 63 degrees F. (15 to 17 degrees C.) above 41 degrees F. (5 degrees C.) from January 10 to December 1 (300 to 320 days) above 47 degrees F from February 1 to November 15 (270 to 290 days)
Soil moisture - dry throughout from May 1 to mid November 15.
Particle size control section:
Texture: gravelly coarse sandy loam, gravelly sandy loam
Rock fragments: 15 to 35 percent
Reaction: neutral or slightly alkaline
A horizon
Hue: 10YR
Value: 4 or 5; 3 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3 dry or moist
Texture: gravelly loamy coarse sand, loamy coarse sand
Clay percentage: 4 to 10
Organic matter: .5 to 1 percent
Bt horizon
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 5 or 6; 3,4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 3 or 4 dry or moist
Texture: gravelly loamy coarse sand, gravelly coarse
sandy loam or gravelly sandy loam
Clay percentage: 8 to 18
COMPETING SERIES: This is the only soil in this family.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Hoffman soils are on hill slopes of 15 to 60 percent. These soils formed in material weathered from granitic rock. Elevations are 3,800 to 5,100 feet (1160 to 1555 meters). The average annual precipitation is 8 to 12 inches (200 to 300 mm). The mean January temperture is about 42 degrees F. (6 degrees C), mean July temperature is about 80 degrees F. (27 degrees C), and the mean annual temperature is 57 to 63 degrees F (14 to 17 degrees C). The frost-free season is 175 to 250 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Tips(T) and Cowspring(T) soils. Tips soils are less than 20 inches deep to rock and Cowspring soils lack mollic colors in the A horizon.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; rapid runoff; moderately rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: This soil is used for rangeland, wildlife habitat and occasionally for homesite development. The natural vegetation is mainly California juniper, narrowleaf goldenbush, annual and perennial grasses. Some areas have few scattered diger pine and oak trees.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southern Sierra Nevada mountains of California. The soils are of small extent along the boundary of MLRAs 29 and 18, mostly in MLRA 29.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Kern County; Kern County, Northeastern Part and Southeastern Part of Tulare County Soil Survey Area 2005. Source of name is Hoffman Peak.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon:
Ochric epipedon -- the zone from 0 to 11 inches (A1,A2)
Argillic horizon -- the zone from 22 to 34 inches (Bt)
ADDITIONAL DATA: NSSL Pedon: S89CA-029-007, analyses of only one depth.