LOCATION HOMERSNOSE CA
Established Series
JBB/CES
09/2021
HOMERSNOSE SERIES
The Homersnose series consists of very deep, well drained soils formed in colluvium derived from metasedimentary rocks. The Homersnose soils are on mountain slopes of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Slopes range from 10 to 75 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 965 mm and the mean annual air temperature is about 10 degrees C.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, isotic, mesic Vitrandic Palexeralfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Homersnose gravelly silt loam on an east facing (82 degree), 38 percent slope under white fir, sugar pine, incense cedar, and black oak at an elevation of 1690 meters. (Colors are for dry soils unless otherwise noted. When described on May 9, 2013 the soil was moist throughout.)
Oi--0 to 5 cm; very dark brown (10YR 2/2) slightly decomposed plant material, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; neutral (pH 7.0); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 6 cm thick)
Oe--5 to 8 cm; very dark brown (7.5YR 2.5/2) moderately decomposed plant material, very dark brown (7.5YR 2.5/2) moist; neutral (pH 6.6); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 4 cm thick)
A--8 to 18 cm; dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) gravelly silt loam, very dark brown (7.5YR 2.5/3) moist; 14 percent clay; moderate medium granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; many very fine, fine, and medium roots throughout; many medium irregular pores; 5 percent subangular indurated phyllite channers, 10 percent subangular indurated phyllite gravel; NaF pH 10.0; slightly acid (pH 6.2); clear smooth boundary. (6 to 15 cm thick)
Bt1--18 to 48 cm; brown (7.5YR 4/4) channery silt loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) moist; 20 percent clay; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; few very fine, and common medium, coarse, and very coarse roots throughout; many medium tubular pores; 10 percent faint clay films on all faces of peds; 15 percent subangular indurated phyllite channers, 1 percent subangular indurated mixed cobbles; NaF pH 10.0; moderately acid (pH 6.0); clear smooth boundary. (15 to 60 cm thick)
Bt2--48 to 88 cm; reddish brown (5YR 4/4) channery silty clay loam, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/4) moist; 35 percent clay; strong medium subangular blocky structure; moderately hard, friable, moderately sticky, moderately plastic; few very fine, and common medium and coarse roots throughout; common medium tubular pores; 20 percent distinct clay films on all faces of peds; 20 percent subangular indurated phyllite channers; NaF pH 9.0; strongly acid (pH 5.2); clear smooth boundary.
Bt3--88 to 150 cm; red (2.5YR 5/6) gravelly clay, red (2.5YR 4/6) moist; 42 percent clay; strong medium subangular blocky structure; moderately hard, firm, very sticky, moderately plastic; common medium roots throughout; common medium tubular pores; 35 percent prominent clay films on all faces of peds; 5 percent fine yellowish red (5YR 5/8) dry, masses of oxidized iron in matrix; 20 percent subangular indurated mixed gravel; NaF pH 9.0; strongly acid (pH 5.2).
TYPE LOCATION: Tulare County, California, near Crystal Cave Road; USGS 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle: Giant Forest, California; WGS84 36.566481 latitude and -118.807712 longitude; UTM zone 11 4048303 meters N 338241 meters E NAD83.
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 July to October (about 120 days).
Diagnostic Feature(s):
Ochric epipedon thickness: 15 to 20 cm
Argillic horizon thickness: 60 to 150 cm
Organic matter: 1 to 5 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 75 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
Particle size control section weighted average:
Rock fragments: 0 to 25 percent, with 0 to 25 percent gravel and 0 to 5 percent cobbles.
Clay content: 18 to 30 percent
NaF pH: 8.5 to 11.0
A horizon
Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR
Value: 3 or 4 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4, dry or moist
Texture: sandy loam, fine sandy loam, loam, silt loam
Clay content: 8 to 18 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 25 percent
0 to 25 percent gravel
0 to 15 percent cobbles
Reaction: slightly acid to neutral
Upper Bt horizon (Bt1)
Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR
Value: 3 to 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 3 or 4, dry or moist
Texture: sandy loam, fine sandy loam, loam, silt loam
Clay content: 12 to 25 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 25 percent
0 to 25 percent gravel
0 to 5 percent cobbles
Reaction: moderately to slightly acid
Lower Bt horizon(s) (Bt2, Bt3)
Hue: 2.5YR, 5YR, 7.5YR
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 4 or 6 dry, 3 to 6 moist
Texture: loam, clay loam, sandy clay loam, silty clay loam, clay
Clay content: 25 to 45 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 30 percent
0 to 25 percent gravel
0 to 15 percent cobbles
0 to 5 percent stones
Reaction: strongly to slightly acid
COMPETING SERIES: There are no other series in this family at this time.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Homersnose soils are on linear to convex backslopes of mountain slopes. Slopes range from 10 to 75 percent. These soils formed in colluvium derived from schist, phyllite, and other metasedimentary rocks. Elevation is 1180 to 2350 meters. The climate is Mediterranean with warm, dry summers and cool, moist winters. The mean annual precipitation is 875 to 1120 mm and the mean annual air temperature is 8 to 13 degrees C. The frost-free season is 125 to 205 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the
Azalea and
Skellog soils. The Azalea soils are on linear to convex backslopes of mountain slopes and have a lithic contact between 50 and 100 cm. The Skellog soils are on linear to convex backslopes of mountain slopes and are loamy-skeletal.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained, moderately high to high saturated hydraulic conductivity in the A and Bt1 horizons. Saturated hydraulic conductivity of the lower Bt horizons is moderately low to moderately high.
USE AND VEGETATION: This soil is used for recreation, wildlife habitat, and watershed. Vegetation is white fir, incense cedar, sugar pine, black oak, ponderosa pine, and birchleaf mountain mahogony.
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 the rock formation north of South Fork Campground in Sequoia National Park.
REMARKS:
Particle Size Control Section for this pedon: 18 to 68 cm
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric Epipedon 0 to 18 cm
Argillic Horizon 18 to 150 cm
ADDITIONAL DATA:
NASIS User Pedon ID: 2013CA7922007
Soil classified using the 12th Edition of the Keys to Soil Taxonomy.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.