LOCATION HOSPITER CA

Established Series
Rev: BAL/JPS/ET
10/2016

HOSPITER SERIES

The Hospiter series consists of very deep, well drained soils formed in colluvium and residuum derived from metavolcanic rocks. These soils are on mountains and have slopes of 9 to 50 percent. Mean annual precipitation is 1524 millimeters (60 inches) and the mean annual temperature is 12 degrees C (54 degrees F).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, active, mesic Ultic Haploxeralfs

TYPICAL PEDON: Hospiter very gravelly loam under a stand of Douglas-fir, tanoak, Pacific madrone and salal. When described on September 23, 2002 the soil was dry throughout. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated).

Oi--0 to 4 centimeters; slightly decomposed plant material; abrupt smooth boundary.

A--4 to 10 centimeters; yellowish red (5YR 4/6), very gravelly loam, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/4), moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure parting to moderate very fine subangular blocky; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine, common fine, and few medium roots; many very fine, fine, and common medium tubular pores; 45 percent gravel; strongly acid (pH 5.4); clear smooth boundary. (3 to 20 centimeters thick)

Bt1--10 to 19 centimeters; yellowish red (5YR 4/6), very gravelly sandy clay loam, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/4), moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; many very fine, fine, and common medium roots; many very fine, fine, and common medium tubular pores; few patchy faint clay films on surfaces along pores; 45 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.4); clear smooth boundary.

Bt2--19 to 45 centimeters; yellowish red (5YR 4/6), paragravelly clay loam, dark red (2.5YR 3/6), moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; many fine, medium, common very fine, and few coarse roots; many very fine, common fine, and medium tubular pores; many patchy faint clay films on all faces of peds; 5 percent gravel, 20 percent paragravel, moderately acid (pH 5.8); clear wavy boundary.

Bt3--45 to 101 centimeters; red (2.5YR 4/6) gravelly sandy clay loam, dark red (2.5YR 3/6), moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; many fine, many medium, few coarse roots; common fine, and medium tubular pores; many patchy faint clay films on all faces of peds; 20 percent gravel, and 20 percent paragravels; moderately acid (pH 5.6); clear wavy boundary.

Bt4--101 to 132 centimeters; strong brown (7.5YR 5/8), gravelly sandy clay loam, yellowish red (5YR 4/6), moist; weak fine angular blocky structure; soft, very friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; many fine, common medium, and few coarse roots; common medium tubular pores; many patchy faint clay films on all faces of peds; 20 percent gravel; moderately acid (pH 5.6); gradual wavy boundary.

Bt5--132 to 180 centimeters; strong brown (7.5YR 5/8), extremely gravelly sandy clay loam, yellowish red (5YR 4/6), moist; massive; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine, medium, and few coarse roots; few fine, and medium tubular pores; many patchy faint clay films on all faces of peds; 65 percent gravel; moderately acid (pH 5.6). (Combined thickness of Bt horizons is 100 to 185 centimeters)

TYPE LOCATION: Humboldt County, California; Hoopa Tribal Nation, about 2 kilometers west of the town of Hoopa near Hospital Creek; northwest quarter of section 27, township 8 north and range 4 east; USGS Decimal degrees 41.0499167 latitude; 123.7197778 longitude; UTM 439510 meters E, 4544549 meters N, zone 10; NAD 83.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:

Soil moisture: The soil moisture control section is dry from July 1st to October 15th and moist in all parts from November 15 to June 1st. The soil has a xeric moisture regime.

Soil temperature: The mean annual soil temperature is 9 to 13 degrees C (49 to 57 degrees F). The difference between the mean summer and mean winter temperature is greater than 6 degrees C. The soils has a mesic soil temperature regime.

Base saturation: Assumed by pH and interpolation of other samples to be 35 to 60 percent at 19 to 94 centimeters.

Surface Fragments: 0 to 5 percent gravel

Soil reaction: moderately acid to slightly acid throughout the soil profile.

Particle Size Control Section (weighted average):

Clay: ranges from 22 to 30 percent.
Rock fragments: ranges from 5 to 35 percent gravel.

A Horizon

Hue: 10YR, 7.5YR, or 5YR
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 3 through 5 moist.
Chroma: 4 through 6, dry or moist.

Texture of fine earth fraction: loam.
Clay content: 18 to 25 percent.
Rock fragments: 0 to 50 percent gravel

Bt Horizons

Hue: 10YR, 7.5YR, 5YR, or 2.5YR
Value: 4 through 7 dry, 3 through 6 moist.
Chroma: 4 through 8, dry or moist.

Texture of fine earth fraction: loam, sandy clay loam, or clay loam.
Clay content: 18 to 35 percent.
Rock fragments: 0 to 75 percent gravel
Pararock fragments: 0 to 25 percent paragravel

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Bigridge, Hotaw, Millerridge, Minniecreek, Pasturerock, Sitton, Speaker, and Willakenzie series. The Bigridge soils are 100 to 150 centimeters deep to a paralithic contact. Hotaw, Milleridge, Minniecreek, Speaker, and Willakenzie soils are moderately deep, 50 to 100 centimeters, to a paralithic contact. Pasturerock soils have a mollic epipedon. Sitton soils have subangular sandstone fragments throughout.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: These soils occur on mountains with slopes of 9 to 50 percent at elevations of 139 to 1333 meters (456 to 4373 feet). These soils formed in colluvium and residuum from metavolcanics. The climate is subhumid with warm dry summers and cool moist winters. The mean annual precipitation is 1250 to 2032 millimeters (49 to 80 inches). Mean annual air temperature is about 12 degrees C (54 degrees F). Mean summer temperature is 20 degrees C (68 degrees F) and the mean winter temperature is 7 degrees C (44 degrees F), and mean annual air temperature is 9 to 13 degress C (49 to 57 degrees F). The frost free season is about 75 to 150 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Hewent, Howler, and Tellopeak soils. Hewent soils are moderately deep to bedrock and are on convex slope positions. Howler soils are on toeslopes and do not have an argillic horizon. Tellopeak soils are shallow to bedrock and are on convex ridge summits and summits of spur ridges.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Well drained; medium to high runoff; moderately high saturated hydraulic conductivity.

USE AND VEGETATION: Used for timber production, watershed and wildlife habitat. Native vegetation is Douglas-fir, tanoak, Pacific madrone with an understory of salal, Oregon grape, poison oak, and bracken fern.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Siskiyou-Trinity Area, MLRA 5. These soils are of small extent.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Humboldt and Del Norte Area, Humboldt County, California, 2012. Proposed 2003.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features include:

1. Ochric epipedon - The zone from 0 to 10 centimeters (Oi & A horizons)

2. Argillic horizon - The zone from 10 to 180 centimeters (Bt1, Bt2, Bt3, Bt4 & Bt5 horizons)

3. Particle-size control section - the zone from 10 to 60 centimeters, averages 30 percent clay, by weight, and 21 percent rock fragments, by volume.

Additional Data:

NASIS User Pedon ID: 03CA023605006

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

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.