LOCATION HOUDA                   CA

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

HOUDA SERIES

The Houda series consists of very deep, moderately well drained soils that formed in debris slide deposits derived from sandstone and mudstone. Houda soils are on steep and very steep hill slopes and have slopes of 30 to 75 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 1900 millimeters (75 inches) and the mean annual temperature is about 11 degrees C (52 degrees F).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, isomesic Oxyaquic Humudepts

TYPICAL PEDON: Houda gravelly loam - on a northwest-facing slope of 40 percent under Sitka spruce and alder at 97 meters (320 feet) elevation. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated. When described April 19, 2005, the soil was moist throughout).

Oi--0 to 3 centimeters (0 to 1 inches); fresh and decomposing conifer needles and twigs; 2 percent gravel; common very fine and fine roots; very strongly acid (pH 5.0); abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 6 centimeters thick)

A--3 to 21 centimeters (1 to 8 inches); black (10YR 2/1) gravelly loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) dry; weak fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine, fine, and medium roots; many very fine and fine, common medium tubular and many very fine and fine, common coarse irregular pores; 15 percent gravel and 1 percent cobbles; moderately acid (pH 5.8); clear smooth boundary. (8 to 25 centimeters thick)

BA--21 to 38 centimeters (8 to 15 inches); very dark grayish brown (2.5Y 3/2) gravelly clay loam, grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) dry; weak fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine, fine, medium, and coarse roots; common very fine, fine, and medium tubular and many very fine and fine, common medium irregular pores; 25 percent gravel and 2 percent cobbles; moderately acid (pH 6.0); clear wavy boundary.

Bw1--38 to 55 centimeters (15 to 22 inches); very dark grayish brown (2.5Y 3/2) very gravelly clay loam, light olive brown (2.5Y 5/3) dry; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; moderately few very fine and fine, common very coarse roots; common fine and medium tubular and common very fine and fine irregular pores; 45 percent gravel and 2 percent cobbles; moderately acid (pH 5.8); clear wavy boundary.

Bw2--55 to 85 centimeters (22 to 33 inches); very dark gray (2.5Y 3/1) very gravelly clay loam, gray (2.5Y 5/1) dry; weak fine angular blocky and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; moderately few very fine and fine and common medium and coarse roots; common very fine and fine tubular and irregular pores; 45 percent gravel and 3 percent cobbles; moderately acid (pH 6.0); clear wavy boundary.(Combined thickness of Bw horizons is 20 to 72 centimeters thick)

C1--85 to 110 centimeters (33 to 43 inches); very dark gray (5Y 3/1) very gravelly clay loam, gray (5Y 5/1) dry; massive; slightly hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; moderately few very fine, fine and medium and common coarse roots; common very fine and fine tubular and irregular pores; 45 percent gravel and 2 percent cobbles; slightly acid (pH 6.5); clear smooth boundary.

C2--110 to 135 centimeters (43 to 53 inches); very dark gray (5Y 3/1) very gravelly clay loam, gray (5Y 5/1) dry; massive; slightly hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; very few very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine tubular and irregular pores; 50 percent gravel and 2 percent cobbles; slightly acid (pH 6.5); clear wavy boundary.

C3--135 to 152 centimeters (53 to 60 inches); very dark gray (5Y 3/1) extremely gravelly clay loam, gray (5Y 5/1) dry; massive; slightly hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine and fine irregular pores; 65 percent gravel and 7 percent cobbles; neutral acid (pH 7.0). (Combined thickness of the C horizons is 50 to 150 centimeters)

TYPE LOCATION: Redwood National Park, Del Norte County, California; located on the Coastal trail south of Hidden Beach; section 30, T. 14 N., R. 1 E., 41.57486 latitude and -124.09844 longitude; USGS Requa Quadrangle; UTM Zone 10 408426mE 4603157mN; NAD83.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:

Soil moisture: The soil is usually moist in all parts in the soil moisture control section in most years, but becomes dry in the upper part for a time less than 30 days cumulative from about September 15 to October 15. The soils have an udic moisture regime and an oxyaquic regime subclass. A seasonal water table is present for 20 or more consecutive days or 30 or more cumulative days in most years within the zone from 55 to 152 centimeters (24 to 39 inches).

Soil temperature: The mean annual soil temperature is 10 to 13 degrees C (50 to 55 degrees F). The difference between mean summer and mean winter temperature is 2 to 4 degrees C.

The umbric epipedon is 18 to 85 centimeters thick.

Reaction is neutral to moderately acid and base saturation is more than 50 percent throughout.

Particle-Size Control Section (weighted average):
Rock fragments: 35 to 55 percent gravel, 0 to 7 percent cobbles.
Clay content: 28 to 35 percent clay.

Some pedons have O horizons

O horizon

Hue: 10YR.
Value: 2 through 6 dry and moist.
Chroma: 1 through 4 dry and moist.

Texture: slightly decomposed organic material.
Wood fragments: 0 to 35 percent.
Reaction: moderately to very strongly acid.


A horizon

Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y.
Value: 3 through 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist.
Chroma: 2 through 4 dry, 1 through 3 moist.

Texture of fine earth: loam.
Rock fragments: 15 to 30 percent gravel and 0 to 7 percent cobbles.
Clay content: 20 to 27 percent.

Bw horizon

Hue: 10YR, 2.5Y, or 5Y.
Value: 5 through 7 dry, 3 through 5 moist.
Chroma: 1 through 4 dry and moist.

Texture of fine earth: clay loam.
Rock fragments: 35 to 55 percent gravel and 0 to 7 percent cobbles.
Clay content: 28 to 35 percent.

C horizon

Hue: 10YR, 2.5Y, or 5Y.
Value: 4 through 6 dry, 2 through 4 moist.
Chroma: 1 through 3 dry and moist.

Texture of fine earth: clay loam.
Rock fragments: 35 to 85 percent gravel, 0 to 7 percent cobbles.
Clay content: 28 to 35 percent.

COMPETING SERIES: At this time there are no other series in this family.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Houda soils are on steep to very steep hill slopes adjacent to the ocean. Slopes are 30 to 75 percent. Elevations are 2 to 294 meters (5 to 960 feet). The soils formed in debris slide deposits derived from sandstone and mudstone. The climate is humid with cool, foggy summers and cool, rainy winters. Mean annual precipitation is 1780 to 2030 millimeters (70 to 80 inches). Mean January temperature is about 8 degrees C; mean July temperature is about 14 degrees C; and the mean annual temperature is 10 to 13 degrees C (50 to 55 degrees F). Frost-free season is about 275 to 325 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Sasquatch and Sisterrocks soils. Sasquatch and Sisterrocks have umbric epipedons. Sasquatch soils are found alongside Houda soils on more stable in generally linear positions. Sisterrocks soils are found alongside Houda soils on more stable slopes in generally convex positions.

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

USE AND VEGETATION: This soil has been used for wildlife and watershed. Natural vegetation consists of Sitka spruce, red alder, and swordfern.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: California Coastal Redwood Belt; MLRA 4B. The series is not extensive.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Humboldt and Del Norte area, California 2007. Source of name is from Houda Point, an irregularity of land jutting out from the coast into the Pacific Ocean north of Moonstone beach near Trinidad, CA.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:

1. Umbric epipedon - the zone from 0 to 85 centimeters (Oi, A, BA, Bw1, Bw2) horizons)
3. Particle-size control section - the zone from 25 to 100 centimeters, (BA, Bw1, Bw2, and C1) averages 33 percent clay, by weight, and 44 percent rock fragments, by volume.
4. Oxyaquic Humudepts - seasonal water table for 20 or more consecutive days or 30 or more cumulative days in most years within the zone from 55 to 152 centimeters (24 to 39 inches). (Bw3, C1, C2, & C3 horizons)

Additional Data:

NASIS User Pedon ID: 05CA605REDW023

Soils classified using the 12th Edition of the Keys to Soil Taxonomy. These soils were previously classified as Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, isomesic Oxyaquic Eutrudepts.

---

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.