LOCATION JASPERPEAK CA

Established Series
RJV/JBB/TKK/JW
09/2018

JASPERPEAK SERIES

The Jasperpeak series consists of shallow, well drained soils formed in colluvium over residuum derived from metavolcanic rocks. The Jasperpeak soils are on hills.
Slopes range from 10 to 60 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 530 millimeters and the mean annual air temperature is about 16 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, thermic Lithic Haploxeralfs

TYPICAL PEDON: Jasperpeak loam on a west facing, linear, 29 percent slope under blue oak and annual grasses and forbs at an elevation of 230 meters. (Colors are for dry soils unless otherwise noted. When described on October 4th, 2011 the soil was dry throughout.)

A--0 to 2 cm; brown (7.5YR 5/4) loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) moist; 14 percent clay; weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; common very fine roots throughout; common very fine irregular pores; 10 percent subangular indurated metavolcanic gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.2); clear smooth boundary. (2 to 5 cm thick)

Bt1--2 to 8 cm; brown (7.5YR 5/4) very gravelly loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; soft, friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; common very fine roots throughout; common very fine irregular pores; 15 percent faint clay films on all faces of peds; 30 percent subangular indurated metavolcanic gravel, 10 percent subangular indurated metavolcanic cobbles; slightly acid (pH 6.2); clear smooth boundary.

Bt2--8 to 15 cm; brown (7.5YR 5/4) very gravelly loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; moderately hard, friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; common very fine and fine roots throughout; common very fine irregular pores; 10 percent faint clay films on all faces of peds and 15 percent faint clay films on rock fragments; 25 percent subangular indurated metavolcanic gravel, 15 percent subangular indurated metavolcanic cobbles; slightly acid (pH 6.4); clear smooth boundary.

Bt3--15 to 26 cm; strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) very cobbly loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; moderately hard, friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; common very fine and fine roots throughout; common very fine irregular pores; 15 percent faint clay films on rock fragments and 15 percent faint clay films on all faces of peds; 15 percent subangular indurated metavolcanic gravel, 25 percent subangular indurated metavolcanic cobbles; slightly acid (pH 6.4); abrupt wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bt horizons is 5 to 35 cm)

R--26 to 152 cm; Indurated metavolcanic bedrock, fractured at intervals of 10 to <45 cm.

TYPE LOCATION: Calaveras County, California, approximately 900 m (0.5 miles) northwest of the summit of Iron Mountain; USGS 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle: Copperopolis, California; WGS84 37.884052 latitude and -120.690392 longitude; UTM zone 10 703110 meters E 4195466 meters N NAD83.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:

Soil temperature: The mean annual soil temperature at 50 cm is 15 to 18 degrees C and the difference between mean summer and mean winter soil temperature is greater than 6 degrees C. The soils have a thermic temperature regime.

Soil moisture: The soil moisture control section is dry in all parts from about May to October.The soils have a xeric soil moisture regime.

Diagnostic Feature(s):
Ochric epipedon thickness: 3 to 10 cm
Argillic horizon thickness: 10 to 35 cm
Depth to lithic contact: 25 to 50 cm

Base saturation: less than 75 percent in one or more subhorizons of the argillic horizon (by sum of cations)

Particle size control section weighted average:
Rock fragments: 35 to 70 percent, with 15 to 70 percent gravel and 0 to 35 percent cobbles.
Clay content: 18 to 32 percent

A horizon
Hue: 7.5YR, 5YR
Value: 5 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 3 or 4, dry or moist
Texture: loam
Clay content: 15 to 22 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 35 percent
0 to 30 percent gravel
0 to 5 percent cobbles
Reaction: slightly acid

Bt horizons
Hue: 7.5YR, 5YR
Value: 4 to 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 4 or 6, dry or moist
Texture: loam, clay loam
Clay content: 18 to 32 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 70 percent
15 to 70 percent gravel
10 to 50 percent cobbles
0 to 10 percent stones
Reaction: slightly acid

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Saucito (MLRA 15) soils. Saucito soils formed in sandstone and are slightly to moderately alkaline.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Jasperpeak soils are on side slopes of hills. Slopes range from 10 to 60 percent. These soils formed in colluvium over residuum weathered from metavolcanic rocks. Elevation is 125 to 730 meters. The climate is Mediterranean with warm, dry summers and cool, moist winters. The mean annual precipitation is 425 to 870 mm and the mean annual air temperature is 14 to 17 degrees C. The frost free season is 215 to 320 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Gopheridge and Loafercreek soils. Gopheridge soils are 50 to 100cm to a lithic contact and Loafercreek soils are 50 to 100cm to a paralithic contact. Both soils are also on side slopes. Loafercreek soils have less than 35 percent fragments in the particle-size control section.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained, moderately high to high saturated hydraulic conductivity in the solum. Saturated hydraulic conductivity of the bedrock is moderately low to high.

USE AND VEGETATION: This soil is used for livestock grazing, recreation, wildlife habitat, and watershed. Vegetation is typically blue oak savanna with an understory of annual grasses and forbs including soft brome, rose clover, broadleaf filaree, mouse barley, ripgut brome, and wild oat. Scattered interior live oak and foothill pine may be present.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Sierra Nevada Foothills of California; MLRA 18. The series is not extensive.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Calaveras County, California. Source of name is coined.

REMARKS:
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric Epipedon 0 to 2 cm
Argillic Horizon 2 to 26 cm
Lithic Contact 26 cm
Particle Size Control Section for this pedon: 0 to 26 cm.

ADDITIONAL DATA:
NASIS User Pedon ID: 11PDM010

No certified laboratory data exist for this soil.

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

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.