LOCATION JUNIPERLAKE CAEstablished Series
The Juniperlake series consists of deep, well drained soils that formed in tephra and till from andesite and basalt. Juniperlake soils are on ground moraines in the Southern Cascade mountains. Slopes range from 2 to 40 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 49 inches (1245 mm) and the mean annual temperature is about 41 degrees F, (5 degrees C).
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Medial-skeletal, amorphic, frigid Humic Haploxerands
TYPICAL PEDON: Juniperlake gravelly medial sandy loam, on a north-northeast facing (20 degrees) slope of 34 percent, under a cover of California red fir and western white pine at an elevation of 6936 feet, (2115 m). When described on 8/14/06, the soil was dry throughout. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted).
Oi--0 to 1 inches (0 to 2 cm); needles, twigs and bark litter; abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 2 inches, (1 to 4 cm) thick)
A1--1 to 4 inches (2 to 9 cm); dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) gravelly medial sandy loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; 3 percent clay; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure parting to single grain; loose, nonsticky, nonplastic; common very fine roots; many very fine and fine interstitial and tubular pores; 8 percent subangular fine gravel and 8 percent subangular medium and coarse gravel; moderately acid, pH 5.9 by pH meter 1:1 water; NaF pH 11.1; abrupt wavy boundary.
A2--4 to 10 inches (9 to 25 cm); brown (10YR 4/3) gravelly medial sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; 3 percent clay; weak medium and coarse subangular blocky structure parting to single grain; loose, nonsticky, nonplastic; common fine and medium and many very fine roots; common very fine and fine tubular and many very fine and fine interstitial pores; 12 percent subangular fine gravel, 12 percent subangular medium and coarse gravel and 5 percent subangular cobbles; slightly acid, pH 6.3 by pH meter 1:1 water; NaF pH 11.3; clear wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the A horizon is 4.5 to 10 inches, (12 to 23 cm) thick)
AB--10 to 21 inches (25 to 54 cm); brown (10YR 5/3) very cobbly medial coarse sandy loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) moist; 3 percent clay; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure parting to single grain; loose, nonsticky, nonplastic; many very fine and fine, common coarse and few very coarse roots; common very fine and fine tubular and many very fine and fine interstitial pores; 6 percent subangular fine gravel, 10 percent subangular medium and coarse gravel and 20 percent subangular cobbles; slightly acid, pH 6.4 by pH meter 1:1 water; NaF pH 11.3; clear smooth boundary. (0 to 12 inches, (0 to 29 cm) thick)
Bw1--21 to 30 inches (54 to 76 cm); yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) very cobbly medial sandy loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/3) moist; 3 percent clay; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure parting to single grain; loose, nonsticky, nonplastic; common very fine to coarse and few very coarse roots; many very fine and fine interstitial and common very fine and fine tubular pores; 8 percent subangular fine gravel, 20 percent subangular medium and coarse gravel and 20 percent subangular cobbles; slightly acid, pH 6.3 by pH meter 1:1 water; NaF pH 11.3; gradual smooth boundary.
Bw2--30 to 47 inches (76 to 119 cm); yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) very gravelly medial sandy loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/3) moist; 4 percent clay; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure parting to single grain; loose, nonsticky, nonplastic; common very fine to medium, few coarse and very coarse roots; many very fine and fine interstitial pores; 10 percent subangular fine gravel, 21 percent subangular medium and coarse gravel and 20 percent subangular cobbles; slightly acid, pH 6.3 by pH meter 1:1 water; NaF pH 11.3; abrupt smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bw horizon is 21 to 39 inches, (54 to 99 cm) thick)
Cdq--47 to 56 inches (119 to 142 cm); light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) extremely gravelly coarse sandy loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) moist; 4 percent clay; massive, hard, firm, nonsticky, nonplastic; few fine and medium roots; many fine and medium interstitial pores; 15 percent threadlike silica masses around rock fragments; 17 percent subangular fine gravel, 40 percent subangular medium and coarse gravel and 15 percent subangular cobbles; slightly acid, pH 6.3 by pH meter 1:1 water; NaF pH 11.1
TYPE LOCATION: Plumas County, California, about 0.5 miles south-southeast from the new Juniper Lake ranger station, approximately 2,200 feet north and 100 feet west of the southeast corner of sec. 22, T. 30 N, R. 6 E, 40 degrees, 26 minutes, 40 seconds north latitude and 121 degrees, 17 minutes, 22 seconds west longitude, NAD83; USGS Quad: Mount Harkness, California.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Depth to restrictive feature: Densic contact 40 to 60 inches, (102 to 152 cm).
Mean annual soil temperature: 43 to 45 degrees F, (6 to 7 degrees C).
Soil moisture control section is dry: July to October (about 90 days).
Particle-size control section (thickest part): 3 to 4 percent clay, and 36 to 51 percent rock fragments.
Surface fragments: 5 to 30 percent gravel, 2 to 5 percent cobbles, 2 to 10 percent stones, and 2 to 15 percent boulders.
Some pedons have a Bq horizon above the Cdq horizon.
A horizon:
Color dry: 10YR 4/2, 4/3, 2.5Y 5/3
Color moist: 10YR 2/1, 2/2, 3/1, 3/2, 4/2, 2.5Y 4/2
Texture: gravelly medial loamy fine sand, gravelly medial loamy sand, gravelly medial fine sandy loam, gravelly medial sandy loam, very gravelly medial fine sandy loam, very gravelly medial sandy loam
Clay content: 2 to 6 percent
Rock fragments: 5 to 15 percent fine gravel, 8 to 35 percent medium and coarse gravel, 15 to 45 percent total gravel, 0 to 20 percent cobbles, 0 to 5 percent stones, 15 to 50 percent total rock fragments
Organic matter: 12.0 to 17.5 percent
Base saturation by ammonium acetate: 12 to 25 percent
Acid oxalate extractable Al plus 1/2 Fe: 2.10 to 2.75
P retention: 85 to 95 percent
Glass content: 8 to 14 percent
NaF pH: 9.2 to 11.5
Soil reaction: very strongly acid to slightly acid
AB horizon:
Color dry: 10YR 5/3, 4/3
Color moist: 10YR 3/3, 3/2, 7.5YR 2.5/3
Texture: very gravelly medial sandy loam, very cobbly medial coarse sandy loam
Clay content: 2 to 4 percent
Rock fragments: 6 to 15 percent fine gravel, 10 to 35 percent medium and coarse gravel, 16 to 45 percent total gravel, 5 to 20 percent cobbles, 0 to 5 percent stones, 36 to 55 percent total rock fragments
Organic matter: 9.7 to 13.5 percent
Base saturation by ammonium acetate: 4 to 8 percent
Acid oxalate extractable Al plus 1/2 Fe: 3.00 to 4.00
P retention: 90 to 100 percent
Glass content: 9 to 13 percent
NaF pH: 10.8 to 11.4
Soil reaction: slightly acid
Bw horizon:
Color dry: 7.5YR 4/4, 10YR 3/4, 4/4, 5/4, 6/4 2.5Y 4/3, 5/3, 5/4
Color moist: 5YR 2.5/2, 7.5YR 2.5/3, 3/3, 3/4, 10YR 3/3, 3/4, 4/4, 5/4
Texture: very gravelly medial sandy loam, extremely gravelly medial fine sandy loam, extremely gravelly medial sandy loam, very cobbly medial sandy loam, extremely cobbly medial sandy loam, extremely stony medial fine sandy loam, extremely stony medial sandy loam, extremely bouldery medial sandy loam, very bouldery medial sandy loam
Clay content: 2 to 5 percent
Rock fragments: 3 to 15 percent fine gravel, 15 to 35 percent medium and coarse gravel, 20 to 55 total percent gravel, 5 to 25 percent cobbles, 0 to 20 percent stones, 0 to 15 percent boulders, 48 to 80 percent total rock fragments
Organic matter: 4.5 to 7.5 percent
Base saturation by ammonium acetate: 2 to 5 percent
Acid oxalate extractable Al plus 1/2 Fe: 4.10 to 5.50
P retention: 92 to 100 percent
Glass content: 9 to 21 percent
NaF pH: 10.6 to 11.5
Soil reaction: strongly acid to slightly acid
Cdq horizon:
Color dry: 10YR 5/3, 5/4, 6/2, 6/3, 6/4
Color moist: 7.5YR 3/3, 3/4, 4/3, 10YR 4/2, 4/3
Texture: extremely gravelly loamy sand, extremely gravelly sandy loam, extremely gravelly coarse sandy loam
Clay content: 3 to 8 percent
Rock fragments: 15 to 20 percent fine gravel, 23 to 45 percent medium and coarse gravel, 43 to 63 percent total gravel, 5 to 22 percent cobbles, 0 to 22 percent stones, 60 to 89 percent total rock fragments
Organic matter: 1.0 to 2.5 percent
Base saturation by ammonium acetate: 2 to 4 percent
Acid oxalate extractable Al plus 1/2 Fe: 3.15 to 3.65
P retention: 90 to 100 percent
Glass content: 3 to 10 percent
NaF pH: 10.5 to 11.5
Rupture resistance: slightly hard to very hard
Soil reaction: slightly acid or neutral
COMPETING SERIES: This is the McNair soil. The McNair soils formed in ash over colluvium and residuum, and are underlain by a paralithic contact.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Juniperlake soils are on ground moraines in the Southern Cascade mountains. Slopes are 2 to 40 percent. These soils formed in tephra and till from andesite and basalt. Elevation is 5442 to 8190 feet (1659 to 2497 m). Mean annual precipitation is 39 to 109 inches, (991 to 2769 mm). The mean annual temperature is 38.5 to 43 degrees F, (3.6 to 6 degrees C). Frost free season is 60 to 85 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: This is the scoured soil. The Scoured soils are moderately deep to bedrock and are on adjacent scoured ridges and glacial headlands.
DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Well drained; saturated hydraulic conductivity is high to very high in the A horizons, high in the AB and Bw horizons, and moderately low in the Cdq horizon.
USE AND VEGETATION: This soil is used for wildlife habitat, recreation, ecosystem management and watershed. Vegetation is California red fir, western white pine, lupine, and penstemon.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: The soils are inextensive and are mapped in MLRA: 22B Southern Cascade Mountains
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Plumas County, California. Source of name from Juniper Lake in Lassen Volcanic National Park.
REMARKS:
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Umbric epipedon: 1 to 21 inches, (2 to 54 cm)
Cambic horizon: 21 to 47 inches, (54 to 119 cm)
Andic soil properties: 1 to 47 inches, (2 to 119 cm)
Densic contact: 47 inches, (119 cm)
Particle-size control section: 1 to 40 inches, (2 to 102 cm)
Soil moisture control section: 10 to 36 inches, (25 to 91 cm)
ADDITIONAL DATA:
Characterization data from lab pedon number 07N0136 NSSL, Lincoln, NE. NASIS User Pedon ID in Davis, MLRA Office: 789148.