LOCATION KANG               CA
Established Series
Rev. GKL/CMF/DJE
02/97

KANG SERIES


The Kang series consists of moderately deep, well drained soils formed in residuum from serpentinite. These soils occur on broad ridges, sideslopes, and colluvial footslopes and have slopes of 9 to 50 percent. The mean annual precipitation is 30 inches and the mean annual temperature is 50 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Clayey-skeletal, magnesic, mesic Pachic Argixerolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Kang gravelly sandy clay loam - on a 42 percent southeast facing slope at 4,050 feet elevation under a cover of Jeffrey pine, incense-cedar, wedgeleaf ceanothus, California fescue and other perennial grasses. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated. When described 5/17/79, the soil was slightly moist throughout.)

O--2 to 0 inches; fresh conifer needles becoming more decomposed with depth.

A--0 to 3 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) gravelly sandy clay loam, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) moist; weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable, sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and few fine roots; common very fine and fine interstitial pores; 25 percent pebbles and 8 percent cobbles and stones; neutral (pH 7.0); abrupt wavy boundary. (3 to 7 inches thick)

BAt--3 to 6 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) gravelly clay, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, sticky and plastic; common very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; few thin and moderately thick clay films lining pores and on peds; 15 percent pebbles and 8 percent cobbles and stones; neutral (pH 7.2); abrupt wavy boundary. (0 to 4 inches thick)

Bt1--6 to 12 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) stony clay, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, sticky and plastic; few very fine, fine and medium roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; few thin and moderately thick clay films lining pores and on peds; 15 percent pebbles, 10 percent cobbles and 10 percent stones; neutral (pH 7.2); clear wavy boundary. (6 to 12 inches thick)

Bt2--12 to 22 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) very stony clay, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate coarse subangular blocky structure; very hard, firm, sticky and plastic; few very fine and fine and common medium and coarse roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; many moderately thick and thick clay films lining pores, on peds, and as bridges; 15 percent pebbles, 10 percent cobbles and 20 percent stones; mildly alkaline (pH 7.4); clear wavy boundary. (4 to 10 inches thick)

Bt3--22 to 27 inches; dark brown (7.5YR 4/4) extremely stony clay, dark brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; moderate coarse subangular blocky structure; very hard, firm, sticky and plastic; few very fine and fine and common medium roots; few very fine and fine tubular pores; many thick clay films lining pores, on peds, and as bridges; 35 percent pebbles, 10 percent cobbles and 30 percent stones; mildly alkaline (pH 7.4); abrupt wavy boundary. (2 to 8 inches thick)

R--27 inches; hard serpentinite bedrock.

TYPE LOCATION: Siskiyou County, California. About 7 miles northeast of Callahan, 1 mile south of Lovers Leap, and 100 yards north of Kangaroo Creek. 420 feet south and 360 feet from the NE section corner NE1/4, NE1/4, section 8, T.40N., R.7W., Mount Diablo Meridian.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Kang soils are 20 to 40 inches deep. The mean annual soil temperature is 50 to 57 degrees F. The mean January soil temperature is 36 to 41 degrees F.; the mean July soil temperature is 57 to 71 degrees F. The soil temperature at a depth of 20 inches exceeds 41 degrees F. from February 20 through December 5 and exceeds 47 degrees F. from March 20 through November 15. The soil is dry between the depths of 8 and 20 inches from mid-July until mid-October in most years and is moist in some or all parts the remainder of the year.

The A horizon has colors of 10YR 3/2, 4/2, or 5/2. Moist colors are 10YR 2/2, 3/1, or 3/2. Clay content varies from 25 to 35 percent. Reaction is neutral to mildly alkaline. Rock fragments are 15 to 35 percent by volume.

The Bt horizons have colors of 10YR 3/2, 3/3, 4/2, or 7.5YR 4/4. Moist colors are 10YR 3/1, 3/2, 3/3, or 7.5YR 4/4. They are cobbly, stony, or very stony or extremely stony clays. Clay content varies from 45 to 60 percent. There is a transitional horizon between the A and Bt horizons which has a light gravelly clay texture. Reaction is neutral to mildly alkaline. Rock fragments are 35 to 75 percent by volume.

COMPETING SERIES: There are no other soils in this family.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Kang soils are on broad ridges, sideslopes, and footslopes and have slopes of 9 to 50 percent. Elevations range from 2,000 to 5,500 feet. These soils formed in residuum from serpentinite rock. The climate is humid, with warm, dry summers and cool, moist winters. The average annual precipitation is 20 to 40 inches which occurs mostly as rain. The mean January temperature is about 29 to 37 degrees F.; the mean July temperature is about 65 to 71 degrees F.; mean annual temperature is 45 to 55 degrees F.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: See remarks.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow permeability. Medium runoff.

USE AND VEGETATION: Used mainly for wildlife, range and some timber production. Native vegetation consists Jeffrey pine and incense-cedar, buckbrush, rabbitbrush, bottlebrush squirreltail, California fescue, Idaho fescue, and other perennial grasses.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Mountains of Northern California and Southern Oregon. These soils are not extensive.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Siskiyou County, California, 1982. Klamath National Forest Area.

REMARKS: This series was established to identify and map a new family in a survey area that classified soil map components only to the family level. Pedon sampled for lab analysis. 579 CA093-3.

OSED scanned by SSQA. Last revised by state on 8/82.


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.