LOCATION KINKEL CAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, mesic Ultic Palexeralfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Kinkel very gravelly loam - on an east facing slightly concave slope about 23 percent under Douglas-fir, white fir, ponderosa pine and incense cedar at 5,120 feet elevation. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated. When described (6/14/74) the soil was moist throughout.)
O1 and O2--1 inch to 0; recent needles, leaves, twigs, bark and other organic debris.
A11--0 to 2 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) very gravelly loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate fine and medium granular structure; hard, very friable, sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine, fine and medium roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; 35 percent pebbles, 3 percent cobbles, less than 0.01 percent stones; slightly acid (pH 6.5); abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 2 inches thick)
A12--2 to 9 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) very gravelly loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, sticky and slightly plastic; many coarse and medium, and common very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine, and few medium tubular pores; 35 percent pebbles, 8 percent cobbles, less than 0.01 stones; strongly acid (pH 5.5); clear wavy boundary. (4 to 7 inches thick)
B11t--9 to 14 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) very gravelly loam, dark brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, sticky, plastic; many coarse and medium, and common very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine, and few medium tubular pores; common thin clay films in pores and on peds; 35 percent pebbles, 5 percent cobbles, 1 percent stones; strongly acid (pH 5.5); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 8 inches thick)
B12t--14 to 19 inches; light brown (7.5YR 6/4) gravelly loam, dark brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; very hard, friable, sticky and plastic; many coarse and medium, and common very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; many thin clay films in pores and on peds, few moderately thick clay films in pores; 30 percent pebbles, 3 percent cobbles, 1 percent stones; strongly acid (pH 5.5); gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 6 inches thick)
B21t--19 to 23 inches; variegated brown (7.5YR 5/4) and light brown (7.5YR 6/4) gravelly loam, dark brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; very hard, friable, sticky and plastic; many coarse and medium, and few very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; many thick and thin clay films in pores and many thin strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) and reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/6) clay films on peds; 30 percent pebbles, 3 percent cobbles, 1 percent stones; strongly acid (pH 5.5); gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 6 inches thick)
B22t--23 to 36 inches; variegated strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) and reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/6) very gravelly loam, brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; very hard, friable, sticky and plastic; many coarse and medium, and few very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; common thin and moderately thick strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) and reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/6) clay films on peds and in pores, and few thick films in pores; 38 percent pebbles, 2 percent cobbles; strongly acid (pH 5.5); gradual wavy boundary. (10 to 25 inches thick)
B23t--36 to 42 inches; variegated strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) and reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/6) very gravelly loam, brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; very hard, friable, sticky and plastic; many coarse and medium, and few very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; common thin and moderately thick strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) and reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/6) clay films in pores and on peds, few thick clay films in some pores; 38 percent pebbles, 2 percent cobbles, 1 percent stones; strongly acid (pH 5.5); gradual wavy boundary. (4 to 10 inches thick)
B24t--42 to 56 inches; variegated strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) and reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/6) very gravelly loam, brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; very hard, friable, sticky and plastic; many coarse and medium, and few very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; common thin and moderately thick strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) and reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/6) clay films in pores and on peds, few thick films in pores; 40 percent pebbles, 2 percent cobbles, 1 percent stones; strongly acid (pH 5.5); gradual wavy boundary. (10 to 15 inches thick)
B3t--56 to 60 inches; variegated strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) and reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/6) very gravelly loam, strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; very hard, friable, sticky and plastic; many coarse and medium, and few very fine and fine roots; many very fine and fine tubular pores; common thin and moderately thick clay films in pores and on peds, few thick clay films in some pores; 40 percent pebbles, 3 percent cobbles; strongly acid (pH 5.5).
TYPE LOCATION: Siskiyou County, California; about 5 miles (airline) southwest of Yreka just below Soap Creek Ridge Road on a private logging road; 2,400 feet north and 1,030 feet west of the southeast corner sec. 35, T. 45 N., R. 8 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Depth to metasedimentary bedrock is 60 to 80 inches. The mean annual soil temperature is about 47 to 57 degrees F., and the soil temperature is less than 41 degrees F. from December 15 to April 1. The soil between depths of 10 and 25 inches is usually dry in all parts from July 15 until October 15 and is moist in some parts all the rest of the year. It is moist in all parts from December 1 to May 1. Rock fragments make up 15 to 60 percent in the A horizon and 30 to 60 percent in the B2t horizon. Most rock fragments consist of quartz and quartzite pebbles and a few cobbles and stones. Base saturation ranges from 40 to 60 percent.
The A horizon ranges from light gray, light yellowish brown and brown to dark grayish brown (10YR 6/4, 6/3, 6/2, 6/1, 5/4, 5/3, 5/2, 5/1, 4/4, 4/3, 4/2; 7.5YR 5/4). Moist colors range from dark yellowish brown to very dark brown (10YR 4/4, 4/3, 4/2, 3/4, 3/3, 3/2, 2/2; 7.5YR 4/4, 3/2). It is sandy loam or loam with 10 to 15 percent clay and is gravelly or very gravelly. It is slightly acid or moderately acid. Some pedons have an A3 horizon and others do not have a B1t horizon.
The Bt horizon ranges from yellow and very pale brown to pink and reddish brown (7/6, 7/4, 6/6, 6/4, 5/6, 5/4 in 10YR, 7.5YR and 5YR hues). Moist colors range from yellowish brown to dark reddish brown (10YR and 5YR 6/6, 5/6, 4/4, 4/3, 3/4, 3/3; 7.5YR 6/6, 5/6, 4/4, 3/4). Chroma of 6 is in at least some part of the Bt horizon within a depth of 60 inches. Soil colors are mainly lithochromic in the Bt horizon. It is very gravelly loam or very gravelly sandy loam, with 13 to 20 percent clay. The amount of clay increase from the A horizon to the Bt horizon ranges from 3 to 7 percent. The upper 20 inches of the argillic horizon has more than 35 percent rock fragments and less than 18 percent clay. The clay content gradually increases with increasing depth. It is moderately or strongly acid and commonly decreases in acidity with increasing depth. The Bt horizon has weak fine and medium subangular blocky or granular structure.
The B horizon commonly is over fractured bedrock but some pedons have a C horizon that consists of weathered rock and soil material. It ranges from 1 to 6 inches thick and is similar to the B horizon in other characteristics.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Abegg (T), Behemotosh (T), Marpa and Skalan series in other families. Abegg soils are underlain by a lithologic discontinuity of very gravelly and very cobbly sandy loam and are dry 60 to 80 consecutive days. Behemotosh, Marpa and Skalan soils have a lithic contact at depths of 20 to 40 inches.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Kinkel soils are on mountains with long slopes and are on all aspects. Slopes range from 2 to 50 percent. The soils formed in material weathered from metasedimentary and metavolcanic bedrock. Commonly the land forms are steep narrow ridged interfluves between deeply incised drainageways. Elevations are 2,500 to 5,800 feet. The climate is continental and subhumid with warm dry summers and cold moist winters. Mean annual precipitation is 20 to 45 inches. Seasonal snowfall is 20 to 30 inches. Mean January temperature is 34 degrees F.; mean July temperature is 72 degrees F.; mean annual temperature is 45 to 52 degrees F. Frost-free season is 70 to 140 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Bonnet, Boomer, Dubakella, Duzel, Facey, Hilt, Ipish, Kindig, Stoner, Weitchpec and the competing Marpa soils. Bonnet soils have a mollic epipedon, and ca horizon. Boomer soils have less than 35 percent rock fragments and 25 to 35 percent clay in the B2t horizon. Dubakella, Ipish and Weitchpec soils have serpentinitic mineralogy. Duzel soils have less than 35 percent rock fragments and more than 75 percent base saturation in the argillic horizon. Facey soils have a mollic epipedon, fine-loamy argillic horizon, and more than 75 percent base saturation. Hilt soils have a fine-loamy control section with less than 35 percent fragments, and base saturation is more than 75 percent throughout the argillic horizon. Kindig soils lack an argillic horizon and are 40 to 60 inches deep to a paralithic contact. Stoner soils lack an argillic horizon.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; medium to very rapid runoff; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most of these soils are used for timber production and limited grazing. Some is cropped mostly to irrigated or dryland forage and hay crops. The soils are widely used for recreation and wildlife habitat. The vegetation is mainly Douglas-fir, ponderosa pine, sugar pine, incense cedar, white fir, black oak, white oak, buckbrush, hazelbrush, manzanita, snowberry, serviceberry, and perennial and annual grasses and forbs.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northern California and possibly southern Oregon. The soils are moderately extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Siskiyou County, California, 1978.
REMARKS: The activity class was added to the classification in February of 2003. Competing series were not checked at that time. - ET
OSED scanned by SSQA. Last revised by state on 10/78.
ADDITIONAL DATA: Characterization data on pedon S74 CA 93-13. Riverside Laboratory, not yet published.