LOCATION KISCOVE CAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic, shallow Typic Haploxeralfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Kiscove gravelly loam, on a 40 percent northeast facing slope, under grass, shrub, and juniper vegetation. (When described on 9/21/92 the soil was dry throughout. Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
A--0 to 2 inches (0 to 5 cm); brown (10YR 5/3) gravelly loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate fine and medium platy structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine roots; many very fine interstitial pores; 25 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.1); abrupt wavy boundary. (1 to 8 inches thick)
Bt1--2 to 3 inches (5 to 8 cm); brown (10YR 5/3) gravelly loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine, few fine and medium roots; common very fine tubular and interstitial pores; few thin clay films on peds and lining pores; 24 percent gravel and 5 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 6.6); clear wavy boundary. (1 to 10 inches thick)
Bt2--3 to 9 inches (8 to 23 cm); brown (10YR 5/3) gravelly clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, sticky and plastic; common very fine and fine and few medium roots; common very fine tubular and interstitial pores; common moderately thick clay films on peds and lining pores; 29 percent gravel and 5 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 7.0). (0 to 8 inches thick)
Cr--9 to 12 inches (23 to 30 cm); soft metamorphic bedrock.
R--12 inches (30 cm); hard, highly fractured metamorphic bedrock.
TYPE LOCATION: Kern County, California; about 1.25 miles northwest of the town of Mountain Mesa, about 600 feet southeast of Highway 178; 2,500 feet east and 1,200 feet north of the southwest corner of section 22, T.26S., R.33E., MDBM; Lake Isabella North, California Quadrangle; lat. 35 degrees 38 minutes 56 seconds N and long. 118 degrees 25 minutes 34 seconds W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature is 54 to 59 degrees F. (12.2 15 degrees C.) The depth to hard bedrock is 9 to 20 inches (23 to 50 cm). Reaction is slightly acid to slightly alkaline.
The A horizon has dry colors of 10YR 5/3, 5/4, 6/2, 6/3, 6/4; or 7.5YR 5/4. Moist colors are 10YR 3/3, 3/4, 4/2, 4/3; or 7.5YR 4/4. Textures are gravelly loam or gravelly sandy loam with 15 to 35 percent coarse fragments, mostly gravel size.
The Bt horizon has dry colors of 7.5YR 4/4, 5/4, 6/4; 10YR 5/3, 5/4 or 6/3. Moist colors are 7.5YR 3/4, 4/3, 4/4; 10YR 3/3,3/4 or 4/4. Textures are gravelly clay loam or gravelly loam. Rock fragments are 15 to 35 percent and consist of mostly gravel with some cobbles.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no other series in this family.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Kiscove soils are on hill and mountain slopes. Slopes are 15 to 60 percent. The soils formed from metamorphic rock mainly schist and gneiss. Elevations are from 2,600 feet to 5,000 feet(792 to 1524 meters). The climate is arid with hot dry summers and cool moist winters. The mean annual precipitation is 8 to 12 inches (200 to 3050 mm). The mean annual temperature is 52 to 57 degrees F. (11 to 14 degrees C.). The frost-free season is 140 to 180 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Backcanyon, Faycreek, Kernville, and Stine soils. Backcanyon soils lack an argillic horizon and they are calcareous. Faycreek and Kernville soils are sandy and lack an argillic horizon. Stine soils are on south facing mountain slopes and have a thermic temperature regime.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; rapid or very rapid runoff; moderately slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Kiscove soils are used for livestock grazing, wildlife habitat, and homesite development. Typical vegetation is juniper, California buckwheat, big sagebrush, and pine bluegrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Kiscove soils occur in the southern Sierra Nevada Mountains in central California. The series is not extensive in MLRA's 18 and 29.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Kern County, California 2005; Kern County, Northeastern Part and Southeastern Part of Tulare County Soil Survey. The name is coined from nearby Kissack Cove on Lake Isabella.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon.
Ochric epipedon - 0 to 2 inches (A)
Argillic horizon - 2 to 7 inches (Bt1, Bt2)