LOCATION LEIDIG CA

Established Series
Rev: AJT/JJJ/BRY/KDA
01/2023

LEIDIG SERIES

The Leidig series consists of very deep, somewhat poorly drained soils formed in alluvium derived from granitoid rock and reworked lake sediments. These soils are on relict point bars, distinct bars and channels, hung channels, high floodplains, meander scars in mountain valleys. Slope is 0 to 2 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 37 inches (940 millimeters) and the mean annual temperature is about 53 degrees F (11.7 degrees C).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, isotic, mesic Vitrandic Dystroxerepts

TYPICAL PEDON: Leidig fine sandy loam, on a 0 to 2 percent slope under meadow grasses and forbs at an elevation of 3,968 feet (1209.5 meters). (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated. When described on May 13, 1991, the soil was moist throughout.)

Oi--0 to 1 inch (0 to 3 centimeters); slightly decomposed organic material.

A--1 to 7 inches (3 to 18 centimeters); dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) fine sandy loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; strong fine granular structure; soft, very friable, non-sticky, non-plastic; many very fine roots; common very fine interstitial pores; strongly acid (pH 5.5); clear smooth boundary. (5 to 10 inches (13 to 25 centimeters] thick)

2Ab1--7 to 16 inches (18 to 41 centimeters); dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; strong medium granular structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; weakly smeary; few fine roots; common very fine interstitial pores; strongly acid (pH 5.5); clear smooth boundary. (7 to 12 inches [18 to 30 centimeters] thick)

2Ab2--16 to 23 inches (41 to 58 centimeters); grayish brown (10YR 5/2) loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate coarse and medium angular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; weakly smeary; common very fine roots; common very fine interstitial pores; moderately acid (pH 5.8); clear smooth boundary. (5 to 10 inches [13 to 25 centimeters] thick)

2Ab3--23 to 30 inches (58 to 76 centimeters); brown (10YR 5/3) and dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) very fine sandy loam, 90 percent dark brown (10YR 3/3) and 10 percent very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; moderate coarse angular blocky; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky, non-plastic; weakly smeary; few very fine roots; common very fine interstitial pores; strongly acid (pH 5.5); clear smooth boundary. (5 to 10 inches [13 to 25 centimeters] thick)

2Ab4--30 to 34 inches (76 to 86 centimeters); brown (10YR 5/3) and dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) very fine sandy loam, 90 percent dark brown (10YR 3/3) and 10 percent very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky, non-plastic; weakly smeary; few very fine roots; common very fine interstitial pores; strongly acid (pH 5.3); clear smooth boundary. (2 to 6 inches [5 to 15 centimeters] thick)

2Ab5--34 to 42 inches (86 to 107 centimeters); brown (10YR 5/3) fine sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak medium angular blocky structure; soft, friable, non-sticky, non-plastic; weakly smeary; common very fine interstitial pores; common fine faint dark brown (7.5YR 3/4), moist redoximorphic iron accumulations; strongly acid (pH 5.3); gradual smooth boundary. (6 to 10 inches [15 to 25 centimeters] thick)

2Ab6--42 to 46 inches (107 to 117 centimeters); light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) and grayish brown (10YR 5/2) fine sandy loam, 60 percent dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) and 10 percent very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak medium angular blocky structure; soft, friable, non-sticky, non-plastic; weakly smeary; common very fine interstitial pores; 30 percent common fine and medium faint dark brown (7.5YR 3/4), moist redoximorphic iron accumulations; strongly acid (pH 5.3); clear smooth boundary. (2 to 6 inches [5 to 15 centimeters] thick)

3Ab1--46 to 52 inches (117 to 132 centimeters); pale brown (10YR 6/3) and light brownish gray (10YR 6/2), and grayish brown (10YR 5/2) sandy loam, 60 percent dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2), 10 percent dark gray (10YR 4/1), and 10 percent very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; soft, friable, non-sticky, non-plastic; common very fine interstitial pores; 20 percent common fine and medium faint dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) moist, redoximorphic iron accumulations; strongly acid (pH 5.3); clear smooth boundary. (4 to 8 inches [10 to 20 centimeters] thick)

3Ab2--52 to 58 inches (132 to 148 centimeters); light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) and pale brown (10YR 6/3) fine sandy loam, 40 percent dark gray (10YR 4/1) and 40 percent dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; soft, friable, non-sticky, non-plastic; common very fine interstitial pores; 20 percent common fine and medium faint dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) moist, redoximorphic iron accumulations; strongly acid (pH 5.3); abrupt smooth boundary. (4 to 8 inches [10 to 20 centimeters] thick)

C--58 to 60 inches (148 to 152 centimeters); light gray (10YR 7/2) and pale brown (10YR 6/3) loamy sand, 60 percent grayish brown (10YR 5/2) and 20 percent brown (10YR 4/3) moist; massive; soft, very friable, non-sticky, non-plastic; many very fine interstitial pores; 20 percent few medium distinct brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist, redoximorphic iron accumulations; strongly acid (pH 5.3).

TYPE LOCATION: Mariposa County, California; half way between a micro high bar position and a micro low channel position on a 4 to 6 percent slope (downstream gradient slopes are 0 to 2 percent), 550 feet (167.6 meters) northwest of Sentinel Chapel, Sentinel Meadow, Yosemite National Park; Latitude 37 degrees 44 minutes 28 seconds north and Longitude 119 degrees 35 minutes 35 seconds west; UTM Zone 11, easting 271528.00 and northing 4180256.77; USGS Half Dome, California Quadrangle, NAD 83.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Depth of the solum is more than 50 inches (127 centimeters). The mean annual soil temperature is 52 to 56 degrees F (11.1 to 13.3 degrees C). The soil temperature exceeds 41 degrees F (5.0 degrees C) from March through November and exceeds 47 degrees F (8.3 degrees C) from mid April through October. The difference between mean winter and mean summer soil temperature is about 28 degrees F (17 degrees C). The soil moisture control section is dry in all parts from early July to early November (140-160 days) and is moist in all parts from December to mid May. Base saturation is less than 50 percent. Clay content is 0 to 18 percent.

Overwash horizon (where present)
Hue: 10YR (dry and moist)
Value: 4 or 5 (dry) and 2 or 3 (moist)
Chroma: 2 (dry and moist)
Texture: sandy loam or fine sandy loam
Organic matter content: 0 to 5 percent
Reaction: moderately acid or strongly acid

A Horizon
Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR (dry and moist)
Value: 4 (dry) and 2 (moist)
Chroma: 2 (dry and moist)
Texture: sandy loam, fine sandy loam, very fine sandy loam, or loam
Organic matter content: 2 to 8 percent
Reaction: moderately acid or strongly acid

2Ab Horizon
Hue: 10YR (dry and moist)
Value: 4 to 6 (dry) and 2 to 4 (moist)
Chroma: 2 or 3 (dry) and 2 to 4 (moist)
Texture: sandy loam, fine sandy loam, very fine sandy loam, or loam
Organic matter content: 0 to 8 percent
Reaction: moderately acid or strongly acid

3Ab Horizon
Hue: 10YR (dry and moist)
Value: 6 (dry) and 3 or 4 (moist)
Chroma: 2 or 3 (dry) and 1 to 4 (moist)
Texture: loamy sand, sandy loam, fine sandy loam, or very fine sandy loam
Organic matter content: 0 to 1 percent
Reaction: moderately acid or strongly acid

C Horizon
Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR (dry and moist)
Value: 6 or 7 (dry) and 4 or 5 (moist)
Chroma: 2 or 3 (dry) and 2 to 4 (moist)
Texture: stratified loamy sand to fine sandy loam
Organic matter content: 0 to 4 percent
Reaction: strongly acid

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Elcapitan and Sentinel soils. Elcapitan soils are on intermediate floodplains and have well defined stratification. Sentinel soils are on lake terraces and are well drained.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: These soils are on relict point bars, distinct bars and channels, hung channels, high floodplains, meander scars in mountain valleys. Bar to channel slope is 4 to 6 percent. Downstream gradient slope is 0 to 2 percent. These soils formed in alluvium derived from granitoid rock and reworked lake sediments. Elevation is 3,907 to 4,031 feet (1,190.8 to 1,228.8 meters). The climate is subhumid with warm dry summers and cool moist winters. Mean annual precipitation is 35 to 40 inches (889 to 1,016 millimeters), some of which falls as snow. The mean annual temperature is 50 to 55 degrees F (10.0 to 12.8 degrees C). The mean January temperature is about 36 degrees F (2.2 degrees C). The mean July temperature is about 72 degrees F (22.2 degrees C). Frost-free period is 100 to 150 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the competing Sentinel and Elcapitan soils.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat poorly drained; very low runoff; hydraulic conductivity is high or very high. Occasional flooding occurs for brief periods from December through June.

USE AND VEGETATION: This soil is used for recreation, wildlife, and watershed. This soil is capable of supporting both meadow and woodland plant communities. Encroachment of woodland species, particularly, Ponderosa pine and incense cedar, increases the rate of summer drawdown so that an anaerobic hydrology is supplanted by and aerobic hydrology culminating in the development of an open canopy woodland plant community with an understory of grasses and forbs. The extent of soil water aerations also influenced by the lateral subsoil flow of aerated water into the flood plain soil from both up-valley and side-valley sources.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: West side of the central Sierra Nevada Range, California. The soils are not extensive. MLRA is 22A-Sierra Nevada Mountains.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Yosemite Valley Part, California 2006 Proposed 1991. Source of name is Leidig Meadow.

REMARKS: Changed from coarse-loamy, mixed, mesic Vitrandic Xerumbrepts to coarse-loamy, isotic, mesic Vitrandic Dystroxerepts because of changes in Soil Taxonomy.

All lab data from the Yosemite Valley Part Soil Survey indicates isotic mineralogy. Leidig soils have an umbric epipedon and vitrandic properties.

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.