LOCATION LICKINFORK              CA

Established Series
SMM/CES/TKK/JW
09/2018

LICKINFORK SERIES

The Lickinfork series consists of very deep, well drained soils formed in residuum and colluvium derived from phyllite, schist, and other metasedimentary rocks. The Lickinfork soils are on mountain slopes and in canyons. Slopes range from 15 to 90 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 985 mm and the mean annual air temperature is about 15 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, active, mesic Ultic Haploxeralfs

TYPICAL PEDON: Lickinfork loam on a southeast-facing, 51 percent, linear slope under interior live oak, black oak, and foothill pine at an elevation of 589 meters. (Colors are for dry soils unless otherwise noted. When described on February 24, 2015 the soil was moist throughout.)

Oi--0 to 1 cm; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) slightly decomposed plant material, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; many very fine roots throughout; moderately acid (pH 5.6); abrupt smooth boundary.

A--1 to 8 cm; brown (10YR 5/3) loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate fine granular structure; soft, friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; many very fine, and common fine, medium, and coarse roots throughout; common very fine tubular pores; 2 percent subrounded indurated schist gravel; neutral (pH 6.6); clear smooth boundary. (5 to 15 cm thick)

AB--8 to 20 cm; brown (7.5YR 4/4) loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; soft, friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; many fine, and common very fine, medium, and coarse roots throughout; common very fine tubular pores; 2 percent subrounded indurated schist gravel; moderately acid (pH 6.0); clear smooth boundary.

Bt1--20 to 38 cm; brown (7.5YR 4/4) very flaggy loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard,friable, slightly sticky, nonplastic; many fine, and common very fine, medium, coarse, and very coarse roots throughout; common very fine tubular pores; 15 percent distinct clay films on all faces of peds and 30 percent prominent clay films on rock fragments; 5 percent subangular indurated schist channers, 35 percent subangular indurated schist flagstones; moderately acid (pH 5.8); clear smooth boundary. (10 to 50 cm thick)

Bt2--38 to 55 cm; strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) extremely cobbly clay loam, brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; moderate coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, moderately sticky, slightly plastic; common fine and very coarse roots throughout; common fine tubular pores; 25 percent distinct clay films on all faces of peds and 40 percent prominent clay films on rock fragments; 15 percent subangular indurated schist gravel, 40 percent subangular indurated schist cobbles; moderately acid (pH 6.0); abrupt smooth boundary.

Bt3--55 to 77 cm; strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) cobbly clay loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) moist; moderate coarse subangular blocky structure; moderately hard, friable, moderately sticky, moderately plastic; common fine, medium, and very coarse roots throughout; common fine tubular pores; 25 percent distinct clay films on all faces of peds; 5 percent subrounded strongly cemented schist gravel, 10 percent subrounded strongly cemented schist cobbles; moderately acid (pH 6.0); clear smooth boundary.

Bt4--77 to 160 cm; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) silty clay loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; moderate coarse subangular blocky structure; moderately hard, friable, moderately sticky, moderately plastic; common very fine, fine, medium, and coarse roots throughout; common fine tubular pores; 35 percent prominent clay films on all faces of peds; 5 percent subrounded weakly cemented schist paragravel, 7 percent subrounded weakly cemented schist paracobbles; moderately acid (pH 6.0); gradual smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of lower Bt horizons is 50 to 140 cm)

BCt--160 to 180 cm; light olive brown (2.5Y 5/3) silt loam, olive brown (2.5Y 4/3) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; prominent clay films on rock fragments; 2 percent subrounded weakly cemented schist paragravel, 5 percent subrounded weakly cemented schist paracobbles; slightly acid (pH 6.2). (0 to 25 cm thick)

TYPE LOCATION: Calaveras County, California, about 4 km (2.5 miles) north of Victory Dude Ranch, off of Ponderosa Way; USGS 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle: Rail Road Flat, California; WGS84 38.326393 latitude and -120.594486 longitude; UTM Zone 10 710273 meters E 4244768 meters N NAD83.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:

Soil temperature: The mean annual soil temperature at 50 cm is 11 to 15 degrees C and the difference between mean summer and mean winter soil temperature is greater than 6 degrees C. The soils have a mesic temperature regime.

Soil moisture: The soil moisture control section is dry in all parts from about June to October (about 150 days). The soils have a xeric soil moisture regime.

Diagnostic Feature(s):
Ochric epipedon thickness: 5 to 25 cm
Argillic horizon thickness: 75 to 180 cm

Reaction: moderately acid to neutral

Particle size control section weighted average:
Rock fragments: 35 to 60 percent
Clay content: averages 18 to 35 percent clay

Base saturation: less than or equal to 75 percent in one or more subhorizons of the argillic horizon (by sum of cations).

A horizon
Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR
Value: 3 to 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3 dry, dry or moist
Texture: loam, sandy loam
Clay content: 10 to 20 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 50 percent
0 to 40 percent gravel
0 to 5 percent cobbles
0 to 50 percent channers

Bt1 horizon
Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 3 or 4 dry, 2 to 4 moist
Texture: loam, sandy loam
Clay content: 15 to 27 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 50 percent
0 to 45 percent gravel
0 to 25 percent cobbles
0 to 40 percent channers
0 to 35 percent flagstones
0 to 5 percent stones

Bt horizons, lower part
Hue: 5YR, 7.5YR, 10YR
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 3 to 6 dry, 2 to 6 moist
Texture: loam, silty clay loam, clay loam, sandy clay loam
Clay content: 18 to 35 percent
Rock fragments: 15 to 80 percent
0 to 80 percent gravel
0 to 40 percent cobbles
0 to 55 percent channers
0 to 5 percent flagstones
0 to 5 percent stones

BCt horizon (when present)
Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR, or 2.5Y
Value: 4 to 6, dry or moist
Chroma: 3 to 6, dry or moist
Texture: loam, silt loam
Clay content: 15 to 27 percent
Rock fragments: 5 to 80 percent
0 to 80 percent gravel
0 to 40 percent cobbles
0 to 80 percent paragravel
Pararock fragments: 0 to 40 percent
0 to 40 percent paragravel
0 to 40 percent paracobbles

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Arpatutu, Asabean (MLRA 5), Behemotosh, Collayomi (MLRA 15), Hewent(MLRA 5), Hoosimbim (MLRA 5), Marpa (MLRAs 5 & 15), and Pendola soils. Arpatutu soils are moderately deep to a lithic contact. Asabean soils are weathered from sedimentary rocks, and are likely to have a mean annual soil temperature between 8 and 11 degrees C. Behemotosh soils formed in rhyolitic bedrock and are moderately deep to a lithic contact. Collayomi soils are formed in amorphous material from basic igneous rocks. Hewent soils are formed in metavolcanic rock and are moderately deep to a lithic contact. Hoosimbim soils formed in metavolcanic and metasedimentary rock and are deep to a lithic contact. Marpa soils formed in metasedimentary rock and are moderately deep to a lithic contact. Pendola soils are formed in basic metavolcanic rock and have 2.5YR colors in all parts of the argillic horizon.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Lickinfork soils are on mountain slopes and in canyons, mostly on mountainflank positions. Slopes range from 15 to 90 percent. These soils formed in colluvium and residuum derived from phyllite, schist, and other metasedimentary rocks. Elevation is 330 to 1240 meters. The climate is Mediterranean with warm, dry summers and cool, moist winters. The mean annual precipitation is 805 to 1220 mm and the mean annual air temperature is 12 to 16 degrees C. The frost free season is 185 to 285 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Arpatutu, Nedsgulch, Sites, and Wallyhill soils. The Arpatutu and Wallyhill soils are 50 to 100 cm to bedrock and are on the upper third of mountainflanks. Nedsgulch soils have less than 35 percent rock fragments in the particle size control section. Sites soils average greater than 40 percent clay in the argillic horizon. Nedsgulch and Sites soils are on similar landform positions as Lickinfork.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately high or high throughout the soil profile.

USE AND VEGETATION: This soil is used for recreation, wildlife habitat, and watershed. Vegetation is Douglas-fir, sugar pine, ponderosa pine, incense cedar, California black oak, deerbrush, Pacific dogwood, bear clover, and broadleaf starflower.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Sierra Nevada Foothills in California; MLRA 18. The series is not extensive.

SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California

SERIES PROPOSED: Calaveras County, California, 2018. Source of name is from Licking Fork Creek.

REMARKS:
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric Epipedon 0 to 20 cm
Argillic Horizon 20 to 160 cm
Particle Size Control Section for this pedon: 20 to 70 cm

ADDITIONAL DATA:
NASIS User Pedon ID: 2015CA6303012

No certified laboratory data exist for this soil.


Soil classified using the 12th Edition of the Keys to Soil Taxonomy.

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.