LOCATION LOAFERCREEK             CA

Established Series
Rev: FJP/DWB/AGB/TKK/ET
05/2019

LOAFERCREEK SERIES

The Loafercreek series consists of moderately deep, well drained soils that formed in colluvium and residuum from metavolcanic rocks, mainly greenschist. Loafercreek soils are on foothills. Slopes range from 1 to 90 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 762 mm (30 inches) and the mean annual temperature is about 16 degrees C (61 degrees F).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, thermic Ultic Haploxeralfs

TYPICAL PEDON: Loafercreek gravelly loam, on a northwest facing 18 percent slope under a cover of interior live oak, blue oak, California foothill pine, whiteleaf manzanita, toyon, buckbrush, Pacific poison oak, honeysuckle, squirreltail, bristly dogstail grass, and rattlesnake brome at an elevation of 365 m. When described on August 4th, 1999, the soil was dry throughout. Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.

Oi--0 to 1 cm, (0 to 0.5 inches); leaves, needles, duff

A--1 to 5 cm, (0.5 to 2 inches); reddish brown (5YR 5/4) gravelly loam, reddish brown (5YR 4/3) moist; 17 percent clay; moderate fine subangular blocky parting to moderate fine granular structure; hard, friable, nonsticky, slightly plastic; common very fine roots; many very fine irregular pores; 20 percent subangular metavolcanic gravel; moderately acid, pH 6.1 by Hellige-Truog; abrupt wavy boundary. (3 to 8 cm thick)

BAt--5 to 15 cm, (2 to 6 inches); reddish brown (5YR 5/4) gravelly loam, reddish brown (5YR 4/3) moist; 17 percent clay; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, nonsticky, slightly plastic; few fine roots and common very fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; 20 percent discontinuous faint clay films on faces of peds; 25 percent subangular metavolcanic gravel; slightly acid, pH 6.2 by Hellige-Truog; clear smooth boundary. (8 to 18 cm thick)

Bt1--15 to 30 cm, (6 to 12 inches); yellowish red (5YR 5/6) loam, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/4) moist; 20 percent clay; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, nonsticky, slightly plastic; common fine roots and few medium and coarse roots; common very fine tubular pores; 30 percent discontinuous distinct clay films on faces of peds and on surfaces along pores; 10 percent subangular metavolcanic gravel; slightly acid, pH 6.2 by Hellige-Truog; clear wavy boundary. (13 to 28 cm thick)

Bt2--30 to 58 cm, (12 to 23 inches); yellowish red (5YR 5/6) gravelly loam, yellowish red (5YR 4/6) moist; 24 percent clay; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky, moderately plastic; few fine, medium and coarse roots; many very fine tubular pores; 30 percent discontinuous distinct clay films on faces of peds and on surfaces along pores; 5 percent subangular metavolcanic cobbles, and 20 percent subangular metavolcanic gravel; slightly acid, pH 6.3 by Hellige-Truog; gradual wavy boundary. (8 to 28 cm thick)

Bt3--58 to 79 cm, (23 to 31 inches); yellowish red (5YR 5/6) gravelly silt loam, yellowish red (5YR 4/6) moist; 22 percent clay; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, slightly sticky, moderately plastic; common fine roots and few medium and coarse roots; common very fine tubular pores; 30 percent discontinuous distinct clay films on faces of peds and on surfaces along pores; 20 percent subangular metavolcanic gravel; slightly acid, pH 6.2 by Hellige-Truog; abrupt wavy boundary. (13 to 20 cm thick)

Crt--79 to 107 cm, (31 to 42 inches); weathered moderately cemented greenschist; few fine roots; 60 percent continuous prominent clay films on rock fragments; abrupt wavy boundary. (13 to 28 cm thick )

R--107 cm, (42 inches); indurated greenschist.

TYPE LOCATION: Butte County, California; about 7.2 km (4.5 miles) northeast of Wyandotte, California, approximately 750 meters (2450 feet) south and 425 meters (1400 feet) east of the northwest corner of Sec. 8, T 19 N., R 5 E., MDM. USGS 7.5 Minute Topographic Quadrangle: Oroville Dam, California. WGS84 39.518967 latitude and -121.441247 longitude. UTM Zone 10 633987 meters E, 4375530 meters N, NAD83.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil temperature: The mean annual soil temperature at 50 cm depth is 15 to 18 degrees C. The difference between mean summer and winter soil temperature is greater than 6 degrees C. The soils have a thermic temperature regime.

Soil moisture: The soil moisture control section is dry in all parts from about May to October. The soils have a xeric moisture regime.

Diagnostic Feature(s)
Ochric epipedon thickness: 3 to 20 cm
Argillic horizon thickness: 30 to 80 cm
Depth to paralithic contact: 50 to 100 cm

Particle size control section weighted averages:
Clay content: 19 to 33 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 33 percent , mostly gravel

Rock fragments on the surface range from 0 to 25 percent gravel, 0 to 10 percent cobbles and 0 to 10 percent stones.

Surface and subsoil horizons have 40 to 50 percent silt.

A horizon
Hue: 5YR, 7.5YR
Value: 4 or 5 dry; 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 3 to 6 dry; 2 to 4 moist
Textures: loam, silt loam
Clay content: 12 to 25 percent
Rock Fragments: 3 to 30 percent
3 to 20 percent gravel
0 to 10 percent cobbles
Reaction: strongly acid to neutral
Organic matter: 5 to 10 percent
Base saturation (by sum of cations): 60 to 70 percent

BAt horizon
Hue: 2.5YR, 5YR, 7.5YR
Value: 4 or 5 dry; 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 4 to 8 dry; 3 to 6 moist
Textures: loam, silt loam
Clay content: 15 to 26 percent
Rock Fragments: 3 to 30 percent
3 to 30 percent gravel
0 to 5 percent cobbles
Reaction: strongly acid to neutral
Organic matter: 1 to 4 percent
Base saturation (by sum of cations): 65 to 73 percent

Upper Bt horizon
Hue: 2.5YR, 5YR, 7.5YR
Value: 4 or 5 dry; 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 3 or 6 dry or moist
Textures: loam, clay loam
Clay content: 18 to 35 percent
Rock Fragments: 5 to 35 percent
5 to 25 percent gravel
0 to 20 percent cobbles
Reaction: moderately acid to neutral
Organic matter: 0.5 to 2 percent
Base saturation (by sum of cations): 65 to 73 percent

Lower Bt horizon
Hue: 5YR, 7.5YR
Value: 4 or 5 dry; 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 3 to 6 dry or moist
Textures: loam, clay loam
Clay content: 18 to 40 percent
Rock Fragments: 5 to 35 percent
5 to 30 percent gravel
0 to 20 percent cobbles
Reaction: moderately acid to neutral
Organic matter: 0.5 to 1.5 percent
Base saturation (by sum of cations): 74 to 85 percent

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Bearwallow (MLRA 15), Churn (MLRA 17), Donpedro, Mounthope, Sommeyflat and Wisheylu soils. Bearwallow soils generally do not have a silt content greater than 40 percent . Churn soils have hues yellower than 7.5YR. Donpedro soils are 50 to 100 cm to a lithic contact of slate bedrock. Mounthope soils have a paralithic contact with metavolcanic rock at depths of 100 to 150 cm. Sommeyflat soils do not have a root-restrictive bedrock contact within 150 cm. Wisheylu soils are 50 to 100 cm to strongly weathered basic igneous rock .

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Loafercreek soils are on hill slopes. Slopes range from 1 to 90 percent. These soils formed in colluvium and residuum weathered from metavolcanic rocks, mainly greenschist. Elevation is 125 to 600 meters. Mean annual precipitation is 450 to 955 mm. The mean annual air temperature is 15 to 17 degrees C. Frost free season is 245 to 330 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Argonaut, Bonanza, Dunstone, Gopheridge, Katskillhill and Motherlode soils. Argonaut soils often occur lower on the landscape (toeslopes and footslopes) or on stable backslopes and interfluves and they have a clay content greater than 35 percent in the particle size control section. Bonanza soils are 25 to 50 cm to a paralithic contact of metavolcanic rock,and have a lithic contact within 25 cm of the paralithic. Dunstone soils are 25 to 50 cm to a paralithic contact of metavolcanic rock. Gopheridge soils occur on steep backslopes or footslopes and have greater than 35 percent rock fragments in the particle size control section. Katskillhill and Motherlode soils are 100 to 150 cm to a lithic contact of metavolcanic rock. Katskillhill soils are moderately well drained and have greater than 35 percent clay in the particle size control section.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; Saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately high to high in the A and BAt horizons and moderately low to moderately high in the Bt horizons. Saturated hydraulic conductivity of the weathered bedrock is moderately low to moderately high.

USE AND VEGETATION: This soil is used for livestock grazing, home site development, wildlife habitat, watershed and recreation. Vegetation is blue oak, scattered California foothill pine, interior live oak, toyon, whiteleaf manzanita, buckbrush, Pacific poison oak, annual grasses and forbs.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Sierra Nevada Foothills of California; MLRA 18. The soils are extensive.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Butte County, California 2005. Source of name is from Loafer Creek on the Oroville Dam Quadrangle.

REMARKS:

These soils were previously mapped as Aiken clay loam (Ac) in the Soil Survey of Oroville Area, California 1926.

Particle size control section recognized in this pedon: 15 to 65 cm

Soil moisture control section recognized in this pedon: 20 to 63 cm

Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon: 0 to 15 cm (Oi, A, BAt)
Argillic horizon: 15 to 79 cm (Bt1, Bt2, Bt3)
Paralithic contact: 79 cm
Paralithic materials: 79 to 107 cm
Lithic materials: 107 cm

ADDITIONAL DATA:

NASIS User Pedon ID: 716Q
Pedon Purpose: laboratory sampling location
Lab Source: KSSL
Lab Pedon Number: 01N0266

The soil was classified using the 12th edition of the Keys to Soil Taxonomy.

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.