LOCATION LONECABIN CAEstablished Series
The Lonecabin series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in mixed alluvium derived from mixed sources such as metamorphic, volcanic and granitic rock. Lonecabin soils are on alluvial fans fan piedmonts and outwash terraces. Slopes are 0 to 30 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 350 mm and the mean annual temperature is about 7 degrees C.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, frigid Pachic Haploxerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Lonecabin extremely stony sandy loam--rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.) The soil surface is covered with 35 percent gravel, 10 percent cobbles, 25 percent stones and 1 percent boulders.
A1--0 to 8 cm; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) extremely stony sandy loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common fine and medium roots and many very fine roots; common very fine and fine interstitial and few very fine tubular pores; 30 percent subangular gravel, 10 percent subangular cobbles and 30 percent subangular stones; slightly acid (pH 6.4); clear wavy boundary. (5 to 10 cm thick)
A2--8 to 36 cm; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) extremely stony loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; many very fine and fine roots and common medium and coarse roots; common very fine and fine tubular and common very fine and fine interstitial pores; 30 percent subangular gravel, 10 percent subangular cobbles and 35 percent subangular stones; slightly acid (pH 6.5); clear wavy boundary. (15 to 30 cm thick)
A3--36 to 56 cm; brown (10YR 5/3) extremely stony loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine roots and few medium and coarse roots; many very fine and fine interstitial and common very fine and fine tubular pores; 30 percent subangular gravel, 10 percent subangular cobbles and 35 percent subangular stones; neutral (pH 6.8); clear wavy boundary. (15 to 25 cm thick)
A4--56 to 97 cm; brown (10YR 5/3) extremely stony sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; massive; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine roots and few medium roots; common very fine and fine interstitial and few very fine tubular pores; 30 percent subangular gravel, 10 percent subangular cobbles and 35 percent subangular stones; neutral (pH 6.8); clear wavy boundary. (15 to 50 cm thick)
C--97 to 152 cm; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) extremely stony sandy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist; massive; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; few very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine interstitial pores; 25 percent subangular gravel, 10 percent subangular cobbles and 40 percent subangular stones; neutral (pH 6.8)
TYPE LOCATION: Mono County, California; in Little Antelope Valley about 4.76 kilometers south-southwest of the town of Coleville; Coleville USGS 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle; latitude 38 degrees 31 minutes 29.9 seconds N and longitude 119 degrees 31 minutes 09.5 seconds W; NAD 83.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: Usually moist in the moisture control section; moist fall, winter and spring; usually dry July through early October; xeric moisture regime, bordering on aridic.
Mean annual soil temperature: 7 to 8 degrees C.
Mollic epipedon thickness: 50 to 100 cm.
Particle-size control section - Clay content: Averages 10 to 18 percent.
Rock fragments: Averages 60 to 80 percent. Lithology of rock fragments is mixed metamorphic, volcanic and granitic.
A horizons
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist.
Chroma: 2 or 3 dry or moist.
Organic matter content: 1 to 4 percent.
Reaction: Slightly acid or neutral.
C Horizon
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist.
Chroma: 3 or 4 dry or moist.
Texture: Extremely stony sandy loam, extremely stony loam, extremely gravelly sandy loam or extremely gravelly loam.
Clay content: 10 to 18 percent.
Rock fragments: 60 to 80 percent.
Reaction: Slightly acid or neutral.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Baldridge, Beehunt, Burgi, Chambeam, Climine, Ginser, Glean, Lambring, Rondowa, Shorthike, Sinker, Smidale, Webfoot, Westbutte and Willynat series.
Baldridge soils have Bw horizons. Beehunt soils have a cambic horizon and a particle size control section with 18 to 25 percent clay. Burgi soils have horizons with identifiable secondary carbonates within 100 cm of the soil surface and have less than 60 percent rock fragments in their particle size control section. Chambeam soils are 100 to 150 cm to bedrock and have 20 to 30 percent clay in the particle-size control section. Climine soils have 18 to 27 percent clay in the particle-size control section and a 2Bq horizon at 50 to 76 cm. Ginser soils have a paralithic contact at depths of 50 to 100 cm. Glean soils have a lithic contact at depths of 100 to 150 cm. Lambring soils average more than 18 percent clay in the particle-size control section. Rondowa soils have a strong influence from volcanic ash in the upper part and have less than 60 percent rock fragments in their particle-size control section. Sinker and Westbutte soils have a lithic contact at depths of 50 to 100 cm. Shorthike soils have a cambic horizon. Smidale soils have mollic epipedons greater than 127 cm thick and have more than 20 percent clay and less than 60 percent rock fragments in their particle-size control section. Webfoot soils are saturated within 0.3 to 0.6 meters, have a cambic horizon and less than 60 percent rock fragments in their particle-size control section. Willynat soils have mollic epipedons 100 to 150 cm thick and less than 60 percent rock fragments in their particle-size control section.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Lonecabin soils are on alluvial fans, fan piedmonts and outwash terraces. They typically occur on summit positionsThey formed in alluvium derived from mixed sources such as metamorphic, volcanic and granitic rock. Slopes are 4 to 15 percent. Elevations range from 16,650 to 2,075 meters. The climate is semi-arid with cool, moist winters and warm, dry summers. The mean annual precipitation is 350 to 400 mm, mean annual temperature is 6 to 7 degrees C., and the frost-free period is 70 to 90 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Canfire, Desertmann and Grabbler series. All of these soils have more than 18 percent clay and less than 60 percent rock fragments in the particle size control section. In addition Canfire soils have a mollic epipedon thickness of 18 to 25 cm and have lithic contact at depths of 36 to 50 cm. Desertmann soils have a mollic epipedon thickness of 25 to 36 cm and have a duripan at depths of 76 to 100 cm. Grabbler soils have less than 35 percent rock fragments in particle size control section and are saturated within depths of 50 to 76 cm.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; low surface runoff; moderately rapid permeability; high saturated hydraulic conductivity.
USE AND VEGETATION: Lonecabin soils are used for livestock grazing, watershed and wildlife habitat. The native vegetation is mainly mountain big sagebrush, antelope bitterbrush, Thurber's and western needlegrass and other perennial grasses and forbs.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Eastern California, east of the Sierra Nevada Range and in the western part of the Great Basin. These soils are not extensive. MLRA 22.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California.
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Mono County (Coleville-Bridgeport Area), California, 2010.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - The zone from soil surface to 97 cm (A1, A2, A3 and A4 horizons).
Particle-size control section - The zone from 25 to 100 cm (lower part of A2 horizon, A3, A4 and upper part of C horizon).