LOCATION LOSTPEPPER              CA

Established Series
EWB-AMB-JBF-TM
03/2017

LOSTPEPPER SERIES

The Lostpepper series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in alluvium derived from mixed rocks. Lostpepper soils are on outwash terraces. Slopes are 2 to 15 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 500 mm and the mean annual temperature is about 6 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, frigid Pachic Argixerolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Lostpepper loam--pastureland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)

A1--0 to 10 cm; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2), loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; moderate fine granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine roots and common medium roots; many very fine tubular and interstitial pores; 2 percent fine distinct dark brown (7.5YR 3/4), moist, masses of oxidized iron; 2 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.6); clear wavy boundary. (5 to 15 cm thick)

A2--10 to 36 cm; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2), sandy clay loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; many very fine and fine roots and common medium roots; many very fine tubular and interstitial pores; 2 percent distinct dark brown (7.5YR 3/4), moist, masses of oxidized iron; 5 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.6); clear wavy boundary. (16 to 30 cm thick)

Bt1--36 to 53 cm; brown (7.5YR 5/3), sandy clay loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/3) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, very sticky and very plastic; common very fine and fine roots; many very fine tubular and common very fine interstitial pores; 50 percent discontinuous distinct clay films; 10 percent distinct dark brown (7.5YR 3/4), moist, masses of oxidized iron; 10 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.7); clear wavy boundary. (15 to 30 cm thick)

Bt2--53 to 89 cm; brown (7.5YR 5/3), clay loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/3) moist; weak fine prismatic structure parting to strong medium angular blocky; very hard, firm, very sticky and very plastic; common very fine and fine roots; many very fine and fine interstitial and common very fine and fine tubular pores; 60 percent discontinuous distinct clay films; 10 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.8); clear wavy boundary. (25 to 50 cm thick)

Bt3--89 to 152 cm; brown (7.5YR 5/4), clay, brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; weak fine prismatic parting to strong medium angular blocky structure; very hard, firm, very sticky and very plastic; common fine and medium roots; common very fine tubular and many very fine and fine interstitial pores; 60 percent discontinuous distinct clay films; 10 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.0).

TYPE LOCATION: Alpine County, California; about 1,000 meters southwest of Markleeville; about 100 feet north and 1,200 feet west of the southeast corner of sec. 21, T. 10 N., R 20 E.; Markleeville USGS 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle; latitude 38 degrees 41 minutes 29.3 seconds N and longitude 119 degrees 46 minutes 49.5 seconds W; WGS84 Decimal Degrees 38.6914722 latitude, -119.7804167 longitude.

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: 4 to 8 degrees C.
Mollic epipedon thickness: 50 to 100 cm.
Redoximorphic features: Redox concentrations are often present is soil profiles where flood irrigation is taking place.
Reaction: Slightly acid or neutral.

Particle-size control section - Clay content: Averages 35 to 50 percent.
Rock fragments: Averages less than 15 percent, mainly gravel. Lithology of rock fragments is mainly igneous rock such as granite and andesite, with lesser amounts of metamorphic rock.

A horizons
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist.
Chroma: 2 or 3 dry or moist.
Organic matter content: 2 to 4 percent.

Bt1 horizon
Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR.
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist.
Chroma: 2 or 3 dry or moist.
Texture: sandy clay loam or clay loam.
Clay content: Averages 27 to 35 percent.
Rock fragments: Averages less than 15 percent.
Organic matter content: 1 to 2 percent.

Bt2 horizon
Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR.
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist.
Chroma: 3 or 4 dry or moist.
Texture: Clay or clay loam.
Clay content: Averages 35 to 50 percent.
Rock fragments: Averages less than 15 percent.
Organic matter content: 0.5 to 2 percent.

Bt3 horizon
Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR.
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 4 moist.
Chroma: 4 dry or moist.
Texture: Clay or clay loam.
Clay content: Averages 35 to 50 percent.
Rock fragments: Averages less than 15 percent.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Arva, Broadhead, Bumpheads, Cristo, Henefer, Rugar, Schnipps and Sweitberg series.

Arva, Rugar and Schnipps soils have bedrock within less than 150 cm. The Bumpheads, Cristo and Sweitberg soils have bedrock within less than 100 cm. Broadhead soils have secondary carbonates within less than 100 cm and have C horizons. Henefer soils have more than 15 percent rock fragments in their particle-size control section and have BC horizons with more than 50 percent rock fragments.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Lostpepper soils are on outwash terraces. They typically occur on summit positions. They formed in alluvium derived from mixed rocks. Slopes are 2 to 15 percent. Elevations range from 1,650 to 1,750 meters. The climate is semi-arid with cool, moist winters and warm, dry summers. The mean annual precipitation is about 450 to 560 mm, mean annual temperature is 6 to 7 degrees C., and the frost-free period is 50 to 70 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Heenlake, Joecut and Pinew series. Heenlake, Joecut and Pinew soils have less than 35 percent clay and more than 35 percent rock fragments in their particle-size control section. In addition, Heenlake soils have bedrock within less than 100 cm, and Pinew soils have bedrock within less than 50 cm.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Well drained; very high surface runoff; slow permeability; moderately low saturated hydraulic conductivity.

USE AND VEGETATION: Lostpepper soils are used for pastureland, recreation, watershed, and wildlife habitat. The present vegetation is mainly pasture grasses on irrigated areas and mountain big sagebrush, Antelope bitterbrush and western needlegrass on non-irrigated areas.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Eastern California, east of the Sierra Nevada Range. These soils are not extensive. MLRA 26.

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

SERIES PROPOSED: Alpine County (Coleville-Bridgeport Area), California, 2009.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - The zone from the soil surface to 89 cm (A1, A2, Bt1 and Bt2 horizons).
Argillic horizon - The zone from 36 to 152 cm (Bt1, Bt2 and Bt3 horizons).
Particle-size control section - The zone from 36 to 86 cm (Bt1 and upper Bt2 horizons).

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.