LOCATION LOVENESS           CA
Established Series
Rev. DWB/CAF/JJJ
10/97

LOVENESS SERIES


The Loveness series consists of very deep, well drained soils formed in tephra. Loveness soils are on lava plateaus and hills. Slopes range from 2 to 30 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 20 inches and mean annual temperature is about 47 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Ultic Palexerolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Loveness sandy loam - on a NW facing slope of 2 percent under a cover of ponderosa pine, greenleaf manzanita and squawcarpet at an elevation of 4,700 feet. (colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated. When described on July 18, 1983, the soil was dry throughout.)

Oi--1 to 0 inches; recent and partially decomposed pine needles and small twigs.

A1--0 to 7 inches; dark brown (7.5YR 4/2) sandy loam, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/2) moist; weak very fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; common fine and medium roots; common very fine tubular pores; 10 percent gravel; NaF pH 8.8; slightly acid (pH 6.5); abrupt smooth boundary. (6 to 9 inches thick)

A2--7 to 12 inches; reddish brown (5YR 4/4) loam, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/3) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; common medium and coarse roots; common very fine tubular pores; 10 percent gravel; NaF pH 8.4; slightly acid (pH 6.5); clear smooth boundary. (4 to 11 inches thick)

2Bt1--12 to 19 inches; reddish brown (5YR 4/4) gravelly loam, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/4) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common medium and coarse roots; common fine, many very fine tubular pores; few thin clay films in pores; 15 percent gravel, 10 percent cobbles; NaF pH 8.4; slightly acid (pH 6.5); abrupt smooth boundary.

2Bt2--19 to 26 inches; yellowish red (5YR 4/6) gravelly clay loam, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/4) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common medium and coarse roots; common very fine tubular pores; common thin clay films in pores; 15 percent gravel, 10 percent cobbles; NaF pH 8.4; slightly acid (pH 6.5); abrupt smooth boundary.

2Bt3--26 to 35 inches; strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) gravelly clay loam, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/4) moist; weak medium angular blocky structure; very hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common medium and coarse roots; common very fine tubular pores; common thin clay films in pores; 15 percent gravel, 10 percent cobbles; NaF pH 8.4; slightly acid (pH 6.5); gradual smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the upper Bt horizon is 27 to 36 inches)

3Bt4--35 to 60 inches; strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) extremely stony clay loam, reddish brown (5YR 4/4) moist; weak medium angular blocky structure; very hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common medium roots; common very fine tubular pores; common moderately thick clay films in pores; 65 percent stones; NaF pH 8.4; slightly acid (pH 6.5). (25 to 35 inches thick)

TYPE LOCATION: Modoc County, California, about 20 miles north of Lookout on Lookout- Hackamore Rd., 0.3 miles southwest on Loveness Rd., 100 feet south of the road; 2,500 feet west and 1,100 feet north of the southwest corner of sec. 21, T. 42 N., R. 7 E., Crank Mtn. NW (Crank Mtn.) quadrangle (7.5 minute series).

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Depth to stones or boulders ranges from 35 to 55 inches. The mean annual soil temperature is 47 to 50 degrees F. The soil temperature exceeds 41 degrees F. from mid March to early December (285 days) and exceeds 47 degrees F. from early May to early December (215 days). The soil moisture control section (9 to 23 inches) is dry in all parts from early July to early November (110 to 125 days) and is moist in all parts from early December to early June (150 days). The particle size control section (12 to 32 inches) ranges from 27 to 35 percent clay and rock fragments range from 15 to 25 percent. Organic matter ranges from 1 to 5 percent to a depth of 12 inches and decreases regularly with depth. Base saturation ranges from 50 to 65 percent to a depth of 30 inches. Rock fragments, mostly gravel on the surface range from 5 to 15 percent.

The A horizon color is 5YR 4/4, 4/6; 7.5YR 4/2, 4/4 or 5/4. Moist color is 7.5YR 3/2; 5YR 3/2 or 3/3. Clay content ranges from 15 to 20 percent clay. Rock fragments, mostly gravel range from 5 to 10 percent. Reaction is slightly acid to neutral. NaF pH ranges from 8.8 to 9.6.

The BA horizon color is 7.5YR 4/4, 4/2; or 5YR 4/4. Moist color is 7.5YR 3/2; or 5YR 3/3. Organic matter ranges from 1 to 2 percent. It is loam with 18 to 23 percent clay. Rock fragments mostly gravel ranges from 5 to 10 percent. Reaction ranges from slightly acid to neutral. NaF pH ranges from 8.4 to 8.6.

The 2Bt horizon color is 5YR 4/4, 4/6; 7.5YR 4/4, 5/4 or 5/6. Moist color is 5YR 3/4 or 4/4. Organic matter ranges from 0.5 to 1 percent. It is loam, clay loam, or sandy clay loam with 23 to 35 percent clay with average clay content of 27 to 33 percent. Rock fragments, mostly gravel and cobbles, range from 20 to 30 percent. Reaction ranges from slightly acid to neutral. NaF pH ranges from 8.4 to 8.2.

The 3Bt4 horizon color is 7.5YR 4/4, 5/4, 5/6. Moist color is 5YR 3/4 or 4/4. Clay content ranges from 27 to 35 percent. Rock fragments mostly stones or boulders range from 40 to 70 percent. Reaction ranges from slightly acid to neutral. NaF pH ranges from 8.4 to 8.2.

Andic property data (see remarks for explanation):
Depth P-ret B.D. pH NaF Glass Alo Feo 15 barH20

0-7 67 0.82 ND 11 0.80 0.83 14.3 7-12 45 0.90 ND 9 0.37 0.67 14.3 12-19 42 1.04 ND 5 0.32 0.72 15.0 19-26 37 1.07 ND ND 0.27 0.69 15.1 26-35 35 NC ND ND 0.24 0.69 15.8 35-60 32 0.71 ND ND 0.20 0.92 17.6

COMPETING SERIES: These soils are Georgecreek (WA), Glenrose (WA), Morical (WA), Teewee (T OR) and Tolius (OR). These series are pending to review paragraph.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Loveness soils are on lava plateaus and hills. Slopes range from 2 to 30 percent. They formed in tephra. Elevation is 4,100 to 5,000 feet. The climate is subhumid with warm dry summers and cold moist winters. Mean annual precipitation is 16 to 25 inches. Snowfall is 48 to 60 inches. Mean January temperature is 27 degrees F.; mean July temperature is 67 degrees F. and the mean annual temperature varies from 45 to 48 degrees F. Frost-free period is 80 to 100 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Chirpchatter (T), Fleener (T), Hunsinger (T) and Scarface (T) soils. Chirpchatter soils are greater than 60 inches deep and have 15 to 27 percent clay in the control section. Fleener soils are 25 to 40 inches deep to boulders or stones and lack andic properties. Hunsinger soils are loamy-skeletal and 40 to 60 inches deep to hard basalt and lack andic properties. Scarface soils are over 60 inches deep to weathered andesite, are fine-loamy and have ochric epipedon and have andic properties to a depth of 10 inches.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained, slow to rapid runoff, moderately slow permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: This soil is used for timber production. The vegetation is ponderosa pine, incense cedar, white fir, greenleaf manzanita, snowbrush ceanothus, squawcarpet, bottlebrush squirreltail and mulesear.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northeastern, California on the Modoc plateau. The soils are moderately extensive. MLRA is 22.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Modoc County, California Intermountain Soil Survey Area 1994. Name from Loveness Logging Road.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:

Mollic epipedon- the zone from 0 to 12 inches (A,BA)

Argillic horizon- the zone from 12 to 60 inches (Bt1, Bt2, Bt3, 2Bt4) The argillic horizon has colors of 7.5 YR or redder and has a chroma of 6 in some part.

ADDITIONAL DATA: Lab data from UC Davis Laboratory, Sample number, 88CA-089-03-(1-6) unpublished Lab # 1689.

Andic properties data definitions:

P-ret: phosphate retention of the less than 2mm fraction.

B.D.: bulk density of the less than 2mm fraction on an oven dry basis.

pH NaF: pH of soil mixed with saturated sodium floride solution.

Glass: percent volcanic glass.

Alo: acid-oxalate-extractable aluminum of the less than 2mm fraction.

Feo: acid-oxalate-extractable iron of the less than 2mm fraction.

15 bar H20: dried 1500 kPa water retention as a percent.

Data elements with a * are estimated.

NC: not calculated.

ND: not done.


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.