LOCATION LUCKSEV CAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Clayey, mixed, superactive, thermic, shallow Typic Haploxeralfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Lucksev loam, on a west facing 35 percent slope under a cover of annual grasses and forbs at an elevation of 300 feet, (91 m). When described on 5/10/2001 the soil was dry throughout. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted).
A--0 to 2 inches, (0 to 5 cm); light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; 25 percent clay; moderate fine and medium platy parting to moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; very hard, friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; common fine roots and many very fine roots; common very fine and fine tubular and irregular pores and few medium irregular and tubular pores; 5 percent andesite gravel; slightly acid, pH 6.5 by Hellige-Truog; abrupt smooth boundary. (1 to 2 inches, (3 to 5 cm) thick)
Bt1--2 to 7 inches, (5 to 18 cm); brown (7.5YR 5/3) clay loam, brown (7.5YR 4/3) moist; 34 percent clay; strong medium and coarse angular blocky structure; extremely hard, firm, moderately sticky, moderately plastic; common very fine roots; common very fine and fine irregular and tubular pores; 70 percent continuous faint clay films; 2 percent quartz gravel and 10 percent andesite gravel; neutral, pH 6.8 by Hellige-Truog; clear smooth boundary.
Bt2--7 to 15 inches, (18 to 38 cm); light brown (7.5YR 6/4) clay, brown (7.5YR 4/3) moist; 40 percent clay; strong fine and medium subangular blocky structure; extremely hard, firm, very sticky, very plastic; common very fine roots; many very fine and fine tubular and common medium tubular pores; 90 percent continuous distinct clay films; 5 percent andesite gravel; neutral, pH 7.0 by Hellige-Truog; abrupt smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bt horizon is 3 to 18 inches, (8 to 48 cm) thick).
2Crq--15 inches, (38 cm); Moderately cemented volcanic sandstone bedrock with a 1 mm thick silica cap on top.
TYPE LOCATION: Butte County, California, about 1.25 miles south of Durham-Pentz Road, and about 0.5 miles west of Clark Road, approximately 100 feet south and 2000 feet east of the northwest corner of Section 4, Township 20 N., Range 3 E., 39 degrees, 37 minutes, 30 seconds North latitude and 121 degrees, 38 minutes, 42 seconds West longitude, NAD83 - U.S.G.S Quad: Shippee, California.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Depth to paralithic bedrock is 4 to 20 inches, (10 to 51 cm). The mean annual soil temperature is 60 to 68 degrees F, (16 to 20 degrees C). The particle-size control section averages 35 to 45 percent clay, and 2 to 35 percent rock fragments, mostly gravel. Mineralogy is mixed. A fluctuating water table can occur between the top of the bedrock and 2 inches, (5 cm) below the surface of the soil on gentler slopes from December through March. Redoximorphic features such as oxidized iron masses and iron-manganese concretions occur in the A horizon, and manganese accumulations on top of the paralithic contact. Rock fragments on the surface range from 0 to 15 percent gravel, 0 to 20 percent cobbles, 0 to 5 percent stones and 0 to 2 percent boulders.
The A horizon dry color is 10YR 6/2, 6/3, 6/4, 7.5YR 5/3, 6/3 or 7/3. Moist color is 10YR 4/2, 4/3, 7.5YR 4/2 or 4/3. Texture is loam, gravelly loam, sandy clay loam or gravelly sandy clay loam. Clay content ranges from 22 to 35 percent. Rock fragments range from 2 to 35 percent gravel and 0 to 15 percent cobbles. Reaction ranges from slightly acid to neutral.
The Bt horizon dry color is 7.5YR 5/3, 6/3, 6/4, 7/4, 10YR 6/3 or 7/3. Moist color is 7.5YR 4/2, 4/3, 4/4, 10YR 4/3 or 5/3. Texture is clay loam, sandy clay loam, sandy clay, clay, gravelly clay loam, gravelly clay, gravelly sandy clay or cobbly clay. Clay content ranges from 30 to 50 percent. Rock fragments range from 2 to 30 percent gravel and 0 to 15 percent cobbles. Reaction ranges from neutral to slightly alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no other series in this family.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Lucksev soils are on ridge tops, side slopes and strath terraces on Cascade foothills. Slopes range from 2 to 35 percent. These soils formed in residuum, colluvium and alluvium weathered from volcanic rocks. Elevation is 140 to 760 feet, (43 to 232 m). The mean annual precipitation is 24 to 35 inches, (610 to 889 mm). The mean annual temperature is 60 to 62 degrees F, (16 to 17 degrees C). Frost free season is 250 to 260 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Butteside and Carhart soils. Butteside soils are moderately deep. Carhart soils are moderately deep and smectitic.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Moderately well drained; very high runoff; moderately slow to moderate saturated hydraulic conductivity in the A horizon and slow to moderately slow in the Bt horizon. A fluctuating water table can occur between the top of the bedrock and 2 inches, (5 cm) below the surface of the soil on gentler slopes from December through March.
USE AND VEGETATION: This soil is used for livestock grazing, wildlife habitat, watershed and home site development. Vegetation is filaree, soft chess, clover, ryegrass, Mediterranean barley, medusahead, ripgut brome, wild oat, brodiaea, goldfields, goat grass and navarretia.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Butte County, California and occur in the M261Fa (Tuscan Flows) subsection of the M261F (Sierra Nevada Foothills) section. MLRA 18 - Sierra Nevada Foothills (Cascade part). The soils are not extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Butte County, California 2005. Source of name coined from Lucky Seven Ranch.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - zone from 0 to 2 in, (0 to 5 cm) (A)
Argillic horizon - zone from 2 to 15 in, (5 to 38 cm) (Bt1, Bt2)
Paralithic contact - 15 in, (38 cm)
Particle-size control section - zone from 2 to 15 in, (5 to 38 cm)
The soil moisture control section - zone from 6 to 15 inches, (15 to 38 cm) is dry in all parts from about May to October (about 180 days).