LOCATION LUCKYMINE CA

Established Series
MJE/CES/TKK/JW
08/2022

LUCKYMINE SERIES

The Luckymine series consists of shallow, well drained soils formed in colluvium and residuum from phyllite, schist, and other metasedimentary rocks. The Luckymine soils are on hills. Slopes range from 8 to 60 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 800 mm and the mean annual air temperature is about 15 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy, mixed, active, thermic, shallow Ultic Haploxeralfs

TYPICAL PEDON: Luckymine loam on a west-facing, linear, 8 percent slope under blue oak and annual grasses at an elevation of 369 meters.) Colors are for dry soils unless otherwise noted. When described on April 26, 2011 the soil was moist throughout).

A--0 to 4 cm; dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky, nonplastic; many very fine and fine, and common medium roots throughout; few very fine irregular pores; 2 percent fine platy mica flakes in matrix; 5 percent subangular indurated schist gravel; moderately acid (pH 6.0); clear smooth boundary. (3 to 12 cm thick)

Bt1--4 to 23 cm; brown (7.5YR 4/4) gravelly loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) moist; moderate coarse subangular blocky parting to moderate medium subangular blocky structure; soft, friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; many very fine and common fine roots throughout; common very fine irregular and few medium tubular pores; 35 percent distinct clay films on all faces of peds and 80 percent distinct clay films on rock fragments; 2 percent fine platy mica flakes in matrix; 10 percent subangular strongly cemented schist gravel, 10 percent subangular moderately cemented schist gravel, 10 percent subangular strongly cemented schist cobbles; moderately acid (pH 5.9); clear smooth boundary.

Bt2--23 to 45 cm; strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) very cobbly loam, strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, friable, moderately sticky, slightly plastic; common very fine, fine, and medium roots throughout; common very fine irregular pores; 25 percent distinct clay films on all faces of peds and 80 percent distinct clay films on rock fragments; 2 percent fine platy mica flakes in matrix; 10 percent subangular strongly cemented schist gravel, 10 percent subangular moderately cemented schist gravel, 15 percent subangular strongly cemented schist cobbles; moderately acid (pH 5.9); clear wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bt horizons is 12 to 45 cm)

Crt--45 to 60 cm; Moderately cemented schist bedrock, fractured at intervals of 10 to less than 45 cm.

Rt--60 cm; Strongly cemented schist bedrock.

TYPE LOCATION: Calaveras County, California; about 2.5 km (1.6 miles) southeast of Calaveras County Airport; USGS 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle: San Andreas, California; WGS84 38.172775 latitude and -120.645279 longitude; UTM Zone 10 706271 meters E 4227611 meters N, NAD83.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:

Soil temperature: The mean annual soil temperature at 50 cm is 15 to 17 degrees C and the difference between mean summer and mean 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 soil moisture regime.

Diagnostic Feature(s):
Ochric epipedon thickness: 4 to 18 cm
Argillic horizon thickness: 12 to 45 cm
Depth to paralithic contact: 20 to 50 cm
Depth to lithic contact: 22 to 75 cm

Reaction: strongly acid to slightly acid

Base saturation: less than 75 percent in one or more subhorizons of the argillic horizon (by sum of cations)

Particle size control section weighted average:

Rock fragments: 0 to 35 percent
Clay content: averages 15 to 25 percent clay

A horizon
Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR
Value: 4 to 6 dry, 2 to 4 moist
Chroma: 3 or 4 dry, 2 to 4 moist
Texture: loam, silt loam
Clay content: 12 to 16 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 15 percent

Bt horizon(s)
Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR
Value: 4 to 7 dry, 3 to 5 moist
Chroma: 3 to 6, dry or moist
Texture: clay loam, loam, silt loam, sandy loam
Clay content: 15 to 30 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 35 percent
0 to 35 percent gravel
0 to 15 percent cobbles
0 to 15 percent stones
0 to 15 percent channers
Pararock fragments: 0 to 15 percent
0 to 15 percent paragravel
0 to 15 percent paracobbles

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Swedesflat soils. Swedesflat soils formed in residuum from intrusive igneous rocks, and do not have a lithic contact within the series control section.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Luckymine soils are on nose slopes and crests of hills in the Sierra Nevada foothills. Slopes range from 8 to 60 percent. These soils formed in colluvium and residuum from phyllite, schist, and other metasedimentary rocks. Elevation is 235 to 800 meters. The climate is Mediterranean with warm, dry summers and cool, moist winters. The mean annual precipitation is 685 to 905 mm and the mean annual air temperature is 14 to 16 degrees C. The frost free season is 205 to 315 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Hetchy, Millvilla, and Wardsferry soils. Hetchy and Millvilla soils are 50 to 100 centimeters deep to a paralithic contact and are on sideslopes of hills. Wardsferry soils are 100 to 150 centimeters deep to a paralithic contact and are on headslopes of hills.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well Drained, moderately high to high saturated hydraulic conductivity throughout the soil profile.

USE AND VEGETATION: This soil is used for recreation, wildlife habitat, and watershed. Vegetation is blue oak and annual grasses and forbs.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Sierra Nevada Foothills of Calaveras and Tuolumne counties in California; MLRA 18. The series is not extensive.

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

SERIES PROPOSED: Calaveras County, California. Source of name from a local mine near the type location.

REMARKS:

Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric Epipedon 0 to 4 cm
Argillic Horizon 4 to 45 cm
Paralithic Contact 45 cm
Lithic Contact 60 cm
Particle Size Control Section for this pedon: 4 to 45 cm.

ADDITIONAL DATA:
NASIS User Pedon ID: 11MJE014

No certified laboratory data exists for this soil.

Soil classified using the 12th Edition of the Keys to Soil Taxonomy.

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.