LOCATION MILTONHILLS CA

Established Series
AJP/TKK/JW
09/2018

MILTONHILLS SERIES

The Miltonhills series consists of moderately deep, well drained soils formed in colluvium and residuum derived from acidic tuff. The Miltonhills soils are on backslopes of hills. Slopes range from 1 to 60 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 500 mm and the mean annual air temperature is about 17 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, thermic Typic Humixerepts

TYPICAL PEDON: Miltonhills fine sandy loam on a northeast-facing, 40 percent, linear slope, under blue oak and annual grasses and forbs at an elevation of 88 meters. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted. When described on February 27, 2013, the soil was moist throughout.)

A--0 to 5 cm; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) fine sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak medium granular structure; friable, soft, slightly sticky, nonplastic; many very fine roots; many very fine and fine tubular pores; moderately acid (pH 6.0); abrupt wavy boundary. (5 to 35 cm thick)

Bw1--5 to 26 cm; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) fine sandy loam, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable, soft, slightly sticky, nonplastic; many very fine roots; many very fine irregular pores; 15 percent faint clay films on all faces of peds; 2 percent subangular strongly cemented acidic tuff gravel; moderately acid (pH 6.0); clear wavy boundary.

Bw2--26 to 40 cm; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) fine sandy loam, grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable, soft, slightly sticky, nonplastic; common very fine and fine roots; common fine and medium tubular pores; 5 percent faint clay films on all faces of peds; 5 percent subangular strongly cemented acidic tuff gravel; strongly acid (pH 5.5); clear wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bw horizons is 15 to 50 cm)

C--40 to 60 cm; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) gravelly fine sandy loam, grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) moist; massive; friable, slightly hard, slightly sticky, nonplastic; common very fine and fine roots; 30 percent subangular strongly cemented acidic tuff gravel; strongly acid (pH 5.3); clear irregular boundary. (5 to 50 cm thick)

Cr--60 to 100 cm; light gray (2.5Y 7/2) moderately cemented acidic tuff bedrock, grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) moist; strongly acid (pH 5.3).

TYPE LOCATION: Calaveras County, California, about 4.8 km (3 miles) south of Camanche Reservoir, USGS 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle: Wallace, California; WGS84 38.1582808 latitude and -120.9344240 longitude; UTM Zone 10 680972 meters E 4225392 meters N NAD83.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil temperature: The mean annual soil temperature at 50 cm is 16 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):
Umbric epipedon thickness: 18 to 45 cm
Cambic horizon thickness: 15 to 80 cm (when present)
Depth to paralithic contact: 50 to 100 cm

Organic matter in the epipedon: 1 to 3 percent

Reaction: Extremely acid to moderately acid in the control section (3.5-6.0)

Base saturation: Less than 50 percent in the control section (by ammonium acetate)

Particle size control section weighted average:
Rock fragments: 0 to 30 percent, with 0 to 20 percent gravel and 0 to 10 percent cobbles
Clay content: averages 5 to 25 percent clay

A horizon
Hue: 2.5Y or 10YR
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3 dry, 1 or 2 moist
Texture: sandy loam, fine sandy loam, very fine sandy loam, or loam
Clay content: 5 to 25 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 15 percent
0 to 10 percent gravel
0 to 10 percent cobbles

Bw1 horizon
Hue: 2.5Y or 10YR
Value: 5 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 2 or 4 dry, 1 to 4 moist
Texture: sandy loam, fine sandy loam, very fine sandy loam, or loam
Clay content: 5 to 20 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 15 percent
0 to 10 percent gravel
0 to 5 percent cobbles

Bw2 horizon
Hue: 2.5Y or 10YR
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 2 to 4 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Texture: loamy sand, sandy loam, fine sandy loam, or very fine sandy loam
Clay content: 5 to 20 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 15 percent
0 to 10 percent gravel
0 to 5 percent cobbles

C horizon
Hue: 2.5Y or 10YR
Value: 6 to 8 dry, 5 or 6 moist
Chroma: 1 to 3 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Texture: loamy sand, loamy fine sand, sandy loam, fine sandy loam, or very fine sandy loam
Clay content: 5 to 18 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 30 percent gravel

COMPETING SERIES: There are no other soils in this family.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Miltonhills soils are on the backslopes of hills. Slopes range from 0 to 60 percent. These soils formed in colluvium and residuum derived from acidic tuff mainly associated with the Valley Springs Formation. Elevation is 60 to 650 meters. The climate is Mediterranean with warm, dry summers and cool, moist winters. The mean annual precipitation is 450 to 885 mm and the mean annual air temperature is 15 to 17 degrees C. The frost free season is 240 to 340 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Amador, Gillender, Jennylind , Laniger, Ospital , Pardee, Pentz, and Redding soils. Amador, Gillender, and Pentz are also on hills, typically with less relief but have a paralithic contact within 50 centimeters. Pentz has a mollic epipedon. Jennylind and Ospital form on erosion remnants, lack an umbric epipedon, and have a lithic contact within 50 cm. Pardee soils are found on terrace remnants and eroded fan remnants, have a lithic contact within 50 centimeters, and are loamy-skeletal. Redding soils form on fan remnants, have a duripan within 50 to 100 centimeters, and have an argillic horizon with 35 or more percent clay. Laniger soils occupy similar geomorphic positions but have andic soil properties and a lithic contact within 50 to 100 centimeters.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained, moderately high to high saturated hydraulic conductivity throughout the profile. Saturated hydraulic conductivity of the bedrock is very low to moderately high.

USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are mainly used for livestock grazing. Vegetation is annual grasses and forbs interspaced with hardwood species such as blue oak and buckeye. Understory species include brome, Italian ryegrass, meadow barley, and wild oat.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Sierra Nevada Foothills of California; MLRA 18. The series is not extensive.

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

SERIES PROPOSED: Calaveras County, California. The name is coined from the town of Milton which is near the type location.

REMARKS:
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Umbric Epipedon 0 to 26 cm (A and Bw1 horizon)
Paralithic Contact 60 cm (Cr horizon)
Particle Size Control Section for this pedon: 25 to 60 cm.

ADDITIONAL DATA:
NASIS User Pedon ID 2013CA6304009

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.