LOCATION MINERALKING CA

Established Series
JBB/CES
09/2021

MINERALKING SERIES

The Mineralking series consists of very deep, well drained soils formed in colluvium and reworked till derived from metamorphic rocks. The Mineralking soils are on glacial-valley walls and mountain slopes of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Slopes range from 15 to 75 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 865 mm and the mean annual air temperature is about 5 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, isotic, frigid Vitrandic Humixerepts

TYPICAL PEDON: Mineralking gravelly fine sandy loam on a west facing (248 degree), 62 percent slope under red fir at an elevation of 2610 meters. (Colors are for dry soils unless otherwise noted. When described on July 10, 2014 the soil was moist throughout.)

Oi--0 to 3 cm; brown (7.5YR 4/2) slightly decomposed plant material, very dark brown (7.5YR 2.5/3) moist; slightly acid (pH 6.4); abrupt smooth boundary. (3 to 8 cm thick) Lab sample # 15N02521

A--3 to 15 cm; brown (10YR 4/3) gravelly fine sandy loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) moist; 46 percent sand; 49 percent silt; 6 percent clay; weak very fine subangular blocky parts to weak very fine granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky, nonplastic; common very fine, fine, and medium roots throughout; common very fine and fine dendritic tubular, and common medium irregular pores; 20 percent subangular strongly cemented schist gravel, 5 percent subangular strongly cemented schist cobbles, 2 percent subangular strongly cemented schist stones; NaF pH 10.1; moderately acid (pH 6.0); clear smooth boundary. (5 to 25 cm thick) Lab sample # 15N02522

BA--15 to 27 cm; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) very gravelly silt loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; 45 percent sand; 50 percent silt; 5 percent clay; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky, nonplastic; common very fine, fine, medium, and coarse roots throughout; common very fine and fine dendritic tubular, and common fine and medium irregular pores; 20 percent subangular strongly cemented schist gravel, 5 percent subangular strongly cemented schist cobbles, 2 percent subangular strongly cemented schist stones; NaF pH 10.1; slightly acid (pH 6.4); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 15 cm thick) Lab sample # 15N02523

Bw--27 to 61 cm; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) gravelly silt loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; 44 percent sand; 51 percent silt; 5 percent clay; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky, nonplastic; common very fine, fine, medium, coarse, and very coarse roots throughout; common very fine and fine dendritic tubular, and common fine and medium irregular pores; 40 percent subangular strongly cemented schist gravel, 5 percent subangular strongly cemented schist cobbles, 2 percent subangular strongly cemented schist stones; NaF pH 9.9; slightly acid (pH 6.4); clear smooth boundary. (15 to 100 cm thick) Lab sample # 15N02524

BC--61 to 98 cm; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) very gravelly coarse sandy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; 50 percent sand; 46 percent silt; 5 percent clay; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, moderately sticky, slightly plastic; many very fine and fine, and common medium, coarse, and very coarse roots throughout; common very fine and fine irregular pores; 30 percent subrounded strongly cemented schist gravel, 10 percent subrounded strongly cemented schist cobbles, 3 percent subrounded strongly cemented schist stones; NaF pH 10.1; slightly acid (pH 6.1); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 60 cm thick) Lab sample # 15N02525

CB--98 to 123 cm; very pale brown (10YR 7/4) very gravelly sandy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; 50 percent sand; 46 percent silt; 4 percent clay; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky, nonplastic; common very fine, fine, medium, and coarse roots throughout; common fine irregular pores; 30 percent subrounded strongly cemented schist gravel, 10 percent subrounded strongly cemented schist cobbles, 3 percent subrounded strongly cemented schist stones; NaF pH 10.0; moderately acid (pH 5.9); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 40 cm thick) Lab sample # 15N02526

C--123 to 160 cm; pale yellow (2.5Y 8/3) very gravelly sandy loam, light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) moist; 48 percent sand; 48 percent silt; 4 percent clay; structureless massive; soft, very friable, slightly sticky, nonplastic; common very fine, fine, medium, and coarse roots throughout; common fine irregular pores; 40 percent subrounded strongly cemented schist gravel, 5 percent subrounded strongly cemented schist cobbles, 5 percent subrounded strongly cemented schist stones; NaF pH 10.0; moderately acid (pH 6.0). Lab sample # 15N02527

TYPE LOCATION: Tulare County, California, Timber Gap Trail, about 0.5 km NNE of trailhead parking lot; USGS 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle: Mineral King, California; WGS84 36.457172 latitude and -118.594056 longitude; UTM zone 11 4035839 meters N 357160 meters E WGS84.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil temperature: The mean annual soil temperature at 50 cm is 3 to 9 degrees C and the difference between mean summer and mean winter soil temperature is greater than 6 degrees C. The soils have a frigid temperature regime.

Soil moisture:
The soils have a xeric soil moisture regime. The soil moisture control section is dry in all parts from about August to October (about 90 days).

Diagnostic Feature(s):
Umbric epipedon thickness: 18 to 50 cm
Cambic horizon thickness: 15 to 100 cm

Organic matter: 2 to 5 percent in the epipedon

Reaction: slightly to very strongly acid

Base saturation: less than 50 percent (by ammonium acetate)

Acid-oxalate extractable Al plus 1/2 Fe: 0.4 to 1.0 percent (by weight) to a depth of 100 cm

Volcanic glass: 5 to 30 percent in the 0.02 to 2.0 mm fraction in an 18 cm thick layer within a depth of 75 cm from the mineral soil surface

Particle size control section weighted average:
Rock fragments: 35 to 75 percent, with 15 to 50 percent gravel, 0 to 35 percent cobbles, and 0 to 35 percent stones.
Clay content: 4 to 15 percent
NaF pH: 9.0 to 11.0

A horizon (and AB or BA horizons, where present)
Hue: 10YR, 2.5Y
Value: 3 to 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3 dry, 1 to 3 moist
Texture: silt loam, fine sandy loam, sandy loam
Clay content: 5 to 12 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 50 percent
0 to 35 percent gravel
0 to 25 percent cobbles
0 to 20 percent stones

Bw horizon (and BC or CB horizons, where present)
Hue: 10YR, 2.5Y
Value: 4 to 7 dry, 2 to 4 moist
Chroma: 3 or 4 dry, 2 to 4 moist
Texture: silt loam, fine sandy loam, sandy loam, coarse sandy loam
Clay content: 4 to 15 percent
Rock fragments: 20 to 75 percent
15 to 50 percent gravel
0 to 35 percent cobbles
0 to 35 percent stones

C horizon
Hue: 10YR, 2.5Y
Value: 4 to 8 dry, 2 to 4 moist
Chroma: 1 to 4, dry or moist
Texture: fine sandy loam, sandy loam
Clay content: 4 to 12 percent
Rock fragments: 15 to 60 percent
5 to 40 percent gravel
0 to 15 percent cobbles
0 to 35 percent stones

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Bindle (MLRA 6) soils. Bindle soils have mafic volcanic bedrock between 50 and 100 cm.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Mineralking soils are on linear backslopes of talus slopes and colluvial aprons of glacial-valley walls, and mountain slopes. Slopes range from 15 to 75 percent. These soils formed in colluvium and reworked till from metamorphic and, less commonly, granitic rocks. Elevation is 1955 to 3175 meters. The climate is Mediterranean with warm, dry summers and cool, moist winters. The mean annual precipitation is 520 to 1230 mm and the mean annual air temperature is 2 to 9 degrees C. The frost free season is 80 to 165 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Marmot soils. The Marmot soils are on convex backslopes of mountain slopes and have a lithic contact between 50 and 100 cm.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained, moderately high to high saturated hydraulic conductivity.

USE AND VEGETATION: This soil is used for recreation, wildlife habitat, and watershed. Vegetation is red fir, Sierra lodgepole pine, and white fir.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Sierra Nevada Mountains of California; MLRA 22A. These soils are of limited extent.

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

SERIES PROPOSED: Tulare County, California in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Source of name from the Mineral King region of Sequoia National Park.

REMARKS:
Particle Size Control Section for this pedon: 28 to 103 cm
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Umbric Epipedon 3 to 27 cm
Cambic Horizon 27 to 61 cm

ADDITIONAL DATA:
Pedon information for this type location only:
Pedon Type: OSD pedon Lab Source ID: KSSL
Pedon Purpose: soil survey inventory Lab Pedon #: 15N0495
NASIS User Pedon ID: S2014CA107007

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

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.