LOCATION MUSSERHILL CAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, parasesquic, mesic Mollic Haploxeralfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Musserhill gravelly loam--on a southwest facing convex slope of 33 percent under Oregon white oak, canyon live oak, buckbrush, digger pine, greenleaf manzanita, and grasses at an elevation of 2,550 feet. (Colors are for dry soil unless stated otherwise. When described in September, 1985 the soil was moist in the upper 4 inches from recent rainfall, and dry below that depth.)
Oi--1/2 to 0 inches; leaves, twigs, and grass stems.
A--0 to 5 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/4) gravelly loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) moist; moderate fine and very fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few medium and coarse, common fine and very fine roots; few medium and fine, common very fine tubular pores; 20 percent rounded pebbles; neutral (pH 7.0); clear wavy boundary. (4 to 9 inches thick).
Bt1--5 to 11 inches; reddish brown (5YR 4/4) very gravelly clay loam, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/4) moist; moderate medium and fine subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, sticky and plastic; few medium and coarse, common fine and very fine roots; few medium and fine, common very fine tubular pores; few thin clay films lining pores and on ped faces; 35 percent rounded pebbles, 5 percent rounded cobbles; slightly acid (pH 6.5); gradual wavy boundary. (5 to 9 inches thick).
Bt2--11 to 21 inches; reddish brown (5YR 5/4) extremely cobbly clay loam, reddish brown (5YR 4/4) moist; moderate medium and fine angular blocky structure; very hard, firm, sticky and plastic; common coarse, medium, fine, and very fine roots; common fine and very fine tubular pores; many thin clay films lining pores and on ped faces; 45 percent rounded pebbles, 20 percent rounded cobbles; neutral (pH 7.0); clear wavy boundary. (9 to 12 inches thick).
Bt3--21 to 32 inches; reddish brown (5YR 5/4) extremely cobbly clay loam, yellowish red (5YR 4/6) moist; moderate medium and fine angular blocky structure; extremely hard, very firm, sticky and plastic; few coarse, medium and fine, common very fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; many thin clay films lining pores and on ped faces; 50 percent rounded pebbles, 20 percent rounded cobbles; neutral (pH 7.0); clear wavy boundary. (2 to 12 inches thick).
Crt--32 inches; weakly consolidated, rounded pebble and cobble conglomerate; consolidated with reddish brown clay loam; clay films coat rocks and pores; very few roots in pockets.
TYPE LOCATION: Trinity County, California; about 2 miles east of Weaverville; take Highway 3 north from Weaverville, turn right on Brown's Ranch Road, go 0.5 mile take left, go 0.15 mile take right fork, walk out dirt road about 1.75 miles, pedon described in roadcut; 750 feet east, 2,100 feet south, northwest corner section 9, T.33 N., R.9 W. Weaverville Quadrangle.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Depth to paralithic contact is 20 to 40 inches. The mean annual soil temperature ranges from 52 to 59 degrees F. The soil moisture control section is dry in all parts from mid July to mid October. The soil temperature at 20 inches exceeds 41 degrees F from early March to late December and exceeds 47 degrees F from early May to late November. Reaction is slightly acid or neutral. The particle-size control section contains 35 to 75 percent rock fragments, (30 to 55 percent pebbles and 5 to 25 percent cobbles. The particle-size control section has a ratio of extractable iron plus gibbsite to clay of greater than 0.2; and there is less than 90 percent quartz, and less than 40 percent of any single mineral.
The A horizon is 7.5YR 4/4, 5/4, 10YR 4/4, 5/4, or 5YR 4/4. Moist color is 7.5YR 3/4, 5YR 3/4, or 10YR 3/4.
The Bt horizon is 5YR 4/4, 5/6, 5/4, 4/6, 7.5YR 4/6, 4/4, 3/4, or 2.5YR 4/4. Moist color is 5YR 3/4, 4/4, 4/6, 7.5YR 3/4, 4/4, or 4/6. It is very gravelly clay loam, extremely cobbly clay loam, or extremely gravelly clay loam. Base saturation ranges from 75 to 85 percent by sum of cations.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no other soils in this family.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Musserhill soils are on hills. Elevation is 2,000 to 3,300 feet. Slopes are 9 to 50 percent. These soils formed in material weathered from weakly consolidated conglomerate. The climate is characterized by warm, dry summers and cool, moist winters. Mean annual precipitation is 30 to 40 inches. Snowfall ranges from 6 to 36 inches. Mean January temperature is about 37 degrees F. Mean July temperature is about 72 degrees F. Mean annual temperature is 50 to 57 degrees F. The frost-free period is 90 to 130 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Jafa (T), Weaverville , Crefork, and Brownscreek series. The Jafa and Weaverville soils are greater than 60 inches deep. The Brownscreek soils are 20 to 40 inches deep over a lithic contact of mica schist and are on mountains. Crefork soils are 40 to more than 60 inches deep.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; runoff is medium to rapid; permeability is moderately slow.
USE AND VEGETATION: Musserhill soils are used for firewood production, water supply and homesite development. Natural vegetation is Oregon white oak, digger pine, needlegrass, greenleaf manzanita, birchleaf mountainmahogany, and buckbrush.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Klamath Mountains of northern California. The soils are not extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Trinity County, California, Weaverville Area, 1990. Name from Musser Hill.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon--zone from the surface to a depth of 5 inches (A).
Argillic horizon--zone from 5 to 32 inches (Bt1, Bt2, Bt3).
Particle-size control section--zone from 5 to 25 inches (Bt1, Bt2, Bt3).
ADDITIONAL DATA: NSSL characterization sample numbers 86P1494-1497, pedon number S85CA-105-005.
Lab data indicates lower percent clay than amount estimated in the field. Field estimates have been adjusted downward.