LOCATION NIKAL CAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Medial over loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, mesic Humic Haploxerands
TYPICAL PEDON: Nikal sandy loam--on a southeast facing convex slope of 2 percent under ponderosa pine, white fir, Douglas fir, sugar pine, bitterbrush and greenleaf manzanita at an elevation of 3,560 feet. (Colors are for dry soils unless otherwise stated. When described on August 25, 1980, the soil was dry throughout).
Oi--1 to 0 inches; recent and partially decomposed needles, leaves, twigs, and other organic debris.
A1--0 to 10 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) sandy loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many fine and few medium roots; many very fine interstitial and tubular pores; 10 percent gravel; weakly smeary; moderately acid (pH 5.9); gradual wavy boundary.
A2--10 to 18 inches; dark brown (10YR 4/3) sandy loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; many fine and common medium roots; few fine interstitial and common fine tubular pores; 10 percent gravel; weakly smeary; slightly acid (pH 6.1); gradual wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the A horizon is 7 to 20 inches)
Bw--18 to 28 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/4) gravelly sandy loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; many fine and common medium roots; few fine interstitial and common fine tubular pores; 25 percent rock fragments, mostly gravel; weakly smeary; slightly acid (pH 6.1); gradual wavy boundary. (6 to 10 inches thick)
C--28 to 36 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/4) very gravelly sandy loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common fine roots; common fine tubular pores; 60 percent rock fragments, mostly gravel; weakly smeary; slightly acid (pH 6.1); abrupt wavy boundary. (4 to 15 inches thick).
2R--36 inches; fractured basalt with vertical fractures.
TYPE LOCATION: Siskiyou County, California. about 7.5 miles east of McCloud, 0.6 miles east of the Upper Falls of the McCloud River, 100 feet southwest of a dirt road, 1,200 feet east and 2,600 feet north of the southwest corner of section 8, T.39 N., R.1 W. Quad location
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The depth to a lithic contact is 20 to 40 inches. Thickness of material with andic soil properties is 14 to 20 inches. The mean annual soil temperature ranges from 48 to 52 degrees F. The soil temperature exceeds 41 degrees F from early April to early December and exceeds 47 degrees F from early May to mid November. The soil is dry from mid July to mid October (120 to 130 days), and is moist in some or all parts the rest of the year. Base saturation is less than 50 percent. Reaction is moderately acid or slightly acid.
The A horizon color is 10YR 5/5, 4/4, 4/3, 4/2, 3/3, 3/2; 7.5YR 4/2; 5YR 3/4 or 3/3. Moist color is 10YR 3/3, 3/2, 3/1, 2/2 or 7.5YR 3/2. It is sandy loam, fine sandy loam, gravelly sandy loam or gravelly fine sandy loam. Rock fragments, mostly gravel or pumice, range from 5 to 25 percent. The bulk density ranges from 0.80 to 0.90.
The Bw horizon has color of 10YR 6/4, 5/3, 4/4, 4/3, 4/2, 3/3; 7.5YR 5/6, 5/4; 5YR 3/4 or 3/3. Moist color is 10YR 4/4, 4/3, 3/4, 3/2, or 7.5YR 3/2. Rock fragments, mostly gravel or cobbles, range from 15 to 35 percent. The bulk density ranges from 0.85 to 1.0.
The C horizon color is 10YR 5/4, 4/4, 4/3, 3/4; 7.5YR 5/6, 5/4. Moist color is 10YR 3/2, 3/3, 4/3, 4/4; 7.5YR 3/2, 3/4, or 4/6. It is gravelly, very gravelly, or extremely gravelly sandy loam. Rock fragments, mostly gravel and cobbles, range from 20 to 60 percent.
Andic property data (see remarks for explanation):
Depth P-ret B.D. pH NaF Glass Alo Feo 15 barH20 0-10 88 0.85 ND 6 1.95 0.32 17.10 10-18 91 0.90
ND 3 2.18 0.36 17.10 18-28 ND 1.0 ND ND ND ND 15.20 28-36 88 1.2 ND ND 1.56 0.37 15.00
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competitors.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Nikal soils are on lava plateaus and mountains at elevations of 3,000 to 4,500 feet. Slopes are 2 to 15 percent. The soils formed in debris flow to andesite and ash deposited over basalt. The climate is subhumid with warm dry summers and cold moist winters. The mean annual precipitation is 40 to 60 inches. Annual snowfall is 60 to 110 inches. Mean January temperature is 36 degrees F; mean July temperature is 70 degrees F; and mean annual temperature is 45 to 48 degrees F. Frost-free season is 80 to 120 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Obie, Neer, and Ponto soils. Obie soils are medial-skeletal and are frigid. Neer soils have ochric epipedons, are medial-skeletal, and are 20 to 40 inches deep to a paralithic contact. Ponto soils have ochric epipedons and are greater than 40 inches deep.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow to rapid runoff; moderately rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Commercial timber production and wildlife habitat. Some of the area is covered with brush, consisting of bitterbrush, greenleaf manzanita, deer brush and whitethorn ceanothus. Tree species are ponderosa pine with some white fir, Douglas fir, sugar pine, knobcone pine, incense-cedar, and an occasional California black oak.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: McCloud flats in southeastern Siskiyou County, California. The soils are not extensive. MLRA is 22.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California
SERIES PROPOSED: Siskiyou County, California, 1983, Intermountain Soil Survey Area.
REMARKS:
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Umbric epipedon - the zone from the soil surface to 18 inches (A1 and A2 horizons).
Cambic horizon - the zone from about 18 to 28 inches (Bw).
Lithic contact - the boundary at 36 inches (2R).
ADDITIONAL DATA: This pedon characterized by U.C. Davis in 1988. Sample number 76-47-121X, lab #1351.