LOCATION NYE CATentative Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, isomesic Typic Dystrustepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Nye loam - on a gentle slope of 3 percent under coastal redwood, Douglas-fir, madrone and grasses, at 2,000 feet elevation. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated. When described 9/6/78), the soil was moist to 10 inches and slightly moist to 52 inches).
A11--0 to 2 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) loam, black
(N 2/0) moist; strong very fine and fine granular structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly stick and slightly plastic; many very fine roots, common very fine interstitial pores; 5 percent pebbles (2 to 10mm); strongly acid (ph 5.5); abrupt wavy boundary. (1 to 3 inches thick)
A12--2 to 8 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine and few medium roots; few very fine interstitial pores; 5 percent pebbles (2 to 10mm); medium acid (ph 5u7); abrupt wavy boundary. (4 to 6 inches thick)
B21t--8 to 22 inches; variegated yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) and reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/6) loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4, 4/4) moist; weak medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine, and few medium roots; common very fine and fine tubular, and common very fine interstitial pores; common thin clay films in pores; 5 percent pebbles (2 to 10mm); medium acid (ph 5.7); gradual wavy boundary. (12 to 18 inches thick)
B22t--22 to 35 inches; variegated reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/6) and yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) loam, dark brown and very dark grayish brown (10YR 4/4 and 3/2)moist; weak medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots; common very fine and fine tubular, and common very fine interstitial pores; common thin clay films in pores; 5 percent pebbles (2 to 10mm); strongly acid (ph 5.3); abrupt irregular boundary. (11 to 19 inches thick)
B3t--35 to 42 inches; variegated brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) and yellow (10YR 7/6) loam, dark brown (7.5YR 4/4) and yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) moist; weak medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots; common very fine and fine tubular and few very fine interstitial pores; few thin clay films on peds and common thin clay films in pores; very strongly acid (ph 4.8) 5 percent pebbles (2 to 10mm); abrupt wavy boundary. (5 to 15 inches thick)
Cr--42 to 52 inches; variegated very pale brown (10YR 8/4) and yellow (10YR 7/8) consolidated alluvium that slakes in water; few thin clay films and manganese strains on fracture,
TYPE LOCATION: Mendocino County, California; northwest of Adams Ridge Road to last gate near end of ridge; northeast on road parallel to fence about 50 feet; southeast 10 feet; 300 feet east and 1,550 feet south of NW corner, Section 15, T13N, R16W.; Point Arena quadrangle.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Depth to a paralithic contact is 40 to 60 inches. The mean annual soil temperature is 50 to 56 degrees F. The difference between mean summer and mean winter temperature is 3 degrees F. 9 degrees F. The soil between a depth of 6 and 19 inches is moist in all parts from November to June. It is dry in some part the rest of the year. The textural control section is 18 to 30 percent clay. Gravel content is 0 to 10 percent throughout. Base saturation is 10 to 35 percent throughout and decreases with depth.
The A horizon is 10YR 3/3, 4/3, or 5/3. Moist color is N2/0; 10YR 2/2, or 3/2. Reaction is strongly acid or medium acid.
The B horizon is variegated 10YR 5/4, 6/6, 7/6; 7.5YR 6/4, or 6/6. Moist color is 10YR 3/2, 3/4, 4/4, 5/8; 7.5YR 4/4, or 5/4. It is loam or clay loam, with 18 to 30 percent clay. It is very strongly acid to medium acid.
COMPETING SERIES: This is the Mariana soil in another family. Mariana soils have a fine textural control section and are isohyperthermic.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Nye soils occur on high terraces. Slopes are 2 to 9 percent. Elevations are 1,500 to 2,000 feet. The soils formed in consolidated alluvium. The climate is subhumid mesothermal with cool foggy summers and cool moist winters. Mean annual precipitation is 45 to 55 inches. Mean January temperature is about 50 degrees F; mean July temperature is about 60 degrees F.; and the mean annual temperature is about 53 degrees F. The frost-free season is 290 to 320 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Ornbaun (T) and Zeni (T) soils. Ornbaun and Zeni soils have argillic horizons.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; medium runoff; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: This soil is used for commercial timber, wildlife, watershed and rangeland in cleared areas. Natural vegetation consists of coastal redwoods, Douglas-fir, madrone, bracken fern and annual and perennial grasses.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northern coastal California. The series is not extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California
SERIES PROPOSED: Mendocino County, California, Western Part, 1979. Source of name is from Nye Creek, Mendocino County, California.
OSED scanned by SSQA. Last revised by state on 6/79.