LOCATION PAYNEPEAK CA OREstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Ashy-skeletal, glassy Vitrandic Argicryolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Paynepeak gravelly ashy sandy loam--rangeland (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.) The soil surface is partly covered by 30 percent gravel, 5 percent cobbles and 2 percent stones.
A1--0 to 3 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) crushed gravelly ashy loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) crushed moist; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky, nonplastic; common very fine roots; many very fine interstitial pores; 20 percent pebbles; slightly acid, (pH 6.5); clear wavy boundary. (2 to 5 inches thick)
A2--3 to 13 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) crushed gravelly ashy loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) crushed moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky, nonplastic; many very fine and fine roots and common medium and coarse roots; many very fine interstitial pores; 5 percent paragravel and 25 percent pebbles; slightly acid, (pH 6.5); clear wavy boundary. (4 to 14 inches thick)
Bt1--13 to 19 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) crushed very gravelly ashy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) crushed moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; many very fine and fine roots and common medium and coarse roots; common very fine interstitial and tubular pores; 25 percent distinct clay films on surfaces along pores and 25 percent distinct clay films on all faces of peds; 5 percent paragravel, 10 percent stones and 25 percent pebbles; neutral, (pH 6.6); clear wavy boundary. (4 to 10 inches thick)
Bt2--19 to 32 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) crushed very gravelly ashy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) crushed moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; common very fine to coarse roots; common very fine interstitial and tubular pores; 25 percent distinct clay films on all faces of peds and 25 percent distinct clay films on surfaces along pores; 10 percent paragravel, 15 percent cobbles and 40 percent pebbles; neutral, (pH 6.6); clear wavy boundary. (8 to 16 inches thick)
Bt3--32 to 43 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) crushed very gravelly ashy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) crushed moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; common very fine to coarse roots; common very fine interstitial and tubular pores; 25 percent distinct clay films on all faces of peds and 25 percent distinct clay films on surfaces along pores; 10 percent paragravel, 15 percent cobbles and 35 percent pebbles; neutral, (pH 6.7); clear irregular boundary. (0 to 15 inches thick)
Cr--43 to 47 inches; weathered andesitic tuff-breccia
TYPE LOCATION: Modoc County, California on the Modoc National Forest; 2,400 feet south and 1,000 feet west of the northeast corner of section 32, T 48N., R 16E.; Mount Bidwell 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle; 41 degrees 59 minutes 16 seconds north latitude and 120 degrees 9 minutes 15 seconds west longitude, NAD 27.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture - These soils are usually moist in winter, spring, and early summer, dry later in summer and fall; xeric moisture regime.
Mean annual soil temperature - 43 to 47 degrees F.
Mean summer soil temperature - 54 to 59 degrees F.
Oxalate extractable Al + 1/2 iron: 0.2 to 0.4 percent.
Volcanic glass content - 50 to 80 percent in the coarse silt through fine sand fractions.
Mollic epipedon thickness - 30 to 60 inches.
Depth to bedrock - 40 to 60 inches to a paralithic contact. The paralithic material below the contact is andesitic tuff or tuff-breccia.
Profile reaction - Slightly acid or neutral.
Control section - Clay content: 18 to 27 percent.
Rock fragments: 35 to 60 percent rock fragments, mainly gravel although stones and cobbles are common. Lithology of fragments is pyroclastic volcanic rocks such as andesitic tuff.
A horizon - Hue: 10YR or 7.5 YR
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist.
Chroma: 2 or 3, dry or moist.
Organic matter content: 2 to 4 percent.
Bt1 and Bt2 horizons - Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR.
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist.
Chroma: 2 or 3 dry or moist.
Structure: Angular blocky or subangular blocky.
Clay content: 18 to 27 percent.
Rock fragments: 35 to 60 percent.
Texture of fine earth: Ashy loam or ashy sandy clay loam.
Consistence: Slightly hard or hard dry.
Organic matter content: 1 to 2 percent
Bt3 horizons (when present) - Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR.
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist.
Chroma: 3 or 4 dry or moist.
Structure: Angular blocky or subangular blocky.
Clay content: 18 to 27 percent.
Rock fragments: 35 to 60 percent.
Texture of fine earth: Ashy loam or ashy sandy clay loam
Consistence: Slightly hard or hard
Organic matter content: 0.5 to 2 percent
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Ashflat, Boulderfan, Cowbell, Fendersflat, Pyropatti, Snag, and Tusune soils. Ashflat, Cowbell, Pyropatti, and Snag are deeper than 60 inches to bedrock. Boulderfan soils have a mollic epipedon less than 30 inches thick and have endosaturation. Fendersflat and Tusune soils are 20 to 40 inches deep.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Paynepeak soils are on mountains. They formed in colluvium and residuum derived from glacial debris, volcanic ash, andesitic tuff and similar volcanic rocks. Slopes are 4 to 15 percent. Elevations range from 5,200 to 9,000 feet. The climate is subhumid with cold, moist winters and cool, dry summers. The mean annual precipitation is 30 to 50 inches, most of which comes as snow. The mean annual temperature is 39 to 42 degrees F. The frost-free period is 30 to 60 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Fingerridge, the competing Pryopatti and Skidbrackle series. Fingerridge and Skidbrackle soils have bedrock within 20 inches of the soil surface.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; medium surface runoff; moderately rapid permeability; high saturated hydraulic conductivity class.
USE AND VEGETATION: Paynepeak soils are used for livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. The present vegetation is mountain big sagebrush, needlegrass, mountain brome and forbs.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northeast California and southern Oregon. These soils are not extensive. MLRA 21.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California.
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Lake County, Oregon, Southern Part, 2006. The soil was originally proposed in Surprise Valley-Home Camp Area, California and Nevada, 2005.
REMARKS: The name is from nearby Payne Peak. The series type was relocated to better reflect the concept.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - The zone from the soil surface to 32 inches (A1, A2, Bt1 and the Bt2 horizons).
Argillic horizon - The zone from 13 to 43 inches (Bt1, Bt2 and the Bt3 horizons).
Paralithic contact - The boundary at 43 inches to underlying soft bedrock (Cr layer).
Particle size control section - The zone from 13 to 33 inches (Bt1, Bt2 and part of the Bt3 horizons).
Vitrandic intergrade feature - High volcanic glass content in the .02 to 2mm fraction from the mineral soil surface to 43 inches (A1, A2, Bt1, Bt2 and Bt3 horizons).