LOCATION PILOTWELL CATentative Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Mixed, thermic Xeric Torripsamments
TYPICAL PEDON: Pilotwell gravelly loamy coarse sand - on a south facing slope of 39 percent under California buckwheat, desert needlegrass, and annual forbs at an elevation of 5,200 feet. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated. When described on March 20, 1990, the soil was moist throughout.)
A--0 to 5 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) gravelly loamy coarse sand, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine, few and medium roots; common very fine interstitial pores; 16 percent gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.7); clear smooth boundary. (2 to 10 inches thick)
C1--5 to 14 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) gravelly loamy coarse sand, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; single grain; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine, fine and medium roots; few very fine interstitial pores; 16 percent gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.5); gradual smooth boundary. (5 to 20 inches thick)
C2--14 to 25 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) gravelly loamy coarse sand, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; single grain; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine and fine roots; few very fine interstitial pores; 17 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.0); clear wavy boundary. (8 to 18 inches thick)
Cr--25 to 40 inches; partly decomposed granitic rock.
TYPE LOCATION: Kern County, California; north side of summit of Jawbone-Butterbredt Road near Kelso Valley, near closed road, uphill toward 3 rock outcrops; 1,200 feet east and 800 feet south of the northwest corner of Section 31, T. 29 S., R. 36 E.; Pinyon Mtn., California Quadrangle. Lat. 35 degrees, 22 minutes, 36 seconds N. and long. 118 degrees, 10 minutes, 15 seconds W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Depth to the paralithic contact is 20 to 40 inches.
Soil temperature - Mean annual: 59 to 64 degrees F.
Soil moisture - dry throughout from April 15 to November 30; it is usually moist in some part for about 100 days when the soil temperature is above 5 degrees C; not continuously moist throughout the profile for 45 or more consecutive days when the soil temperature is above 8 degrees C.
Particle size control section:
Rock fragments: 0 to 3 percent boulders and stones; 0 to
3 percent cobbles; 10 to 35 percent gravel
Reaction: slightly acid to slightly alkaline
A horizon
Hue: 10YR
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 2, 3 or 4 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Texture: gravelly loamy coarse sand or gravelly coarse
sand with 4 to 10 percent clay
Organic matter: 0.4 to 1 percent
C horizon
Hue: 10YR
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 3 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Texture: loamy coarse sand or gravelly loamy coarse sand
with 4 to 10 percent clay
Organic matter: less than 0.5 percent
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Cinco, Inyo and Whitewolf series. These series are more that 60 inches deep.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Pilotwell soils are on hill and mountain slopes at elevations of 2,700 to 5,600 feet. They formed in material weathered mainly from granitic bedrock. Slopes are 5 to 60 percent. The climate is characterized by warm dry summers and cool somewhat moist winters. Mean annual precipitation is 6 to 10 inches, some as winter snow at the higher elevations. The mean January temperature is about 41 degrees F; mean July temperature is about 77 degrees F. The mean annual temperature is 56 to 61 degrees F. The frost-free season is 175 to 225 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Canebrake(T) and Xyno(T) soils. Canebrake soils are shallow, have a mesic temperature regime and occur on northern aspects. Xyno soils are shallow to weathered rock.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat excessively drained; medium or rapid runoff; rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used for rangeland, homesite development and wildlife habitat. Vegetation includes California buckwheat, filaree, red brome, cheatgrass, desert needlegrass, narrowleaf goldenbush, Arabian schismus, and white burrobush.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southeastern Sierra Nevada mountains. The series is of small extent. MLRA is 29.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California
SERIES PROPOSED: Kern County, California 1992; Kern County, Northeastern Part and Southeastern Part of Tulare County Soil Survey. The series is named after Pilot Well.
REMARKS:
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - The zone from 0 to 5 inches (A)
Paralithic contact - The boundary at 25 inches (Cr)
ADDITIONAL DATA: NSSL Reference Pedon S93CA-029-005