LOCATION RATTLEGULCH             CA

Established Series
Rev. EWB-JBF-TM
06/2017

RATTLEGULCH SERIES

The Rattlegulch series consists of very shallow and shallow, well drained soils that formed in residuum and colluvium derived from granitic rocks, with additions of eolian volcanic ash. Rattlegulch soils are on mountains and hills. Slopes are 30 to 50 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 380 mm and the mean annual temperature is about 6 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Ashy-skeletal, glassy, mesic, shallow Vitritorrandic Argixerolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Rattlegulch gravelly ashy loamy coarse sand--Rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.) The soil surface is covered with 55 percent 2 to 5 mm gravel, 10 percent 5 to 75 mm gravel, 2 percent cobbles and 1 percent stones.

A1--0 to 5 cm; brown (10YR 5/3) gravelly ashy loamy coarse sand, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine roots; many very fine interstitial pores; 30 percent subangular 2 to 5 mm granite gravel; neutral (pH 6.8); clear smooth boundary. (5 to 13 cm thick)

A2--5 to 13 cm; brown (10YR 5/3) gravelly ashy coarse sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; common very fine roots; many very fine interstitial and few very fine tubular pores; 5 percent subangular 5 to 76 millimeter granite gravel and 25 percent subangular 2 to 5 mm granite gravel; neutral (pH 7.0); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 10 cm thick)

Bt--13 to 23 cm; brown (10YR 5/3) very gravelly ashy coarse sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine roots; few very fine tubular and many very fine interstitial pores; 5 percent faint clay bridges between sand grains; 50 percent subangular 2 to 5 mm granite gravel; neutral (pH 7.0); clear wavy boundary. (10 to 20 cm thick)

Cr--23 to 30 cm; weathered granite bedrock.

TYPE LOCATION: Mono County, California; in the Bodie Hills about 1.5 miles northeast of Conway Summit; about 1,600 feet south and 900 feet east of the northwest corner of section 30, T. 3 N., R. 26 E.; Lundy USGS 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle; longitude 38 degrees 05 minutes 35.2 seconds N and longitude 119 degrees 09 minutes 21.8 seconds W; WGS84 Decimal Degrees 38.0931111 latitude, -119.1560556 longitude.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: Usually dry in the moisture control section; moist winter and spring; usually dry July through early October; aridic moisture regime bordering on xeric.
Mean annual soil temperature: 7 to 8 degrees C.
Mollic epipedon thickness: 18 to 25 cm.
Depth to bedrock: 18 to 36 cm to a paralithic contact. The paralithic materials below the contact are weathered granitic rock.

Particle-size control section - Clay content: Averages 10 to 18 percent.
Rock fragments: Averages 35 to 50 percent, mainly 2 to 5 mm diameter gravel. Lithology of rock fragments is granite and granodiorite.

A horizons
Chroma: 2 or 3 dry or moist.
Organic matter content: 1 to 3 percent.
Reaction: Slightly acid or neutral.
Volcanic glass content: 30 to 75 percent in coarse silt through fine sand fractions.

Bt horizons
Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR.
Value: 5 dry in Bt1 horizon, 5 or 6 dry in Bt2 horizon, when present; 3 moist in Bt1 horizon, 3 or 4 moist in the Bt2 horizon, when present.
Texture: Ashy coarse sandy loam, ashy sandy loam.
Clay content: 10 to 18 percent.
Rock fragments: 35 to 50 percent, dominantly 2 to 5 millimeter gravel.
Organic matter content: 1 to 3 percent; may be less than 1 percent in the Bt2 horizon in some pedons.
Reaction: Slightly acid or neutral.
Volcanic glass content: 30 to 75 percent in coarse silt through fine sand fractions.

COMPETING SERIES: There are currently no other series recognized in this family.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Rattlegulch soils are on mountains and hills. They typically occur on backslope positions. They formed in residuum and colluvium derived from granitic rocks, with additions of eolian volcanic ash. Slopes are 30 to 50 percent. Elevations range from 2,075 to 2,595 meters. The climate is semi-arid with cool, moist winters and warm, dry summers. The mean annual precipitation is 350 to 400 mm, mean annual temperature is 6 to 7 degrees C., and the frost-free period is 40 to 70 days

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Rancheria and Sinnacut series. Rancheria soils have paralithic material at 36 to 50 cm and have a mollic epipedon 10 to 20 cm thick. Sinnacut soils have paralithic material at 50 to 100 cm and have a mollic epipedon more than 50 cm thick.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Well drained; medium surface runoff; moderately rapid permeability; high saturated hydraulic conductivity.

USE AND VEGETATION: Rattlegulch soils are used for livestock grazing, recreation, watershed and wildlife habitat. The native vegetation is mainly mountain big sagebrush, antelope bitterbrush, Anderson peachbrush, slenderbush, Eriogonum, desert needlegrass, Indian ricegrass and basin wildrye.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Eastern California, east of the Sierra Nevada Range. These soils are not extensive. MLRA 26.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California.

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Mono County (Coleville-Bridgeport Area), California, 2010.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - The zone from the soil surface to 23 cm (A1, A2 and Bt horizons).
Argillic horizon - The zone from 13 to 23 cm (Bt horizon).
Paralithic contact - The boundary at 23 cm to underlying soft bedrock (Cr layer).
Vitrandic intergrade feature - High volcanic glass content in the .02 to 2mm fraction from the mineral soil surface to 23 cm (A1, A2 and Bt horizons).
Particle-size control section - The zone from the soil surface to 23 cm (A1, A2 and Bt horizons).

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.