LOCATION ROCKSALAD CA

Established Series
LJL/MEB
02/2025

ROCKSALAD SERIES

The Rocksalad series consists of very deep, somewhat excessively drained soils that formed in alluvium derived from granitoid. The Rocksalad soils are on drainageways and fan aprons. Slopes range from 2 to 8 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 195 mm and the mean annual temperature is about 14 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy-skeletal, mixed, thermic Ustic Torriorthents

TYPICAL PEDON: Rocksalad sand, on a southeast facing, 2 percent slope under rangeland at an elevation of 1,438 meters. (Colors are for dry soils unless otherwise noted. 5/29/2013 actual site observation date.) The soil surface is covered by approximately 25 percent fine gravel, 15 percent medium and coarse gravel, 2 percent cobbles, 1 percent stones.

C1--0 to 15 cm (0 to 6 inches); brown (10YR 5/3) sand, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; single grained; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine roots throughout; few fine interstitial and few medium interstitial and common very fine interstitial pores; 7 percent fine gravel, 3 percent medium and coarse gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); abrupt smooth boundary.

C2--15 to 28 cm (6 to 11 inches); brown (10YR 5/3) gravelly sand, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; single grained; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine roots throughout; few fine interstitial and few medium interstitial and common very fine interstitial pores; 8 percent fine gravel, 8 percent medium and coarse gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); abrupt smooth boundary.

C3--28 to 37 cm (11 to 15 inches); brown (10YR 5/3) extremely gravelly coarse sand, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; single grain; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; very fine roots throughout; fine irregular and very fine irregular pores; 15 percent fine gravel, 45 percent medium and coarse gravel, 2 percent cobbles; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); abrupt smooth boundary.

C4--37 to 113 cm (15 to 44 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) very gravelly coarse sand, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; single grain; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; very fine roots throughout; fine irregular and very fine irregular pores; 45 percent fine gravel, 10 percent medium and coarse gravel, 1 percent cobbles; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); abrupt smooth boundary.

C5--113 to 143 cm (44 to 56 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) very gravelly coarse sand, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; very fine roots throughout; fine irregular and very fine irregular pores; 35 percent fine gravel, 5 percent medium and coarse gravel, 1 percent cobbles; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); abrupt smooth boundary.

C6--143 to 155 cm (56 to 61 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) extremely gravelly coarse sand, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; very fine roots throughout; fine irregular and very fine irregular pores; 35 percent fine gravel, 35 percent medium and coarse gravel, 5 percent cobbles; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6). (Combined thickness of the C horizons is 140 to 180 cm, 55 to 71 inches.)

TYPE LOCATION: San Bernardino County, California; about 10 miles east and 6 miles south of Cima, located in Watson Wash; 2,060 feet east and 2,300 feet south of the northwest corner of section 1, T. 12 N., R. 15 E., San Bernardino Baseline and Meridian; USGS Pinto Valley, California 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle; 35 degrees, 9 minutes, 2.16 seconds north latitude and 115 degrees, 19 minutes, 30.33 seconds west longitude; UTM zone 11 652565e, 3891029n, NAD83.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: usually dry, moist in some part from December to March and intermittently moist for 10 to 20 days during July to September following summer convection storms; aridic moisture regime that borders on ustic.

Soil temperature: 15 to 18 degrees C (59 to 64 degrees F).
Surface rock fragments: 15 to 65 percent, dominantly gravel.
Reaction: neutral to slightly alkaline.

Control section
Clay content: 0 to 5 percent.
Rock fragments: averages 35 to 70 percent, dominantly gravel.

A or C1 horizon
Value: 5 to 7 dry, 4 or 5 moist.
Chroma: 2 to 4, dry or moist.
Texture of the fine earth fraction: sandy loam, sand, or coarse sand.
Clay content: 0 to 10 percent.
Rock fragments: 5 to 25 percent.

C or Ck horizons
Value: 4 to 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist.
Chroma: 3 or 4; dry or moist.
Texture of the fine earth fraction: loamy sand, sand, or coarse sand.
Clay content: 0 to 5 percent.
Rock fragments: averages 35 to 70 percent, ranges from 15 to 75 percent rock fragments, with 0 to 7 percent cobbles and 0 to 5 percent stones.
Note: Some pedons have calcium carbonate coats on bottom of rocks.

COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series. Similar soils are the Bodecker and Chipotle series. Bodecker soils are in MLRA 41. Chipotle soils are in MLRA 42. Both soils have an irregular decrease in carbon.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Rocksalad soils are on drainageways and fan aprons. Slopes range from 2 to 8 percent. The soils formed in alluvium derived from granitoid. Elevation ranges from 1250 to 1700 meters (~4260 to 5580 feet). The mean annual precipitation is 175 to 225 mm (~ 7 to 9 in.). The mean annual air temperature is about 13 to 16 degrees C (~55 to 61 degrees F). The frost-free period is 210 to 270 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Boomerang (T), Cedarwash (T), Grottohill (T) and Holliman (T) soils. Boomerang soils are on inset fans and fan aprons, and have sandy particle size control sections. Cedarwash soils are on fan remnants and have coarse-loamy particle size control sections. Grottohill soils are on fan aprons, have a cambic horizon and a coarse-loamy particle size control section. Holliman soils are on alluvial fans and inset fans, and have a coarse-loamy particle size control sections.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Somewhat excessively drained; very low runoff; high saturated hydraulic conductivity; frequent flooding in drainageways for short periods.

USE AND VEGETATION: Rocksalad soils are used for recreation and wildlife habitat. Native vegetation is Mojave rabbitbrush, basin big sagebrush, woolly fruit bur ragweed, purple sage, and desert peachbush.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Mojave Desert of southeastern California; MLRA 30. These soils are of small extent.

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

SERIES PROPOSED: San Bernardino County, California, Soil Survey of Mojave National Preserve Area, California, 2019. The name is coined.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:

Ochric epipedon - the zone from 0 to 18 cm (C1 and part of the C2 horizons)
Particle size control section - the zone from 25 to 100 cm (Part of the C2, C3 and part of the C4 horizons)

ADDITIONAL DATA: NASIS User Site/Pedon ID: 2013CA0713049. Originally setup at 2012CA795246 as a minor component. Moved to 2013CA0713049 in 2019 as a major component.

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.