LOCATION ROOSTERTAIL             CA

Established Series
REV: PBF/CAH/ET
12/2015

ROOSTERTAIL SERIES

The Roostertail series consists of deep, well drained soils that formed in eolian deposits from granitoid and/or metamorphic rocks over alluvium from granitoid and/or metamorphic rocks. Roostertail soils are on fan remnants. Slopes range from 0 to 4 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 75 millimeters (3 inches) and the mean annual air temperature is about 25 degrees C (77 degrees F).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, hyperthermic Duric Petroargids

TYPICAL PEDON: Roostertail very gravelly fine sandy loam, on an east-southeast facing, linear, 1 percent slope under sparse desert shrubs at an elevation of 174 meters (572 feet). (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)

C -- 0 to 2 centimeters (0 to 1 inch); gravel; with approximately 50 percent fine gravel, 45 percent medium and coarse gravel and 2 percent cobbles; abrupt wavy boundary. (1 to 11 centimeters thick)

A -- 2 to 6 centimeters (1 to 2.5 inches); light brown (7.5YR 6/3) very gravelly fine sandy loam, brown (7.5YR 4/3) moist; moderate thick platy structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine roots; many very fine and few fine and medium vesicular pores; 10 percent fine gravel and 30 percent medium and coarse gravel; violently effervescent (8 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); moderately alkaline (pH 8.1); abrupt smooth boundary. (2 to 5 centimeters thick)

2Btkq1 -- 6 to 10 centimeters (2.5 to 4 inches); strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) extremely gravelly sandy loam, strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine roots; few very fine interstitial pores; 15 percent faint, strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) clay films on ped faces; 25 percent, distinct, yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) silica coats on bottom of rock fragments; 15 percent fine gravel and 50 percent medium and coarse gravel; violently effervescent (8 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); slightly alkaline (pH 7.5); clear wavy boundary.

2Btkq2 -- 10 to 30 centimeters (4 to 12 inches); strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) very gravelly sandy loam, strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine roots; few very fine irregular pores; 3 percent faint, strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) clay films on ped faces; 2 percent, fine, prominent, very pale brown (10YR 8/2) clear, irregular calcium carbonate masses in the matrix and 3 percent, fine, prominent, very pale brown (10YR 8/2) moderately cemented calcium carbonate nodules in the matrix with sharp boundaries; 5 percent, distinct, yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) silica coats on bottom of rock fragments; 15 percent fine gravel and 30 percent medium and coarse gravel; violently effervescent (7 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear wavy boundary.

2Btkq3 -- 30 to 73 centimeters (12 to 28.5 inches); light brown (7.5YR 6/3) very gravelly sandy loam, brown (7.5YR 5/3) moist; moderate medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine and fine interstitial pores; 3 percent distinct, strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) clay films on ped faces; 10 percent, medium, prominent, very pale brown (10YR 8/2) irregular calcium carbonate masses in the matrix with clear boundaries, and 5 percent, medium, prominent, very pale brown (10YR 8/2) calcium carbonate masses on the bottom of rock fragments and 10 percent, medium, prominent, very pale brown (10YR 8/2) weakly cemented calcium carbonate nodules in the matrix; 20 percent, prominent, irregular, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) silica masses on bottom of rock fragments; 40 percent medium and coarse gravel; violently effervescent (6.5 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); neutral (pH 7.3); gradual wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the Btkq horizon is 65 to 96 centimeters)

2Bkq -- 73 to 142 centimeters (28.5 to 56 inches); light brown (7.5YR 6/3) gravelly sand, brown (7.5YR 5/3) moist; single grain; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; 3 percent, fine, prominent, very pale brown (10YR 8/2) moderately cemented calcium carbonate nodules in the matrix with sharp boundaries; 25 percent, distinct, yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) silica coats on bottom of rock fragments and 20 percent, prominent, irregular, yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) silica masses on bottom of rock fragments; 20 percent fine gravel and 10 percent medium and coarse gravel; very slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 80 centimeters thick)

2Bkqm -- 142 to 152 centimeters (56 to 60 inches); white (10YR 8/1) nearly continuous, strongly cemented duripan, gravelly sand when crushed and sieved, light gray (10YR 7/2) moist; massive; rigid, nonsticky and nonplastic; violently effervescent (35 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); moderately alkaline (pH 8.3); abrupt smooth boundary. (10 to 25 centimeters thick)

3Bk -- 152 to 175 centimeters (60 to 70 inches); pale brown (10YR 6/3) fine sand, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; massive; moderately hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; very few very fine irregular pores; 3 percent, fine, prominent, very pale brown (10YR 8/2) moderately cemented, calcium carbonate nodules in the matrix with sharp boundaries; violently effervescent (3 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); moderately alkaline (pH 8.3).

TYPE LOCATION: Riverside County, California; approximately 1.68 kilometers (1 mile) northwest of the junction of Desert Center-Rice and MWD Agueduct Roads along the MWD Aqueduct Road and approximately 10 meters (33 feet) south of the MWD Aqueduct Road; 245 meters (805 feet) east and 530 meters (1,738 feet) north of the SW corner of section 21, T. 4 S., R. 16 E., San Bernardino Base and Meridian; 33 degrees, 48 minutes and 23.8 seconds north latitude and 115 degrees, 18 minutes and 47.4 seconds west longitude; USGS East of Victory Pass 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle; UTM 11S 0656139e 3741989n (DTM: NAD83).

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:

Soil moisture control section: usually dry throughout, rarely moist in some
parts during winter, summer and early fall. The soils have a typic-aridic
soil moisture regime.

Soil temperature: 25 to 28 degrees C (77 to 82 F).
Surface rock fragments: 95 to 100 percent; with 15 to 75 percent fine gravel,
15 to 50 percent medium and coarse gravel, 1 to 30 percent cobbles and 0
to 15 percent stones.

Control section
Rock fragments: averages 40 to 60 percent; gravel, cobbles and stones.
Clay content: averages 10 to 18 percent.
Organic matter: 0 to 0.25 percent.
Depth to the upper boundary of an argillic horizon: 3 to 25 centimeters (1 to
10 inches).
Depth to the upper boundary of a calcic horizon: 6 to 10 centimeters (2 to 4
inches).
Depth to the upper boundary of a duripan: 100 to 150 centimeters (40 to 60
inches).

C horizon
95 to 100 percent rock fragments; 15 to 75 percent fine gravel, 15 to 50 percent medium and coarse gravel, 1 to 30 percent cobbles and 0 to 15 percent stones.

A horizon
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR.
Chroma: 3 or 4, dry or moist.
Texture of the fine earth: loamy fine sand, sandy loam or fine sandy loam.
Clay content: 5 to 15 percent.
Rock fragments: 15 to 75 percent; with 10 to 60 percent gravel, 0 to 10
percent cobbles and 0 to 5 percent stones.
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 5 to 10 percent.
Reaction: slightly or moderately alkaline.
Other features: some horizons are characterized by vesicular pores.

(2)Btk or Btkq horizons
Hue: 5YR or 7.5YR.
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist.
Chroma: 3 to 6, dry or moist.
Texture of the fine earth: coarse sandy loam, sandy loam or loam.
Clay content: 8 to 18 percent.
Rock fragments: 40 to 65 percent; with 40 to 65 percent gravel, 0 to 10
percent cobbles and 0 to 5 percent stones.
Effervescence: very slightly to violently effervescent.
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 5 to 10 percent.
Reaction: neutral to moderately alkaline.
Visible secondary carbonates: 0 to 5 percent coats on rock fragments and 0 to 15 percent nodules or masses within the matrix.
Silica: 0 to 30 percent silica as masses or coats on bottom of rock
fragments.

(2)Bk, Bkq, Bkqm or (3)Bk horizons
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR.
Value: 6 to 8 dry, 4 to 7 moist.
Chroma: 1 to 4 dry, 2 to 4 moist.
Texture of the fine earth: sand, fine sand or loamy coarse sand.
Clay content: 1 to 8 percent.
Rock fragments: 0 to 75 percent; with 0 to 60 percent gravel and 0 to 15
percent cobbles.
Effervescence: very slightly to violently effervescent.
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 0 to 35 percent.
Reaction: slightly or moderately alkaline.
Visible secondary carbonates: 0 to 5 percent coats on rock fragments
and 0 to 15 percent nodules or masses within the matrix.
Silica: 0 to 30 percent silica as masses or coats on bottom of rock
fragments.
Cementation: noncemented to strongly cemented matrix.

COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series at this time.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Roostertail soils are on fan remnants. Slopes range from 0 to 4 percent. These soils formed in eolian deposits from granitoid and/or metamorphic rocks over alluvium from granitoid and/or metamorphic rocks. Elevations range from 150 to 385 meters (492 to 1,263 feet). The climate is arid, with hot, dry summers and warm, dry winters. The mean annual precipitation is 50 to 100 millimeters (2 to 4 inches) and the mean annual air temperature is 23 to 26 degrees C (73.5 to 79 degrees F). The frost-free season is 360 to 365 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Deprave, Kenalduma, Rizzo and Rockhound soils. Deprave, Kenalduma and Rockhound soils are on similar landscape positions. Deprave and Kenalduma soils have a duripan with an upper boundary between 50 and 100 and 18 and 50 centimeters from the soil surface, respectively. Rockhound soils have an argillic horizon and do not have a duripan. Rizzo soils are in adjacent washes, inset fans and fan aprons and have sandy-skeletal particle-size control sections and no diagnostic horizons.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Well drained; very low or low runoff; high saturated hydraulic conductivity above and within the argillic horizon and moderately low saturated hydraulic conductivity within the duripan.

USE AND VEGETATION: Roostertail soils are used for recreation and wildlife habitat. The present vegetation is mainly very sparse creosote bush, iron wood, palo verde and burrobush.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Colorado Desert of southeastern California. MLRA 31. These soils are of small extent.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: PHOENIX, ARIZONA

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Riverside County, California; Soil Survey of Joshua Tree National Park, 2012. The name is coined.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features in this pedon include:

C horizon - from a depth of 0 to 2 centimeters.
Ochric epipedon - from a depth of 2 to 6 centimeters (A horizon).
Argillic horizon - from a depth of 6 to 73 centimeters (2Btkq horizons).
Calcic horizon - from a depth of 6 to 142 centimeters (2Btkq and 2Bk
horizons).
Duripan - from a depth of 142 to 152 centimeters (2Bkqm horizon).
Particle-size control section - from a depth of 6 to 56 centimeters (2Btkq1,
2Btkq2 and part of the 2Btkq3 horizon).

ADDITIONAL DATA: NASIS Pedon User ID: EOVP12.

Responsibility for this series was transferred from Davis to Phoenix 12/2015. The last revision to the series was 5/2012. ET

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.