LOCATION SCARFACE CAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Medial, mixed, mesic Alfic Vitrixerands
TYPICAL PEDON: Scarface sandy loam on a southwest facing 2 percent slope under a cover of Jeffrey pine, white fir and greenleaf manzanita at an elevation of 4,360 feet. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated. When described May 16, 1984, the soil was dry throughout).
Oi--2 to 0 inches; partially decomposed white fir and pine needles; abrupt smooth boundary.
A1--0 to 4 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) sandy loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; moderate fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine roots; many very fine interstitial pores; 10 percent gravel; NaF pH 10.3; slightly acid (pH 6.2); clear smooth boundary. (4 to 5 inches thick).
A2--4 to 10 inches; strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) sandy loam, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/4) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine roots; many very fine interstitial pores; 10 percent gravel; NaF pH 10.3; slightly acid (pH 6.2); clear smooth boundary. (5 to 7 inches thick).
2Bw--10 to 16 inches; strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) sandy loam, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/4) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common medium and few very fine roots; many very fine interstitial pores; 10 percent gravel; NaF pH 9.9; slightly acid (pH 6.2); clear smooth boundary. (5 to 7 inches thick).
2Bt1--16 to 24 inches; strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) sandy loam, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/4) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; many coarse and common medium roots; common very fine tubular pores; few thin clay films in pores; 10 percent gravel; NaF pH 9.8; slightly acid (pH 6.2); clear smooth boundary. (6 to 10 inches thick).
2Bt2--24 to 37 inches; strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) gravelly sandy clay loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine and medium roots; many very fine and coarse tubular pores; many thin clay films in pores and common thin clay films on ped faces; 20 percent gravel; NaF pH 9.8; slightly acid (pH 6.2); gradual smooth boundary. (0 to 13 inches thick).
2Bt3--37 to 52 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) gravelly sandy clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist; moderate fine angular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine and fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; many thick clay films in pores and common thick clay films on ped faces; 20 percent gravel, 10 percent cobbles; NaF pH 9.7; slightly acid (pH 6.2); gradual smooth boundary. (15 to 25 inches thick).
2Bt4--52 to 65 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) gravelly sandy clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist; moderate fine angular blocky structure; very hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine and fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; many thick clay films in pores and common thick clay films on ped faces; 30 percent gravel; NaF pH 9.7; slightly acid (pH 6.2); gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 7 inches thick).
2Bt5--65 to 84 inches; brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) gravelly clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; moderate fine angular blocky structure; very hard, firm, sticky and plastic; few very fine and fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; many thick clay films in pores and on ped faces; 30 percent gravel; NaF pH 9.8; slightly acid (pH 6.2); gradual wavy boundary.
TYPE LOCATION: Modoc County, California; about 7.25 miles north of Day to the intersection of Lookout-Hackamore Rd. and Loveness Logging Rd., 14 miles southwest on Loveness Logging Rd. 0.3 miles south on road 9.71L, 75 feet west of the road; 1,800 feet east and 1,500 feet north of the southwest corner of sec. 4, T. 40 N., R. 5 E., Whitehorse SW (Whitehorse) quadrangle (7.5 minute series).
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature is 47 to 52 degrees F. The soil temperature exceeds 41 degrees F.from mid March to late December and exceeds 47 degrees F. from early May to early December. The soil moisture control section is dry in all parts from early July to mid October (ranges 110 to 140 days) and is moist in all parts from early December to early June. The particle size control section (16 to 36 inches) averages from 18 to 27 percent clay and 15 to 20 percent rock fragments, mostly gravel. Base saturation by sum of cations ranges from 35 to 50 percent. Organic matter ranges from 1.1 to 6.0 percent to a depth of 16 inches. Reaction is slightly acid or neutral. Aluminum and 1/2 iron (by ammonium oxalate) range from 2.0 to 3.0. Volcanic glass content ranges from 10 to 15 percent.
The A horizon color is 10YR 4/4, 5/4; 7.5YR 4/4, 5/4, 5/3, 5/6; 5YR 3/4, or 4/4. Moist color is 10YR 2/2, 3/2; 7.5YR 3/2, 3/4; 5YR 3/3,or 3/4. Clay ranges from 12 to 15 percent. Rock fragments, mostly gravel, range from 10 to 15 percent. NaF pH is 11.5 to 10.3.
The 2Bw horizon color is 7.5YR 5/4, 5/6; or 5YR 4/4. Moist color is 5YR 3/4, 4/4; 7.5YR 3/4, or 4/4. Clay ranges from 12 to 15 percent. Rock fragments, mostly gravel range from 10 to 15 percent. NaF pH is 10.5 to 9.9.
The upper 2Bt horizon color is 7.5YR 5/4, 5/6; 5YR 4/4, 4/6, 5/4; or 10YR 5/6, 6/6. Moist color is 10YR 3/4, 4/4; 7.5YR 3/4, 4/4, 4/6; 5YR 3/4, or 4/4. Clay ranges from 15 to 27 percent. Rock fragments, mostly gravel, ranges from 5 to 20 percent and 5 to 10 percent cobbles. NaF pH is 10.0 to 9.5.
The lower Bt horizon color is 10YR 5/6, 6/6; 7.5YR 6/4, or 5/6. Moist color is 10YR 4/4; 7.5YR 3/4, 4/4, or 4/6. Clay ranges from 27 to 35 percent. Rock fragments, mostly gravel, range from 20 to 30 percent. NaF pH is 9.5 to 9.8.
Andic property data (see remarks for explanation):
Depth P-ret B.D. pH NaF Glass Alo Feo 15 barH20 0-4 94 0.97 10.4 10 1.84 1.70 14.2 4-10 93 1.01 10.4 10 1.35 1.46 13.5 10-16 93 0.85 10.3 10 0.98 1.51 13.2 16-24 ND 1.22 10.1 10 0.98 3.54 14.6 24-37 83 1.22 9.7 10 1.04 3.51 14.9 37-52 81 1.21 9.8 10 1.12 3.45 16.3 52-65 81 1.29 9.8 10 0.74 2.31 18.0 65-84 79 1.26 9.8 10 0.92 3.53 19.4
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series in this family.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Scarface soils are on plateaus and hills. Slopes are 2 to 50 percent. These soils formed in material from extrusive igneous rock and ashfalls (tephra). Elevation is 3,000 to 5,100 feet. The climate is subhumid with warm, dry summers and cold, moist winters. Mean annual precipitation is 25 to 50 inches. Snowfall is 48 to 60 inches. The mean annual temperature is 45 to 48 degrees F. The mean January temperature is about 32 degrees F. The mean July temperature is about 65 degrees F. Frost-free season is 80 to 100 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Gasper, Jimmerson and Winnibulli series. Gasper soils are loamy-skeletal. Jimmerson soils are on lava plateaus, are greater than 60 inches deep and have 35 to 50 percent clay in the lower Bt horizon. Winnibulli soils are in meadows and have a seasonal high water table.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow to rapid runoff; moderately slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: This soil is used for timber production. The natural vegetation is Jeffrey pine, white fir, incense cedar, greenleaf manzanita, deerbrush, bush chinkapin, mountain whitethorn, idaho fescue, gooseberry, snowbrush ceauosthus.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Modoc Plateau, Northern California. The soils are moderately extensive. MLRA is 22.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Modoc County, Intermountain Soil Survey Area, California, 1994. Source of name is from Scarface Road.
REMARKS: Series reclassified on September, 1994. Competing series not reviewed at that time.
Diagnostic Horizons and features recognized in this pedon include:
Ochric epipedon - the zone from the soil surface to about 16 inches (A1, A2, Bw).
Argillic horizon - 16 to 84 inches (Bt1, Bt2, Bt3, Bt4, Bt5).
ADDITIONAL DATA: This pedon was sampled by Lincoln Laboratory in 1984. Pedon numbers are S84CA-049-001 and S84CA-049-002 unpublished.