LOCATION SHERMAN CA

Established Series
JBB/CES
09/2021

SHERMAN SERIES

The Sherman series consists of very deep, moderately well drained soils formed in alluvium and slope alluvium derived from granodiorite, granite, and schist. The Sherman soils are stream terraces and drainageways on mountain slopes of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Slopes range from 3 to 30 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 1110 mm and the mean annual air temperature is about 8 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, isotic, mesic Vitrandic Dystroxerepts

TYPICAL PEDON: Sherman coarse sandy loam on a southeast facing (130 degree), 12 percent slope under giant sequoia and white fir forest at an elevation of 2081 meters. (Colors are for dry soils unless otherwise noted. When described on June 28, 2016 the soil was moist to 190 cm and saturated below 190cm.)

Oe--0 to 4 cm; very dark brown (7.5YR 2.5/2) moderately decomposed plant material, black (7.5YR 2.5/1) moist; few very fine, fine, and medium roots throughout; many very fine irregular pores; neutral (pH 7.0); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 10 cm thick) Lab sample # 16N09746

A1--4 to 20 cm; brown (7.5YR 4/4) coarse sandy loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) moist; 68 percent sand; 24 percent silt; 8 percent clay; moderate very fine subangular blocky structure; hard, very friable, slightly sticky, nonplastic; common very fine and fine, many medium, and few coarse roots throughout; common very fine and fine tubular pores; NaF pH 10.5; neutral (pH 6.8); clear smooth boundary. Lab sample # 16N09747

A2--20 to 52 cm; brown (7.5YR 5/4) sandy loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) moist; 67 percent sand; 25 percent silt; 8 percent clay; moderate very fine and fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky, nonplastic; few very fine and fine, and many medium and coarse roots throughout; common very fine and fine tubular pores; NaF pH 10.6; slightly acid (pH 6.4); clear smooth boundary. (combined thickness of A horizons is 10 to 50 cm) Lab sample # 16N09748

Bw1--52 to 83 cm; brown (7.5YR 5/4) coarse sandy loam, brown (7.5YR 4/3) moist; 69 percent sand; 20 percent silt; 11 percent clay; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky, nonplastic; few very fine and fine, many medium and very coarse, and common coarse roots throughout; common very fine and fine, and common medium tubular pores; NaF pH 10.1; strongly acid (pH 5.5); clear smooth boundary. Lab sample # 16N09749

Bw2--83 to 119 cm; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) sandy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; 70 percent sand; 18 percent silt; 12 percent clay; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky, nonplastic; few very fine and fine, many medium, and common coarse and very coarse roots throughout; common very fine tubular and common fine tubular and common medium tubular pores; NaF pH 8.9; strongly acid (pH 5.3); clear smooth boundary. (combined thickness of upper Bw horizons is 40 to 100 cm) Lab sample # 16N09750

Bw3--119 to 150 cm; brown (10YR 4/3) sandy loam, light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) moist; 67 percent sand; 20 percent silt; 14 percent clay; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky, nonplastic; few very fine and fine, many medium, and common coarse roots throughout; common very fine, fine, and medium tubular pores; 20 percent medium prominent irregular dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) moist, masses of oxidized iron with diffuse boundaries in matrix; NaF pH 8.9; strongly acid (pH 5.3); gradual smooth boundary. Lab sample # 16N09751

Bw4--150 to 190 cm; light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/3) loamy coarse sand, light olive brown (2.5Y 5/3) moist; 86 percent sand; 7 percent silt; 7 percent clay; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; few very fine and fine, and common medium roots throughout; many very fine interstitial pores; 5 percent medium prominent dendritic yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) moist, masses of oxidized iron with sharp boundaries on surfaces along root channels and 15 percent medium prominent irregular yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) moist, masses of oxidized iron with sharp boundaries in matrix; NaF pH 8.8; moderately acid (pH 5.6); clear smooth boundary. (combined thickness of lower Bw horizons is 30 to 75 cm) Lab sample # 16N09752

C--190 to 207 cm; light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/3) coarse sand, olive brown (2.5Y 4/3) moist; 88 percent sand; 8 percent silt; 4 percent clay; structureless massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; few very fine, fine, and medium roots throughout; common very fine irregular pores; NaF pH 8.7; moderately acid (pH 5.8). Lab sample # 16N09753

TYPE LOCATION: Tulare County, California, Giant Forest, Dead Giant; USGS 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle: Giant Forest, California; WGS84 36.556436 latitude and -118.753854 longitude; UTM zone 11 4047099 meters N 343041 meters E WGS84.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil temperature: The mean annual soil temperature at 50 cm is 7 to 12 degrees C and the difference between mean summer and mean winter soil temperature is greater than 6 degrees C. The soils have a mesic temperature regime.

Soil moisture: The soils have a xeric soil moisture regime. The soil moisture control section is dry in all parts from about August to October (about 90 days).

Diagnostic Feature(s):
Ochric epipedon thickness: 18 cm
Cambic horizon thickness: 50 to 100 cm

Organic matter: less than 5 percent in the epipedon

Base saturation: less than 50 percent (by ammonium acetate)

Acid-oxalate extractable Al plus 1/2 Fe: 0.4 to 1.0 percent (by weight) to a depth of 100 cm.

Volcanic glass: 5 to 30 percent in the 0.02 to 2.0 mm fraction in an 18 cm thick layer within a depth of 75 cm from the mineral soil surface

Depth to redoximorphic features: 100 to 150 cm

Particle size control section weighted average:
Rock fragments: 0 to 35 percent, with 0 to 35 percent gravel.
Clay content: 4 to 15 percent
NaF pH: 8.5 to 11.0

A horizon(s)
Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR
Value: 3 to 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 3 to 6 dry, 2 to 4 moist
Texture: loamy sand, loamy fine sand, coarse sandy loam, sandy loam
Clay content: 3 to 15 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 35 percent gravel
Reaction: strongly acid to neutral

Upper Bw horizon (Bw1)
Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR
Value: 4 to 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 3 or 4, dry or moist
Texture: coarse sandy loam, sandy loam, fine sandy loam
Clay content: 4 to 16 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 35 percent gravel
Reaction: strongly acid to neutral

Lower Bw horizon(s)
Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR
Value: 5 to 7 dry, 3 to 5 moist
Chroma: 4 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Texture: loamy coarse sand, coarse sandy loam, sandy loam
Clay content: 3 to 16 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 35 percent gravel
Reaction: very strongly acid to neutral

C horizon
Hue: 10YR, 2.5Y
Value: 6 or 7 dry, 4 to 6 moist
Chroma: 1 to 4, dry or moist
Texture: sandy loam, coarse sandy loam, loamy sand, loamy coarse sand, coarse sand, sand
Clay content: 2 to 15 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 35 percent gravel
Reaction: very strongly acid to slightly acid

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Elcapitan, Gilligan (MLRA 5), Harstine (MLRA 2), Leidig, Poulsbo (MLRA 2), Sentinel, Sulsavar (MLRA 2), Tenino (MLRA 2), and Vader (MLRA 1) soils. Elcapitan soils are on channels and floodplains and are somewhat poorly drained. Gilligan soils are on stream terraces, are dry for less than 60 days and are well drained. Harstine soils are on ridges and have a densic contact between 50 and 100 cm. Leidig soils are on channels and floodplains and are somewhat poorly drained. Poulsbo soils are on upland till and have a cemented pan between 50 and 100 cm. Sulsavar soils are on alluvial fans and terraces and are well drained. Tenino soils are on terminal moraines and have a cemented pam between 50 and 100 cm. Vader soils formed in sandstone foothills, are dry for less than 60 days, and are well drained.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Sherman soils are on concave footslopes of stream terraces and drainageways on mountain slopes. Slopes range from 3 to 30 percent. These soils formed in alluvium and slope alluvium derived from granodiorite, granite, and schist. Elevation is 1385 to 2350 meters. The climate is Mediterranean with warm, dry summers and cool, moist winters. The mean annual precipitation is 885 to 1170 mm and the mean annual air temperature is 7 to 13 degrees C. The frost-free season is 105 to 200 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Gratwell soils. The Gratwell soils are on broadly concave backslopes of mountain slopes and are well drained.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Moderately well drained, high saturated hydraulic conductivity. Seasonal high water table from 100 to 150 cm

USE AND VEGETATION: This soil is used for recreation, wildlife habitat, and watershed. Vegetation is giant sequoia, white fir, sugar pine, incense cedar, and chinquapin.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Sierra Nevada Mountains of California; MLRA 22A. These soils are of limited extent.

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

SERIES PROPOSED: Tulare County, California in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Source of name from the General Sherman Tree in Sequoia National Park.

REMARKS:
Particle Size Control Section for this pedon: 29 to 104 cm
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric Epipedon 0 to 18 cm
Cambic Horizon 52 to 150 cm
Redox Concentrations 119 to 190 cm

ADDITIONAL DATA:
Pedon information for this type location only:
Pedon Type: OSD pedon Lab Source ID: KSSL
Pedon Purpose: soil survey inventory Lab Pedon #: 16N2140
NASIS User Pedon ID: S2016CA107001

Soil classified using the 12th Edition of the Keys to Soil Taxonomy.

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.