LOCATION STRAHLE CATentative Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy, mixed, superactive, thermic, shallow Mollic Haploxeralfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Strahle gravelly sandy loam, on a mountain slope of 38 percent under annual grasses, blue oak, ceanothus, and goldenbush, at 3,240 feet elevation. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise indicated. When described (8/22/90) the soil was dry throughout.)
A-- 0 to 4 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) gravelly sandy loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) moist; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and few fine roots; common very fine interstitial pores; 14 percent gravel, 5 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 7.2); clear smooth boundary. (2 to 6 inches thick)
ABt-- 4 to 7 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) gravelly sandy loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine roots; few very fine interstitial and few very fine tubular pores; few thin clay films bridging mineral grains; 13 percent gravel, 3 percent cobbles; moderately alkaline (pH 7.8); gradual smooth boundary. (0 to 6 inches thick)
Bt2-- 7 to 12 inches; brown (10YR 4/4) gravelly sandy clay loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and plastic; common very fine roots; few very fine interstitial and common tubular pores; common thin clay films bridging mineral grains and few moderately thick clay films in pores; 12 percent gravel, 4 percent cobbles; moderately alkaline (pH 7.8); clear wavy boundary. (4 to 14 inches thick)
R-- 12 inches; hard, fractured andesitic rock.
TYPE LOCATION: Kern County, California; about 1,900 feet north and 2,300 feet east of the southwest corner of Sec. 16, T.30S., R.33E., MDB&M, Loraine Quadrange; lat. 35 degrees 18 minutes 54 seconds N and long. 118 degrees 25 minutes 42 seconds W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: Usually dry in all parts from May 15
through November 1 (about 165 days). It is
periodically moist in some part from November
1 to May 15 (about 200 days) and moist in all
parts for about 115 consecutive days when the
soil temperature is above 46 degrees F
Soil temperature: 59 to 63 degrees F.
Particle size control section:
Texture: gravelly sandy clay loam
Percent clay: 19 to 30 percent
Rock fragments:20 to 35 percent gravel
0 to 10 percent cobbles
Depth to bedrock:10 to 20 inches
Some pedons have a thin (3 inch thick) Cr horizon
above the R
Reaction: neutral or slightly alkaline
A horizon
Hue: 10YR, 7.5YR, or 5YR
Value: 3, 4 or 5; 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3 dry or moist.
Texture: gravelly sandy loam, gravelly coarse sandy loam
Bt horizon
Hue: 10YR, 7.5YR or 5YR
Value: 4, or 5; 2, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 2, 3, or 4 dry or moist
Texture: gravelly sandy clay loam and gravelly clay loam
COMPETING SERIES: This is the
Millerton series. Millerton soils have less than 15 percent gravel and the Bt horizon has texture
of fine sandy loam or loam.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Strahle soils are on mountain slopes of 15 to 75 percent slope. These soils formed in material weathered mainly from volcanic rock and/or granitic rock. In some areas volcanic and granitic rocks are interbedded. Volcanic rocks are mainly andesite and rhyolite. Other rocks include calcareous metamorphic rocks that occur as outcrops and dikes. Elevations are 3,000 to 5,000 feet. The average annual precipitation is about 10 to 20 inches. The mean January temperature is about 47 to 56 degrees F., mean July temperature is about 71 to 80 degrees F., the mean annual temperature is 57 to 62 degrees F. The frost-free period is about 175 to 225 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Arujo, Backcanyon, Sesame, Tunis and Tweedy soils. Arujo soils are deep to rock. Backcanyon soils are calcareous and lack an argillic horizon. Sesame soils are moderately deep to rock. Tunis soils lack an argillic horizon. Tweedy soils are moderately deep and have a mesic temperature regime.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: well drained; rapid runoff; moderately slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: This soil is used for livestock grazing, and wildlife habitat. The natural vegetation is mostly blue oak, annual grasses, juniper, goldenbush, ceonothus, and scattered digger pine.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southern Sierra Nevada Range in California. The series is of small extent. MLRA is 18.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California
SERIES PROPOSED: Kern County, California 1995; Kern County, Northeastern Part and Southeastern Part of Tulare County Soil Survey. The name is taken from the Strahle homestead.
REMARKS:
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon:
1. Ochric epipedon 0 to 4 inches (A)
2. Argillic horizon 4 to 12 inches (ABt, Bt)