LOCATION UBAJ CAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Ultic Haploxeralfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Ubaj sandy loam on a south facing (180 degree), 6 percent slope at an elevation of 1936 meters. When described on 09/16/1968 the soil was dry throughout. Colors are for dry soils unless otherwise noted.
Oi--0 to 1 cm; slightly decomposed plant material;
A1--1 to 6 cm; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate medium platy structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine roots throughout; few very fine tubular and many micro interstitial and tubular pores; strongly acid, pH 5.5 by Hellige-Truog; abrupt smooth boundary.
A2--6 to 19 cm; brown (10YR 5/3) sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate medium platy structure; slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine through coarse roots throughout; few very fine tubular and common micro tubular and interstitial pores; moderately acid, pH 5.7 by Hellige-Truog; clear smooth boundary. (The combined thickness of the A horizons is 10 to 25 cm thick)
BA--19 to 44 cm; pale brown (10YR 6/3) sandy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine through coarse roots throughout; few fine and common micro tubular pores; strongly acid, pH 5.5 by Hellige-Truog; gradual smooth boundary. (13 to 38 cm thick)
Bt1--44 to 70 cm; pale brown (10YR 6/3) sandy clay loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; structureless massive; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine through coarse roots throughout; common micro tubular and interstitial pores; clay bridges on surfaces along pores; moderately acid, pH 5.7 by Hellige-Truog; clear wavy boundary. (13 to 38 cm thick)
2Bt2--70 to 108 cm; pale brown (10YR 6/3) clay loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; moderate coarse platy parting to moderate fine angular blocky structure; very hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine through coarse roots throughout; few very fine and common micro tubular pores; prominent clay films on all faces of peds; few fine prominent yellowish red (5YR 5/6), dry, and yellowish red (5YR 4/6), moist, and strong brown (7.5YR 5/6), dry, and strong brown (7.5YR 5/6), moist, masses of oxidized iron; strongly acid, pH 5.5 by Hellige-Truog; clear wavy boundary.
2Bt3--108 to 126 cm; light gray (10YR 7/2) clay, pale brown (10YR 6/3) moist; moderate coarse prismatic structure; extremely hard, very firm, slightly sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine through coarse roots throughout; few micro tubular pores; prominent clay films on all faces of peds; strong brown (7.5YR 5/6), moist, and yellowish red (5YR 5/8), dry, and yellowish red (5YR 5/6), moist, and strong brown (7.5YR 5/6), dry, masses of oxidized iron; strongly acid, pH 5.6 by Hellige-Truog; abrupt wavy boundary. (the combined thickness of the 2Bt horizons is 50 to 89 cm thick)
2C--126 to 306 cm; white (N 8/0) clay, light gray (10YR 7/2) moist; massive; extremely hard, very firm,; slightly sticky and moderately plastic; few faint yellowish brown (10YR 5/4), moist, and brown (10YR 5/3), dry, masses of oxidized iron; slightly acid, pH 6.5 by Hellige-Truog;
TYPE LOCATION: El Dorado County, CA, 792 meters E, 183 meters S of the NW corner of Section 15, Township 12 N., Range 18 E., 38 degrees 53 minutes, 33 seconds North latitude, and 119 degrees, 58 minutes, 35 seconds West longitude, NAD83 - U.S.G.S Quad: South Lake Tahoe, California.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: usually dry for 45 to 75 consecutive days in late summer, moist rest of year. These soils have a typic xeric moisture regime.
Water features:
Seasonal high water table: During spring runoff water moving through the profile is slowed down on top of the lacustrine material. (20 to 40 inches)
Depth to lacustrine sediments: 50 to 100 cm
Base saturation: 35 to 55 percent. (By amonium acetate)
Control section:
Rock fragments: can range up to 14 percent above the discontinuity and are absent below.
Clay content: averages 25 to 35 percent clay
Mineralogy: mixed
A horizons:
Hue: 10YR, 2.5Y
Value: 5 or 6 dry; 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3 dry; 3 or 4 moist
Organic matter: 2 to 8 percent
Texture of the fine earth fraction: Sandy loam
Reaction: pH strongly to moderately acid
Bt1 horizon:
Hue: 10YR
Value: 6 dry; 4 moist
Chroma: 3 dry; 3 moist
Organic matter: 0.5 to 2 percent
Texture of the fine earth fraction: Sandy clay loam
Reaction: pH strongly to moderately acid
2Bt2 horizon(s):
Hue: 10YR
Value: 6 dry; 5 moist
Chroma: 3 dry; 4 moist
Organic matter: 0.25 to 1.5 percent
Redoximorphic features: Masses of oxidized iron
Texture of the fine earth fraction: Clay loam
Reaction: pH strongly to moderately acid
2Bt3 horizon(s):
Hue: 10YR
Value: 7 dry; 6 moist
Chroma: 2 dry; 3 moist
Organic matter: 0.1 to 1 percent
Redoximorphic features: Masses of oxidized iron
Texture of the fine earth fraction: Clay
Reaction: pH strongly to moderately acid
2C horizon(s):
Hue: N, 10YR
Value: 8 dry; 7 moist
Chroma: 0 dry; 2 moist
Organic matter: 0 to 0.75 percent
Redoximorphic features: Masses of oxidized iron
Texture of the fine earth fraction: Clay
Reaction: pH slightly acid to neutral
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Cavendish, Kaiders, Martis, Teanaway, Wafla, and Wintoner soils. None of the competing series are described as overlying lacustrine material. In addition, Cavendish has paralithic contact at 40 to 60 inches and is derived from basalt. Kaiders is derived from basalt and has gravels in the lower part. Martis has gravels in the lower part and has volcanic parent material. Teanaway is at elevations less than 762 meters and has a frost free period of greater than 80 days and has a base saturation of 55 to 75 percent. Wafla is overlying weathered basalt at 100 to 178 cm and Wintoner lacks free water in the profile and is at elevations less that 701 meters.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Ubaj soils are on outwash plains and terraces. Slopes range from 0 to 9 percent. These soils formed in colluvium and/or outwash derived from granodiorite over lacustrine deposits. Elevation is 1895 to 1990 meters. The climate is subhumid with warm dry summers and cold wet winters. The mean annual precipitation is 580 to 990 millimeters and the mean annual air temperature is 5 to 7 degrees C. The frost free season is 40 to 90 days
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Jabu and Christopher soils. The Jabu soils are coarse-loamy and do not have lacustrine materials and the Christopher soils are sandy and do not have an argillic horizon or lacustrine deposits.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Moderately well drained, moderate permeability above and slow within the lacustrine deposits, medium runoff. During spring runoff water moving through the profile is slowed down on top of the lacustrine material. Perched water table is at 50 to 100 cm for brief periods during spring snow melt. Ubaj soils are not flooded or ponded.
USE AND VEGETATION: This soil is used for recreation wildlife and urban development. Vegetation is white fir and Jeffrey pine with an understory of green leaf manzanita, whitethorn ceonothus, and mahala mat.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Ubaj is of minor extent in California in MLRA 22A -- Sierra Nevada Mountains
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California
SERIES ESTABLISHED: El Dorado County, (Tahoe Basin area), Nevada, 2007. Name is coined.
REMARKS:
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Particle Size Control Section for this pedon: 44 to 94 cm (the Bt1 and portions of the 2Bt2 horizons)
Argillic horizon: 44 to 126 cm (the Bt1, 2Bt2, and the 2Bt3)