LOCATION VALLEGOLD               CA

Established Series
LJL/MEB/NS
02/2025

VALLEGOLD SERIES

The Vallegold series consists of shallow to bedrock, well drained soils that formed in colluvium and residuum weathered from granitoid. The Vallegold soils are on rock pediments. Slopes range from 4 to 15 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 225 mm, and the mean annual temperature is about 14 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy, mixed, superactive, thermic, shallow Ustic Haplargids

TYPICAL PEDON: Vallegold sandy loam, on a southwest facing, 8 percent slope under rangeland at an elevation of 1521 meters. (Colors are for dry soils unless otherwise noted. 4/6/2014 actual site observation date.) The soil surface is covered by approximately 15 percent fine gravel, 17 percent medium and coarse gravel, 8 percent cobbles.

A--0 to 4 cm (0 to 2 inches); dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3), moist; moderate thick platy structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine roots throughout; common very fine irregular pores; 7 percent fine gravel, 3 percent medium and coarse gravel, 1 percent cobbles; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); clear smooth boundary. (3 to 7 cm thick)

Bt--4 to 40 cm (2 to 16 inches); reddish brown (5YR 4/4) clay loam, reddish brown (5YR 4/4), moist; weak very coarse subangular blocky structure parts to moderate coarse; very hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few fine roots throughout; few fine tubular and common very fine tubular pores; 5 percent prominent reddish brown (5YR 4/3), dry, clay films between sand grains and 5 percent prominent reddish brown (5YR 4/3), dry, clay films on rock fragments and 15 percent prominent reddish brown (5YR 4/3), dry, clay films on all faces of peds; 3 percent fine gravel, 2 percent medium and coarse gravel; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear wavy boundary. (20 to 45 cm thick)

Cr--40 to 90 cm (16 to 35 inches); very weakly coherent granitoid bedrock (fractures 10 to <45 cm apart); gradual wavy boundary. (40 to 75 cm thick)

R--90 to 115 cm (35 to 45 inches); very strongly coherent granitoid bedrock (fractures 45 to <100 cm apart).

TYPE LOCATION: San Bernardino County, California; about 4 miles north of the Hole-in-the-Wall Fire Center in the northeast part of Gold Valley; approximately 160 feet east and 520 feet south of the northwest corner of section 28, T. 12 N., R. 15 E., San Bernardino Baseline and Meridian; USGS Columbia Mountain, California 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle; 35 degrees, 5 minutes, 50.80 seconds north latitude and 115 degrees, 23 minutes, 3.50 seconds west longitude; UTM zone 11 647266e, 3885045n, NAD83.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: Usually dry, moist in some part from December to March and intermittently moist for 10 to 20 days during July to September following summer convection storms; aridic moisture regime that borders on ustic.

Soil temperature: 15 to 18 degrees C. (59 to 64 degrees F)
Depth to argillic horizon: 3 to 7 cm
Depth to paralithic materials: 25 to 50 cm

Control section
Rock fragments: 0 to 35 percent
Clay content: Averages 18 to 30 percent

A horizon
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 2 to 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Clay content: 5 to 12 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 15 percent
Reaction: Neutral or slightly alkaline

Bt horizon
Hue: 5YR, 7.5YR or 10YR
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 3 or 4 dry and moist
Texture of the fine earth: Loam or clay loam
Clay content: 18 to 30 percent
Reaction: Neutral or slightly alkaline

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Brunkcow (AZ) and Oracle (AZ) series. Brunkcow soils have hard bedrock within 50 cm of the soil surface. Oracle soils do not have hard bedrock within 150 cm of the soil surface.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Vallegold soils are on rock pediments. Slopes range from 4 to 15 percent. The soils formed in colluvium and residuum weathered from granitoid. Elevation ranges from 1300 to 1700 meters. The mean annual precipitation is 200 to 250 mm. The mean annual temperature is about 13 to 16 degrees C. The frost-free period is 180 to 240 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Cetrepass, Rocksalad taxadjunct, and Vegasglow soils. Cetrepas soils are loamy-skeletal and have a mesic soil temperature regime. Rocksalad soils are sandy-skeletal and have a mesic soil temperature regime. Vegasglow soils are loamy-skeletal and have a lithic contact.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Well drained; high runoff; moderately low saturated hydraulic conductivity.

USE AND VEGETATION: Vallegold soils are used for recreation and wildlife habitat. Native vegetation is black brush, desert bitterbrush, and banana yucca.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Mojave Basin and Range of California, U.S.A.; MLRA 30. The series is of small extent.

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

SERIES PROPOSED: San Bernardino County, California, Soil Survey of Mojave National Preserve Area, California, 2023. The name is coined from Gold Valley.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features in this pedon include:

Ochric epipedon - the zone from 0 to 4 cm. (A horizon)
Argillic horizon - the zone from 4 to 40 cm. (Bt horizon)
Paralithic materials - the zone from 40 to 90 cm. (Cr horizon)
Lithic contact - the zone from 90 to 115 cm. (R horizon)
Particle size control section - the zone from 4 to 40 cm. (Bt horizon)

ADDITIONAL DATA: NASIS User Site ID: 2014CA0713042.

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.