LOCATION WARDSFERRY              CA

Established Series
SMM/JBB/JTW
12/2018

WARDSFERRY SERIES

The Wardsferry series consists of deep, well drained soils that formed in colluvium over residuum weathered from phyllite, schist, and other metasedimentary rocks. The Wardsferry soils are on foothills. Slopes range from 3 to 75 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 775 millimeters and the mean annual air temperature is about 15 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, active, thermic Ultic Haploxeralfs

TYPICAL PEDON: Wardsferry very fine sandy loam on a west-facing, linear, 20 percent slope under blue oak, interior live oak and annual grasses at an elevation of 572 meters. (Colors are for dry soils and pH is by Hellige-Truog unless otherwise noted. When described on June 11, 2008 the soil was dry throughout.)

Oi--0 to 2 cm; slightly decomposed plant material. (0 to 3 cm thick)

A--2 to 5 cm; brown (10YR 4/3) very fine sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; 19 percent clay; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky, slightly plastic; common very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine interstitial pores; 3 percent indurated metamorphic gravel, 5 percent moderately cemented phyllite paragravel; slightly acid (pH 6.2); clear smooth boundary. (3 to 18 cm thick)

AB--5 to 15 cm; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) very fine sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; 18 percent clay; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, nonsticky, slightly plastic; common very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine interstitial pores; 3 percent indurated metamorphic gravel, 5 percent moderately cemented phyllite paragravel; slightly acid (pH 6.2); clear wavy boundary. (9 to 18 cm thick)

Bt1--15 to 38 cm; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; 20 percent clay; strong very coarse prismatic parts to strong medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; moderately hard, friable, nonsticky, slightly plastic; common very fine roots; common very fine interstitial and common fine tubular pores; 2 percent faint clay films on all faces of peds; 3 percent indurated metamorphic gravel, 5 percent moderately cemented phyllite paragravel; moderately acid (pH 5.8); clear wavy boundary.

Bt2--38 to 55 cm; brown (7.5YR 5/4) paragravelly loam, brown (7.5YR 4/3) moist; 24 percent clay; strong medium subangular blocky structure; moderately hard, friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; common very fine roots; common very fine interstitial and common fine tubular pores; 5 percent distinct clay films on all faces of peds; 3 percent indurated metamorphic gravel, 25 percent moderately cemented phyllite paragravel; moderately acid (pH 5.8); abrupt wavy boundary. (combined thickness of the upper Bt horizons is 25 to 90 cm)

Bt3--55 to 89 cm; brown (7.5YR 5/4) very paragravelly loam, brown (7.5YR 4/3) moist; 27 percent clay; moderate fine angular blocky structure; very hard, very firm, moderately sticky, slightly plastic; common very fine roots; common very fine and fine interstitial pores; 5 percent distinct clay films on all faces of peds; 2 percent fine mica flakes; 35 percent moderately cemented phyllite paragravel; moderately acid (pH 5.8); gradual wavy boundary. (15 to 35 cm thick)

BCt--89 to 114 cm; brown (7.5YR 5/4) very paragravelly sandy clay loam, brown (7.5YR 4/3) moist; 26 percent clay; structureless massive; moderately hard, firm, moderately sticky, moderately plastic; common very fine roots; common very fine and fine interstitial pores; 5 percent distinct clay films on rock fragments; 2 percent fine mica flakes; 55 percent moderately cemented phyllite paragravel; moderately acid (pH 5.8); clear wavy boundary. (10 to 40 cm thick)

Cr--114 to 153 cm; moderately cemented phyllite bedrock, fractured at intervals of 10 to 45 cm.

TYPE LOCATION: Tuolumne County, California, Near Moss Ranch Road, about 7 miles south of Sonora, California; USGS 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle: Standard, California; WGS84 37.887775 latitude and -120.321388 longitude; UTM zone 10 4196756 meters N 735545 meters E NAD83.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil temperature: The mean annual soil temperature at 50 cm is 15 to 18 degrees C and the difference between mean summer and mean winter soil temperature is greater than 6 degrees C. The soils have a thermic temperature regime.

Soil moisture: The soil moisture control section is dry in all parts from about May to October. The soils have a xeric soil moisture regime.

Diagnostic Feature(s):
Ochric epipedon thickness: 5 to 25 cm
Argillic horizon thickness: 50 to 110 cm
Depth to paralithic contact: 100 to 150 cm

Base saturation: less than 75 percent in one or more subhorizons of the argillic horizon (by sum of cations)

Particle-size control section weighted average:
Rock fragments: 2 to 30 percent gravel
Pararock fragments: 5 to 45 percent paragravel
Clay content: 18 to 27 percent

A horizon
Hue: 5YR, 7.5YR, 10YR
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 3 to 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Texture: loam, silt loam, very fine sandy loam
Clay content: 10 to 22 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 15 percent gravel
Pararock fragments: 0 to 15 percent paragravel
Reaction: moderately acid to neutral

AB horizon
Hue: 5YR, 7.5YR, 10YR
Value: 4 to 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 3 to 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Texture: loam, silt loam
Clay content: 15 to 27 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 10 percent gravel
Pararock fragments: 0 to 10 percent paragravel
Reaction: moderately acid to neutral

Upper Bt horizons (Bt1, Bt2)
Hue: 7.5YR, 5YR, 10YR
Value: 4 to 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 4 or 6, dry or moist
Texture: loam, clay loam, silt loam
Clay content: 18 to 27 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 35 percent
0 to 30 percent gravel
0 to 15 percent cobbles
Pararock fragments: 0 to 15 percent
0 to 15 percent paragravel
0 to 5 percent paracobbles
Reaction: moderately acid to neutral

Lower Bt horizons (Bt3)
Hue: 2.5YR, 5YR, 7.5YR
Value: 3 to 6 dry, 3 to 5 moist
Chroma: 4 or 6, dry or moist
Texture: loam, clay loam, sandy clay loam
Clay content: 22 to 35 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 50 percent
0 to 35 percent gravel
0 to 30 percent cobbles
Pararock fragments: 0 to 50 percent
0 to 40 percent paragravel
0 to 25 percent paracobbles
Reaction: moderately acid to neutral

BCt horizon
Hue: 5YR, 7.5YR
Value: 4 to 7 dry; 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 3 to 6, dry or moist
Texture: loam, clay loam, sandy clay loam
Clay content: 18 to 32 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 40 percent
0 to 40 percent gravel
0 to 15 percent cobbles
Pararock fragments: 0 to 60 percent
0 to 60 percent paragravel
0 to 20 percent paracobbles
Reaction: moderately acid to neutral

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Coombs, Craigsaddle, Flanly, Millvilla, Motherlode, Sierra, Thompsonflat, Verjeles, and Yellowlark soils. Coombs soils are very deep and formed in gravelly alluvium. Craigsaddle soils are 100 to 150 cm to a densic contact and are formed in trondhjemite granitoid rock. Flanly soils are 50 to 100 cm to a paralithic contact and are formed in granodiorite. Millvilla soils are 50 to 100 cm to a paralithic contact and are formed in metasedimentary rock. Motherlode soils are 100 to 150 cm to a lithic contact and are formed in metavolcanic rock. Sierra soils are greater than 150 cm to a root-restrictive bedrock contact and are formed in granodiorite. Thompsonflat soils are 100 to 150 cm to a duripan and have well rounded gravel in the lower part. Verjeles soils are 50 to 100 cm to a paralithic contact and are formed in intrusive basic igneous rock. Yellowlark soils are 100 to 150 cm to a duripan and are formed in alluvium.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Wardsferry soils are on backslope positions on hills. Slopes range from 3 to 75 percent. These soils formed in colluvium over residuum weathered from metasedimentary phyllite and schist. Elevation is 300 to 700 meters. The mean annual precipitation is to 705 to 910 millimeters and the mean annual air temperature is 14 to 16 degrees C. The frost-free season is 220 to 310 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Aquariusmine, Deerflat, Hetchy, Millvilla, and Sanguinetti soils. All occur on hills and are derived from metasedimentary rocks. The Aquariusmine soils are 100 to 150cm to a lithic contact of indurated marble and are on backslopes and footslopes. The Deerflat soils are greater than 150cm to a bedrock contact, and are on footslopes and backslopes. The Hetchy and Millvilla soils are 50 to 100 cm to a paralithic contact and are on backslopes, shoulders and summits of ridges and hills. The Sanguinetti soils have greater than 35 percent rock fragments in the particle-size control section and are on backslopes and footslopes.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Well drained, moderately high to high saturated hydraulic conductivity. Saturated hydraulic conductivity of the bedrock is moderately low to high.

USE AND VEGETATION: This soil is used for watershed, wildlife habitat, recreation, and home site development. Vegetation is interior live oak, blue oak, California foothill pine, Pacific poison oak, whiteleaf manzanita, toyon, buckbrush, California buckthorn, California yerba santa, and squirreltail.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Sierra Nevada Foothills of California; MLRA 18. The soils are moderately extensive.

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

SERIES PROPOSED: Tuolumne County, California 2018. Source of name from the geographic location of the historic ferry crossing of the Tuolumne River on Wards Ferry Road between Sonora and Groveland.

REMARKS:

Particle Size Control Section for this pedon: 38 to 88 cm

Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric Epipedon 0 to 13 cm
Argillic Horizon 38 to 114 cm
Paralithic Contact 114 cm

ADDITIONAL DATA:
NASIS User Pedon ID: 08SMM004

Classification and properties inferred from laboratory data from:
NASIS User Pedon ID: S2007CA109006
Lab Pedon No.: 07N0475.

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

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.