LOCATION WATERWHEEL CA

Tentative Series
BRY/KDA
03/2025

WATERWHEEL SERIES

The Waterwheel series consists of very deep, somewhat excessively drained soils formed in alluvium, colluvium, and/or till from granitic rocks. The Waterwheel soils are on mountain slopes, moraines, colluvial aprons, and ancient landslides. Slopes range from 10 to 60 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 1040 mm and the mean annual air temperature is about 10 degrees C .

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy-skeletal, isotic, frigid Dystric Xerorthents

TYPICAL PEDON: Waterwheel gravelly loamy sand on a south-facing (210 degree), 57 percent slope at an elevation of 1920 meters. (Colors are for dry soils unless otherwise noted.)

Oi--0 to 2 cm; very bouldery slightly decomposed plant material; 20 percent subrounded very strongly coherent granitoid stones, 15 percent subrounded very strongly coherent granitoid boulders. (0 to 4 cm thick)

Oe--2 to 4 cm; very bouldery moderately decomposed plant material; 20 percent subrounded very strongly coherent granitoid stones, 15 percent subrounded very strongly coherent granitoid boulders. (0 to 4 cm thick)

Oa--4 to 6 cm; very bouldery highly decomposed plant material; 20 percent subrounded very strongly coherent granitoid stones, 15 percent subrounded very strongly coherent granitoid boulders. (0 to 4 cm thick)

A--6 to 15 cm; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) gravelly loamy coarse sand, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; 82 percent sand, 17 percent silt, 1 percent clay; weak medium subangular blocky structure; very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; many very fine, common fine, and few medium and coarse roots; 10 percent subangular very strongly coherent cemented granitoid gravel, 5 percent subangular very strongly coherent granitoid cobbles; NaF pH 8.3; moderately acid (pH 6.0); abrupt wavy boundary. (9 to 40 cm thick) Lab sample # 01N01011

Bw1--15 to 36 cm; pale brown (10YR 6/3) very stony loamy sand, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; 75 percent sand, 23 percent silt, 2 percent clay; moderate medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; common very fine, fine, and medium, and few coarse and very coarse roots; 10 percent subangular very strongly coherent granitoid gravel, 15 percent subangular very strongly coherent granitoid cobbles, 20 percent subangular very strongly coherent granitoid stones; NaF pH 10.1; moderately acid (pH 5.9); abrupt wavy boundary. (4 to 50 cm thick) Lab sample #01N01012

Bw2--36 to 71 cm; brown (10YR 5/3) very stony coarse sand, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; 89 percent sand, 9 percent silt, 2 percent clay; single grain, and weak fine subangular blocky; loose, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; few very fine, fine, medium, and coarse roots; 15 percent subangular very strongly coherent granitoid gravel, 15 percent subangular very strongly coherent granitoid cobbles, 20 percent subangular very strongly coherent granitoid stones, 5 percent subangular very strongly coherent granitoid boulders; NaF pH 9.6; moderately acid (pH 5.9); clear wavy boundary. (25 to 30 cm thick) Lab sample # 01N01013

C--71 to 152 cm; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) extremely stony coarse sand, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; 89 percent sand, 8 percent silt, 3 percent clay; massive parts to single grain; loose, nonsticky, nonplastic; few fine roots; 30 percent subangular very strongly coherent granodiorite gravel, 25 percent subangular very strongly coherent granodiorite cobbles, 15 percent subangular very strongly coherent granodiorite stones, 10 percent subrounded very strongly coherent granodiorite boulders; NaF pH 9.5; slightly acid (pH 6.1). Lab sample # 01N01014

TYPE LOCATION: Tuolumne County, California, about 1/2 mile West of Return Creek in the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne River; section 17, T. 1 N., R 23 E., Mount Diablo Base and Meridian; USGS 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle: Falls Ridge, California; WGS84 37.934639 latitude and -119.473778 longitude; UTM zone 11 282 meters N 4201 meters E NAD27.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil temperature: The mean annual soil temperature at 50 cm is less than 8 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 July to October (about 90 days).

Diagnostic Feature(s):
Base saturation: less than 60 percent in all horizons between a depth of 25 and 75 cm from the mineral soil surface (by ammonium acetate)
Surface fragment content: 2 to 60 percent

Particle size control section weighted average:
Rock fragments: 35 to 90 percent
Clay content: 0.5 to 10 percent
Sand content: 65 to 97 percent

A horizon (or AC horizon, where present)
Hue: 10YR, dry and moist
Value: 3 to 6 dry, 1 to4 moist
Chroma: 1 to 4 dry, 1 to 3 moist
Texture: sand, loamy coarse sand, loamy sand, coarse sandy loam, sandy loam
Clay content: 0.5 to 10 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 60 percent
Organic matter content: 2 to 12 percent
Reaction: very strongly acid to neutral

Bw horizon(s) (or BC horizon, where present)
Hue: 10YR, dry and moist
Value: 3 or 4, dry or moist
Chroma: 3 to 6 dry, 2 to 4 moist
Texture: coarse sand, sand, loamy coarse sand, loamy sand
Clay content: 0.5 to 6 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 75 percent
Organic matter content: 0.5 to 6 percent
Reaction: very strongly acid to neutral

C horizon
Hue: 10YR, dry and moist
Value: 5 to 8 dry, 3 to 5 moist
Chroma: 3 or 4 dry, 2 to 4 moist
Texture: coarse sand, sand, loamy coarse sand, loamy sand, sandy loam
Clay content: 0.5 to 10 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 90 percent
Organic matter content: 0.2 to 3 percent
Reaction: very strongly acid to neutral

COMPETING SERIES: There are no other series in this family at this time.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Waterwheel soils are on backslopes of mountain slopes, colluvial aprons, moraines, and ancient landslides. Slopes range from 10 to 60 percent. These soils formed in alluvium, colluvium, and/or till derived from granitic rock. Elevation is 1155 to 2675 meters. The climate is Mediterranean with warm, dry summers and cool, moist winters. The mean annual precipitation is to 840 to 1295 mm and the mean annual air temperature is to 7 to 11 degrees C. The frost free season is 20 to 60 days .

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Badgerpass, Canisrocks, Craneflat, and Nevadafalls soils. Badgerpass soils are sandy with an umbric and/or cambic horizon. Canisrocks soils have a cryic temperature regime. Craneflat soils have an umbric and/or cambic horizon. Nevadafalls soils are coarse-loamy with an umbric and/or cambic horizon.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat excessively or excessively drained, high or very high saturated hydraulic conductivity, medium or high runoff.

USE AND VEGETATION: This soil is used for watershed, recreation, and wildlife habitat. Vegetation is black oak, canyon live oak, white fir, ponderosa pine, western white pine, and chaparral.

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

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

SERIES PROPOSED: Tuolumne County, California in Yosemite National Park, 2006. Source of name from Waterwheel Falls in Yosemite National Park.

REMARKS:
Particle Size Control Section for this pedon: 31 to 106 cm.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric Epipedon 0 to 15 cm

Some pedons do not have one or more O horizons.
Some pedons do not have a Bw horizon.
Supporting data from User Pedon ID 99CA109004 and S2000CA043002

Isotic mineralogy class based on lab data. The vegetation according to "Preliminary description of Terrestrial Natural Community of California Robert F. Holland and Fish and Game, State of California, 1986" is Blakc Oak Woodland (71120), Canyon Live Oak Forest (81320), White Fir Mixed Coniferous Forest (84232), Sierra Mixed Coniferous Forest (84230), Montane Chaparral (37500), Ponderosa Pine Mixed Coniferous Forest (84231), and Sierra White Pine Forest (84240).

The climate ranges for the Waterwheel soil need review and should be updated along with the mapunits in Yosemite National Park. JBB 3/3/2025.

ADDITIONAL DATA:
Pedon information for this type location only:
Pedon Type: OSD pedon Lab Source ID: SSL
Pedon Purpose: soil survey inventory Lab Pedon #: 01N0149
NASIS User Pedon ID: S2000CA109013

Soil classified using the 13th Edition of the Keys to Soil Taxonomy.

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.