LOCATION WHITTELL CAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy-skeletal, mixed Typic Cryorthents
TYPICAL PEDON: Whittell very cobbly loamy coarse sand on a north east facing (18 degree), 45 percent slope at an elevation of 2877 meters. When described on 09/17/2002 the soil was dry throughout. Colors are for dry soils unless otherwise noted.
Oi--0 to 1 cm; slightly decomposed plant material. (1 to 5 cm thick)
A--1 to 18 cm; brown (10YR 5/3) very cobbly loamy coarse sand, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; 85 percent sand; 13 percent silt; 2 percent clay; weak fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine, fine and medium roots throughout; 20 percent gravel, 15 percent cobbles and 10 percent stones; strongly acid, pH 5.4 by Chlorophenol red; clear smooth boundary. (5 to 23 cm thick)
Bw--18 to 50 cm; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) very stony loamy coarse sand, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; 85 percent sand; 14 percent silt; 1 percent clay; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine, common medium and coarse roots throughout; 20 percent gravel, 15 percent cobbles and 15 percent stones; strongly acid, pH 5.4 by Chlorophenol red; clear smooth boundary. (0 to 86 cm thick)
C--50 to 82 cm; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) extremely stony loamy coarse sand; 85 percent sand; 14 percent silt; 1 percent clay; single grain; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine and medium roots throughout; 30 percent gravel, 20 percent cobbles and 20 percent stones; strongly acid, pH 5.4 by Chlorophenol red; clear wavy boundary. (0 to 91 cm thick)
Cr--82 to 150 cm; Moderately cemented granodiorite bedrock.
TYPE LOCATION: El Dorado County, CA; On the north side of Waterhouse Peak; 1482 ft. east and 409 ft. south of NW corner sec. 26, T.11N., R.18E Mount Diablo Base Meridian; 38 degrees, 46 minutes, 37.5 seconds latitude and 119 degrees, 57 minutes, 47.6 seconds longitude, NAD83; Freel Peak U.S.G.S Quad.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture - Usually moist in the moisture control section; moist fall, winter, and spring; usually dry July through early October; Xeric moisture regime.
Soil temperature: 2 to 5 degrees C.
Depth to paralithic contact: 50 to 100 centimeters
Reaction: Strongly to Moderately acid
Surface rock fragments: 20 to 70 percent, with 10 to 60 percent gravel, 10 to 55
percent cobbles, 0 to 45 percent stones and 0 to 45 percent boulders.
Control section:
Rock fragments: 35 to 80 percent, with 15 to 60 percent gravel, 5 to 45 percent
cobbles, 5 to 45 percent stones and 0 to 45 percent boulders. The fragments in
the upper part of the profile are typically gravel sized, while larger fragments
can be found closer to the paralithic contact.
Mineralogy: mixed
A horizon(s):
Hue: 10YR
Value: 4 through 5 dry; 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3 dry; 2 or 3 moist
Organic matter: 1 to 3 percent
Texture (less than 2 mm): Loamy coarse sand
Clay content: 0 to 5 percent
Rock fragments: 20 to 65 percent
15 to 30 percent gravel
5 to 20 percent cobbles
2 to 15 percent stones
0 to 5 percent boulders
Reaction: strongly to slightly acid
Bw horizon(s):
Hue: 10YR
Value: 4 through 6 dry; 3 through 5 moist
Chroma: 3 or 4 dry; 3 or 4 moist
Organic matter: 0.5 to 1 percent
Texture (less than 2 mm): Coarse sand or loamy coarse sand
Clay content: 0 to 5 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 80 percent
15 to 50 percent gravel
5 to 25 percent cobbles
5 to 20 percent stones
0 to 5 percent boulders
Reaction: strongly to slightly acid
C horizon(s):
Hue: 2.5Y, 10YR
Value: 5 or 6 dry; 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 3 through 6 dry; 3 through 6 moist
Organic matter: 0 to 0.5 percent
Texture (less than 2 mm): Coarse sand or loamy coarse sand
Clay content: 0 to 5 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 85 percent
15 to 50 percent gravel
5 to 45 percent cobbles
5 to 45 percent stones
0 to 45 percent boulders
Reaction: strongly to slightly acid
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Alflack, Canlodore, Castelpeak, Chena, Cryomont, Eklutna, Graylock, Jobsis, Nataga, Nizina, Obscurity, Perfecto, Ragamuffin, Sofgran, Stecum, and Studebaker soils. The Canlodore, Castelpeak, Chena, Cryomont, Eklutna, Nataga, Nizina, Obscurity, Perfecto, Sofgran, and Studebaker soils are greater than 150 cm deep to bedrock. Graylock is 100 to 150 cm deep to bedrock, Jobsis is less than 50 cm deep to bedrock. Of the three soils with bedrock at 50 to 100 cm, Alflack is formed in sandstone with coarse fragments consisting of channers and flagstones; Stecum is formed in micaceous granite and gneiss on foothills with a soil temperature of 5.5 to 8 degrees centigrade and Freelpeak lacks the O horizons and has a C horizon on the surface.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Whittell soils are in the high mountain areas in and around the Tahoe Basin. Slopes are 8 to 75 percent. These soils formed in colluvium over residuum weathered from granodiorite on the upper third of mountainflank. Elevation is 2415 to 3270 meters. The climate is subhumid-continental with cool, dry summers and cold, moist winters. Mean annual precipitation is 889 to 1,397 millimeters. The mean annual temperature is 1 to 3 degrees C. Frost free season is less than 45 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Jobsis and Dagget soils. The Jobsis soils are shallow and are typically located on more convex positions such as shoulder slopes. Dagget soils are deep and are typically located in more heavily forested areas.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat excessively drained; low to medium runoff; rapid permeability above the bedrock. The soils are not flooded.
USE AND VEGETATION: Whittell soils are used for forestland, recreation, watershed, and wildlife habitat. The native vegetation is mainly a forest canopy of whitebark pine and scattered mountain hemlock with an understory of Eriogonum ssp., bluegrass, sedge, and various forbs.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: These soils are of moderate extent. MLRA: 22A
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California.
SERIES ESTABLISHED: El Dorado County, (Tahoe Basin area), California. Source of name from local high school.
REMARKS:
Particle Size Control Section for this pedon: 25 to 82 cm
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon:
Ochric Epipedon 0 to 18 cm (A horizon) (has umbric colors but not depth)
Paralithic Contact 82 cm
ADDITIONAL DATA: site identification - H25