LOCATION WINDYNIP CA

Established Series
REV: JWH/JTB/ET
05/2016

WINDYNIP SERIES

The Windynip series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in colluvium and residuum derived from sandstone and mudstone. Windynip soils are on mountains and have slopes of 5 to 50 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 2160 millimeters and the mean annual temperature is about 13 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, thermic Pachic Humixerepts

TYPICAL PEDON: Windynip loam on a southwest-facing slope of 22 percent under annual and perennial grasses and forbs at an elevation of 323 meters. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.) When described on 11/1/2007 the soil was moist throughout.

A1--0 to 12 centimeters; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; weak fine and very fine granular structure; slightly hard, very friable, moderately sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and common fine, medium and coarse roots throughout; common very fine and fine tubular pores; 14 percent gravel; strongly acid (pH 5.3); clear smooth boundary.

A2--12 to 30 centimeters; light olive brown (2.5Y 5/3) clay loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure parting to moderate fine granular; slightly hard, very friable, moderately sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine, few fine, and common medium and coarse roots throughout; few very fine and fine tubular pores; 10 percent gravel; very strongly acid (pH 5.0); gradual wavy boundary.

A3--30 to 50 centimeters; light olive brown (2.5Y 5/3) clay loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure parting to moderate fine granular; moderately hard, very friable, moderately sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and coarse roots and few fine and medium roots throughout; few very fine and fine tubular pores; 12 percent gravel; very strongly acid (pH 5.0); gradual wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the A horizons is 25 to 125 centimeters)

AB--50 to 85 centimeters; light olive brown (2.5Y 5/3) clay loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure parting to moderate fine granular; moderately hard, very friable, moderately sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine, coarse, and very coarse roots, few fine roots, and many medium roots throughout; few very fine and fine tubular pores; 13 percent gravel; strongly acid (pH 5.3); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 35 centimeters thick)

Bt1--85 to 150 centimeters; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) gravelly clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; moderately hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine, fine and common medium, coarse and very coarse roots throughout; common very fine, few fine and medium tubular pores; common faint clay films on all faces of peds; 20 percent gravel; strongly acid (pH 5.5); gradual wavy boundary.

Bt2--150 to 200 centimeters; very pale brown (10YR 7/4) very gravelly clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; moderately hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine and fine roots throughout; common very fine and few fine and medium tubular pores; 10 percent faint clay films on all faces of peds and 10 percent faint clay films on rock fragments; 37 percent gravel; moderately acid (pH 5.6). (Combined thickness of the Bt horizons is 50 to 175 centimeters)

TYPE LOCATION: Humboldt County, California; about 2 kilometers southwest of the town of Honeydew, CA.; USGS Quadrangle Shubrick Peak, CA; WGS84 Decimal degrees 40.2288889 latitude, -124.1200000 longitude; UTM zone 10 UTM 403721mE, 4453773mN; NAD 83.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:

Soil moisture: The soil moisture control section, in normal years, is dry in all parts for 45 or more consecutive days in the 4 months following the summer solstice and moist in all parts for 45 or more consecutive days in the 4 months following the winter solstice. The soils have a xeric soil moisture regime.

Soil Temperature: The mean annual soil temperature at 50 centimeters is 15 to 16 degrees C and the difference between mean summer and mean winter soil temperature is 6 degrees or greater. The soils have a thermic soil temperature regime.

Thickness of the umbric epipedon: 50 to 125 centimeters

Base Saturation: less than 50 percent by ammonium acetate throughout the soil profile

Surface fragments: 0 to 14 percent gravel

Particle size control section (weighted average):
Rock fragments: 0 to 34 percent gravel, 0 to 10 percent cobbles and stones
Pararock fragments: 0 to 34 percent paragravel
Clay content: 25 to 33 percent

A horizon:
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 3 to 5, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 1 to 4, 1 to 3 moist
Texture of fine earth: loam or clay loam
Clay content: 20 to 30 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 34 percent strongly cemented sandstone, mudstone, or conglomerate gravel, 0 to 5 percent strongly cemented sandstone or mudstone cobbles
Pararock fragments: 0 to 34 percent moderately cemented sandstone or mudstone paragravel
Reaction: very strongly to strongly acid

Bt horizon:
Hue: 10YR or 2.5 Y
Value: 5 or 6, 3 to 5 moist
Chroma: 3 or 4, dry or moist
Clay content: 27 to 37 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 59 percent strongly cemented sandstone, mudstone, or conglomerate gravel, 0 to 5 percent strongly cemented sandstone cobbles or stones
Pararock fragments: 0 to 34 percent moderately cemented sandstone or mudstone paragravel
Reaction: strongly to moderately acid

C horizon when present:
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 5 to 7, 3 to 5 moist
Chroma: 4 to 6, dry or moist
Texture of fine earth: sandy loam or loam
Clay content: 10 to 26 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 59 percent strongly cemented sandstone, mudstone and conglomerate gravel, 0 to 5 percent strongly cemented sandstone cobbles or stones
Pararock fragments: 0 to 34 percent moderately cemented mudstone and sandstone gravel
Reaction: strongly to moderately acid

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

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Windynip soils are on linear to slightly concave or convex positions on predominantly southeast to southwest-facing ridges and slopes. Slopes are 5 to 50 percent. Elevations are 60 to 1000 meters. These soils formed in colluvium and residuum from sandstone and mudstone. The climate is subhumid with warm, dry summers with a marine layer influence and cool, wet winters. Mean annual precipitation is 1525 to 3050 millimeters. The mean annual temperature is 12 to 14 degrees C. Frost free season is about 240 to 280 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Wirefence (CA) and Devilshole (CA) soils. Wirefence soils have 18 to 24 percent clay in the particle size control section. Devilshole soils have more than 35 percent rock fragments in the particle size control section and have fractured bedrock between 100 and 150 centimeters. Wirefence soils are on linear positions on summits and backslopes. Devilshole soils are on convex summits and shoulders.

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

USE AND VEGETATION: This soil is used mainly for livestock grazing, wildlife habitat, and watershed. Natural vegetation is annual and perennial grasses and forbs. Douglas-fir invades readily in the absence of fire and grazing.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Coastal Redwood Belt; MLRA 4B. The series is not extensive.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Humboldt County, South Part, California, 2010. The name is from Windynip Gap.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
1. Umbric epipedon: The zone from 0 to 85 centimeters (A1, A2, A3, and AB horizons).
2. Cambic horizon: The zone from 85 to 200 centimeters (Bt1 and Bt2 horizons).
3. Particle size control section: The zone from 25 to 100 centimeters averages 30 percent clay and 24 percent fine sand or coarser. (A2, A3, AB, and Bt1 horizons)

ADDITIONAL DATA: NSSL Pedon No. 08N0447 and similar to Pedon No. 05N0134
NASIS User Pedon Id: 07CA601923

Keys to Soil Taxonomy, 12th edition. Previously classified as Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, thermic Humic Dystroxerepts

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.