LOCATION WOLFCREEK          CA
Established Series
Rev. CAK/DWS/TDC/ET
03/2003

WOLFCREEK SERIES


The Wolfcreek series consists of very deep, well drained soil formed in alluvium from mixed rock sources. Wolfcreek soils are on flood plains and have slopes of 0 to 2 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 33 inches and the mean annual temperature is about 57 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, nonacid, thermic Typic Xerofluvents

TYPICAL PEDON: Wolfcreek loam - on a nearly level flood plain of about 2 percent slope under annual grasses and forbs at an elevation of 1,440 feet. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise state. When described on 6/6/77 the soil was dry to 7 inches slightly moist below).

Ap--0 to 7 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) loam, dark brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak medium, coarse and very coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine, fine and few medium roots; many very fine and fine medium and coarse tubular and few very fine, fine and medium interstitial pores; neutral (pH 6.6); gradual wavy boundary. (6 to 12 inches thick)

C1--7 to 34 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) clay loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium and coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate medium angular blocky; hard, firm, sticky and plastic; common very fine and fine interstitial pores; neutral (pH 6.7); gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 27 inches thick)

IIC2--34 to 46 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) sandy clay loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; massive; hard, firm, slightly sticky and plastic; common very fine and medium roots; common very fine and fine tubular and many very fine and fine interstitial pores; neutral (pH 7.0); gradual wavy boundary. (11 to 20 inches thick)

IIIC3--46 to 72 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) very gravelly sandy clay loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; massive; hard, firm, slightly sticky and plastic; few very fine and fine roots; many very fine, and medium interstitial and common very fine and fine tubular pores; 60 percent pebbles 2 to 75 mm in diameter; neutral (pH 7.0)

TYPE LOCATION: Lake County, California; approximately 4,000 feet south of Hwy. 29 on Live Oak Drive, then approximately 100 feet west into field; approximately 1,000 feet south and 1,500 feet east of the northwest corner of sec. 23, T.13N., R.9W.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Thickness of the solum is 6 to 12 inches and depth of the soil is greater than 60 inches. The mean annual soil temperature is 59 degrees to 63 degrees F. The soil between the depths of 6 and 17 inches is dry in all parts from June 15 to October 15, and is moist in all parts from January 1 to April 15. The particle-size control section averages 20 to 35 percent clay and 0 to 25 percent pebbles. Organic carbon content decreases irregularly with depth. Reaction is neutral throughout.

The A horizon is 7.5YR 6/2, 6/4; 10YR 6/2, 6/3 or 6/4. Moist color is 7.5YR 4/2, 4/4; 10YR 4/2, 4/3 or 4/4. It is loam or gravelly loam with 0 to 30 percent pebbles.

The C horizon is 7.5YR 5/4, 6/2, 6/4; 10YR 5/3, 5/4 or 6/3. Moist color is 7.5YR 3/4, 4/2, 4/4; 10YR 3/2, 3/3 or 4/3. It is stratified sandy clay loam, loam, clay loam, gravelly sandy loam, very gravelly sandy clay loam, very gravelly clay loam, and extremely gravelly sandy loam. Very gravelly or extremely gravelly substratum occur below 40 inches.

COMPETING SERIES: This is the Orland series. Orland soils are slightly calcareous and have a very gravelly substratum at 20 to 40 inches. See remarks.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Wolfcreek soils are on flood plains. Slopes are 0 to 2 percent. The soils formed in alluvium derived from mixed rock sources. Elevations are 1,300 to 2,600 feet. The climate is subhumid with warm, dry summers and cool, moist winters. The average annual precipitation is 25 to 40 inches. Mean January temperature is 42 degrees F.; mean July temperature is 68 degrees F.; and mean annual temperature is 55 degrees to 59 degrees F. Frost-free season is 150 to 205 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Kelsey, Lupoyoma, Still and Talmage soils. Kelsey soils are coarse-loamy. Lupoyoma soils are fine-silty. Still soils have a mollic epipedon. Talmage soils are loamy-skeletal.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; very slow runoff; moderately slow permeability. Wolfcreek soils are subject to rare flooding in winter and early spring.

USE AND VEGETATION: This soil is used mainly for livestock grazing, hay and pasture, and homesite development. The native vegetation is annual grasses and forbs and is dominantly soft chess, filaree and burclover.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Big Valley, Long Valley and High Valley, Lake County, California. The series is not extensive.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Lake County, California, 1982. The name comes from Wolf Creek.

REMARKS: Orland soils have been misclassified using the current description (9/68). The ranges extend beyond class boundaries in Soil Taxonomy.

The activity class was added to the classification in March of 2003. Competing series were not checked at that time. - ET

OSED scanned by SSQA. Last revised by state on 1/83.


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.