LOCATION YUCCACREEK CA

Established Series
CES/JBB/JTW
09/2021

YUCCACREEK SERIES

The Yuccacreek series consists of very deep, well drained soils formed in colluvium and residuum derived from metamorphic and granitic rock. Yuccacreek soils are on hills and mountain slopes. Slopes range from 30 to 100 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 750 mm and the mean annual air temperature is about 15 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, thermic Ultic Argixerolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Yuccacreek loam on a west-facing (252 degree), 65 percent slope under a canopy of blue oak and buckeye at an elevation of 746 meters. (Colors are for dry soils unless otherwise noted. When described on April 23, 2013 the soil was moist throughout.)

Oi--0 to 7 cm; slightly decomposed plant material; abrupt wavy boundary. (0 to 7 cm thick)

A--7 to 22 cm; brown (7.5YR 4/4) loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/3) moist; 12 percent clay; moderate medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; common very fine and fine roots throughout; common fine and medium irregular pores; 40 percent distinct brown (7.5YR 4/4) clay films on rock fragments; 10 percent subangular indurated metamorphic gravel; neutral (pH 7.2); clear wavy boundary. (10 to 20 cm thick)

Bt1--22 to 40 cm; brown (7.5YR 4/4) gravelly loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/3) moist; 16 percent clay; moderate coarse subangular blocky structure; moderately hard, very friable, nonsticky, slightly plastic; common very fine and fine roots throughout; common very fine and fine tubular and common fine irregular pores; 20 percent distinct brown (7.5YR 4/4) clay films on all faces of peds, 60 percent distinct brown (7.5YR 4/4) clay films on surfaces along pores, and 75 percent distinct brown (7.5YR 4/4) clay films on rock fragments; 15 percent subangular indurated metamorphic gravel; neutral (pH 7.0); clear wavy boundary. (15 to 50 cm thick)

Bt2--40 to 75 cm; brown (7.5YR 4/4) loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/3) moist; 14 percent clay; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, moderately sticky, moderately plastic; common very fine and fine roots throughout; common very fine and fine tubular pores; 10 percent distinct brown (7.5YR 4/4) clay films on all faces of peds, 40 percent distinct brown (7.5YR 4/4) clay bridges between sand grains, 60 percent distinct brown (7.5YR 4/4) clay films on surfaces along pores, and 90 percent distinct brown (7.5YR 4/4) clay films on rock fragments; 10 percent subangular indurated metamorphic gravel; neutral (pH 7.0); clear wavy boundary. (30 to 45 cm thick)

Bt3--75 to 150 cm; brown (7.5YR 4/4) gravelly loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/3) moist; 20 percent clay; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, moderately sticky, very plastic; common fine and few and coarse roots throughout; common very fine and fine tubular pores; 25 percent prominent brown (7.5YR 4/4) clay films on all faces of peds, 60 percent distinct brown (7.5YR 4/4) clay films on surfaces along pores, and 90 percent distinct brown (7.5YR 4/4) clay films on rock fragments; 15 percent subangular indurated metamorphic gravel, 3 percent subangular indurated metamorphic cobbles; neutral (pH 7.0).

TYPE LOCATION: Tulare County, California, approximately 1280 m east of confluence of Yucca Creek and North Fork of Kaweah River, Sequoia National Park; USGS 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle: Shadequarter Mountain, California; WGS84 36.543501 latitude and -118.882005 longitude; UTM zone 11 4045881 meters N 331543 meters E NAD83.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil temperature: The mean annual soil temperature at 50 cm is 15 to 17 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 soils have a xeric soil moisture regime. The soil moisture control section is dry from about May to October (about 150 days).

Diagnostic Feature(s):
Mollic epipedon thickness: 25 to 50 cm
Argillic horizon thickness: 75 to 110 cm

Reaction: moderately acid to neutral

Base saturation: greater than 50 percent in the epipedon (by ammonium acetate) and 50 to 75 percent in one or more horizons between 25 and 75 cm from the mineral soil surface (by sum of cations)

Organic carbon: greater than 0.6 percent from surface to 50 cm, and less than 0.6 percent below 50 cm

Particle size control section weighted average:

Rock fragments: 0 to 35 percent, with 0 to 35 percent gravel, 0 to 5 percent channers, and 0 to 10 percent cobbles
Clay content: 10 to 18 percent

A horizon
Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR
Value: 4 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3, dry or moist
Texture: loamy sand, coarse sandy loam, sandy loam, fine sandy loam, loam
Clay content: 3 to 15 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 15 percent gravel or channers

Bt1 horizon
Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 3 or 4 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Texture: coarse sandy loam, sandy loam, loam
Clay content: 8 to 18 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 35 percent
0 to 35 percent gravel
0 to 15 percent channers
0 to 5 percent cobbles

Bt2 horizon
Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 3 or 4 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Texture: coarse sandy loam, sandy loam, loam
Clay content: 8 to 18 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 35 percent
0 to 35 percent gravel
0 to 15 percent channers
0 to 5 percent cobbles

Bt3 horizon (where present)
Hue: 5YR, 7.5YR
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 4 to 6 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Texture: loam, clay loam
Clay content: 18 to 38 percent
Rock fragments: 0 to 35 percent
0 to 35 percent gravel
0 to 10 percent cobbles

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

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Yuccacreek soils are on linear backslopes of hills and mountain slopes. Slopes range from 30 to 100 percent. These soils formed in colluvium and residuum derived from metamorphic and granitic rock. Elevation is 425 to 1290 meters. The climate is Mediterranean with warm, dry summers and cool, moist winters. The mean annual precipitation is 685 to 855 mm and the mean annual air temperature is 14 to 17 degrees C. The frost free season is 225 to 270 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Andregg, Potwisha, and Shepherdsaddle soils. The Andregg soils are on linear backslopes of hillslopes and have a paralithic contact between 50 and 100 cm. The Potwisha soils are on convex outcrops of marble and are less than 50 cm to a lithic contact. The Shepherdsaddle soils are on linear backslopes of hillslopes, lack a mollic epipedon, and average greater than 18 percent clay in the particle size control section.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained, moderately high to high saturated hydraulic conductivity.

USE AND VEGETATION: This soil is used for recreation, wildlife habitat, and watershed. Vegetation is blue oak, interior live oak, buckeye, Western redbud, poison oak, birchleaf mountain mahogany, and various grasses and forbs.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Sierra Nevada Foothills of California; MLRA 18, Sequoia National Park. These soils are not extensive.

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

SERIES PROPOSED: Tulare County, California in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Source of name from a creek in Sequoia National Park.

REMARKS:
Particle Size Control Section for this pedon: 22 to 72 cm
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic Epipedon 7 to 40 cm
Argillic Horizon 22 to 120 cm

ADDITIONAL DATA:
Pedon information for this type location only:
NASIS User Pedon ID: 2013CA7929003

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

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.