LOCATION GALEPPI CA+NVEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Argiduridic Argixerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Galeppi loamy coarse sand--on a northwest-facing slope of 13 percent under Wyoming big sagebrush, antelope bitterbrush, Anderson's peachbrush, and bottlebrush squirreltail at 5,130 feet elevation--rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A--0 to 4 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) loamy coarse sand, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak very thick platy structure parting to strong medium and coarse granular; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine and common fine and few medium roots; many very fine and common fine and few medium roots; many very fine and fine interstitial pores; slightly acid (pH 6.5); abrupt wavy boundary. (3 to 9 inches thick)
AB--4 to 10 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate coarse and very coarse granular structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine, few fine and medium roots; common very fine tubular and interstitial pores; neutral (pH 6.7); clear wavy boundary. (3 to 10 inches thick)
Bt--10 to 20 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) sandy clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure; hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine and few fine roots; common very fine and fine tubular and interstitial pores; many distinct clay films on faces of peds and lining pores; neutral (pH 7.0); gradual wavy boundary.
Btq--20 to 36 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) sandy clay loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak medium prismatic structure; hard, firm and brittle, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine roots; common very fine tubular and interstitial pores; continuous brittle matrix; many distinct clay films on faces of peds and lining pores; neutral (pH 7.1); gradual wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bt and Btq horizons is 16 to 30 inches.)
Bq--36 to 52 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) sandy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; massive; hard, very firm and brittle, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots; common very fine tubular and interstitial pores; continuous brittle matrix; common faint clay films as bridges and coating sand grains; slightly alkaline (pH 7.5); clear wavy boundary. (10 to 20 inches thick)
C--52 to 60 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) loamy sand, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; massive; hard, very firm, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and fine tubular and interstitial pores; neutral (pH 7.1).
TYPE LOCATION: Lassen County, California; about 1 mile north of Hallelujah Junction and 0.25 mile east of U.S. Highway 395; about 550 feet south and 100 feet east of the northwest corner of section 1, T. 22 N., R. 17 E.; USGS Beckwourth Pass 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle; 39 degrees 47 minutes 37 seconds north latitude and 120 degrees 01 minutes 55 seconds west longitude, NAD27.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture - The soil moisture control section (10 to 23 inches) is moist throughout from December 1 through April 15; dry throughout from mid-June to mid-November for about 145 to 160 days; The soil temperature exceeds 41 degrees F. from about March 15 to November 15 (244 days) and exceeds 47 degrees F. from about April 1 to November 1; Aridic moisture regime that borders on xeric.
Mean annual soil temperature - 50 to 54 degrees F.
Mollic epipedon thickness - 9 to 18 inches.
Depth to base of argillic horizon - 21 to 36 inches.
Depth to horizons with firm, brittle matrix - 21 to 34 inches.
Particle-size control section - Clay content: 20 to 30 percent; Rock fragments: 0 to 30 percent, mainly cobbles and gravel. Lithology of fragments are mixed igneous rocks such as granodiorite, andesite, and tuff.
Other features - Some pedons have volcanic glass present in the sand fraction in amounts less than 65 percent.
A horizon - Dry color: 10YR 4/1, 4/2, 5/1, 5/2, or 5/3.
Moist color: 10YR 2/2, 3/2 or 3/3.
Texture: Loamy sand, loamy coarse sand, sandy loam, or cobbly loamy coarse sand.
Reaction: Slightly acid through slightly alkaline.
Organic matter content: 1 to 3 percent.
Bt and Btq horizon - Dry color: 7.5YR 5/4, 5/6; 10YR 3/3, 3/4, 4/3, 4/4, 5/3, 5/4; 2.5Y 4/2, 5/2, or 6/4.
Moist color: 10YR 3/4, 4/4; 7.5YR 4/4; or 2.5Y 5/4.
Texture: Sandy clay loam, clay loam, cobbly sandy clay loam, or cobbly clay loam.
Rock fragments: 0 to 30 percent.
Clay content: 20 to 30 percent.
Silt content: Less than 35 percent.
Structure: Weak to strong medium prismatic or moderate angular blocky structure.
Reaction: Neutral or slightly alkaline.
Other features: Some pedons lack transitional Btq horizons.
Bq and C horizons - Dry color: 10YR 6/3, 6/4, 7/4; 7.5YR 5/6, 6/4; 2.5Y 6/2, or 7/2.
Moist color: 10YR 4/4, 5/4; 2.5Y 4/2, 4/4, 4/6, 5/2, or 5/4; 7.5YR 4/4 or 4/6.
Texture: Loamy sand, sandy loam, loam, cobbly sandy loam, cobbly loamy sand, or very cobbly loamy sand.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Charlebois and Wredah series.
Charlebois soils have friable horizons with durinodes and have carbonates within 24 inches of the soil surface. Wredah soils have identifiable secondary carbonates within 24 inches of the soil surface and average 15 to 35 percent rock fragments in the particle-size control section.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Galeppi soils are on fan remnants and stream terraces. These soils formed in alluvium derived from mixed igneous rocks such as granodiorite and andesite. In some places basins the parent materials are modified by lacustrine action. Slopes are 2 to 50 percent. Elevation ranges from 4,000 to 6,000 feet. The climate is semiarid with cool, moist winters and warm, dry summers. The mean annual precipitation is 9 to 14 inches. The mean January temperature is about 28 degrees F., the mean July temperature is about 68 degrees F., and the mean annual temperature is 47 to 52 degrees F. The frost-free period is 60 to 130 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Glenbrook, Reba, Reno, Saralegui, and Trosi soils. Glenbrook soils are sandy, shallow to paralithic contacts, and have ochric epipedons. Reba soils are fine textured and have ochric epipedons. Reno soils are fine textured, moderately deep to duripans, and have ochric epipedons. Saralegui soils are coarse-loamy and have ochric epipedons. Trosi soils are clayey-skeletal, shallow to duripans, and have ochric epipedons.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; medium through very high surface runoff; moderately slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Galeppi soils are used for rangeland. The vegetation is mainly Wyoming big sagebrush, antelope bitterbrush, Anderson's peachbrush, Thurber's needlegrass, and bottlebrush squirreltail.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northeastern California and western Nevada. These soils are moderately extensive. MLRA 26.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Reno, Nevada.
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Lassen County (Sierra Valley Area), California, 1973.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - The zone from the soil surface to 10 inches (A and AB horizons).
Argillic horizon - The zone from 10 to 36 inches (Bt and Btq horizons).
Duric feature - The zone from 20 to 52 inches (Btq and Bq horizons).
Particle-size control section - The zone from 10 to 30 inches (Bt horizon and part of the Btq horizon).