LOCATION SHAVER CAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Humic Dystroxerepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Shaver coarse-sandy loam - on an east facing slope of 10 percent. Vegetation is brackenfern, manzanita, ponderosa pine, blue wildrye. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated. When described on June 18, 1963, the soil was dry to 6 inches and moist from 6 inches to the paralithic contact).
01&02--1 1/2 inches to 0; litter and duff, mainly pine needles and oak leaves.
A1--0 to 6 inches, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) coarse sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak, fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine roots and common fine roots; many very fine tubular and interstitial pores; medium acid (pH 5.8); clear smooth boundary. (4 to 10 inches thick)
A2--6 to 15 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) coarse sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine, fine, medium acid (pH 6.0); gradual smooth boundary. (5 to 10 inches thick)
A3--15 to 30 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) coarse sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; massive; soft, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common fine and fine tubular pores; medium acid (pH 6.0); gradual smooth boundary. (12 to 30 inches thick)
Bw--30 to 51 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) coarse sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; massive; soft, friable nonsticky and nonplastic; common fine, medium, and coarse roots; many very fine and fine interstitial pores an common very fine and fine tubular pores; medium acid (pH 5.8); gradual smooth boundary. (15 to 30 inches thick)
Cr-51 inches; well-weathered granodiorite.
TYPE LOCATION: El Dorado County, California; 3 miles south of Somerset, 25 feet west of the Fair Play Road, and 0.3 mile northwest of the center of section 30, T.9 N., R.12 E., MDB&M.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Depth to a paralithic contact is 40 to 80 inches. The mean annual soil temperature varies from 47 degrees to 59 degrees F. The mean summer soil temperature is between 65 degrees and 75 degrees F and the mean winter soil temperature is 30 degrees to 40 degrees F. The soil between depths of about 10 and 30 inches is usually dry from mid-June to late October and moist in some or all parts the rest of the year. Texture is sandy loam or coarse sandy loam throughout the profile except in some pedons which contain loamy sand or loamy coarse sand grading to the paralithic contact. Rock fragments, mostly 2 to 5 mm in size make up 0 to 15 percent of the soil profile. The profile is slightly acid to medium acid and is generally less acid in the upper part.
The A horizon is 10YR 5/2, 4/2, 4/1 or 5/4 dry and 10YR 3/2, 3/3 moist. Organic carbon content ranges from about 4 percent in the upper part to about 0.7 in the lower part. It remains above 0.7 at depths of 20 to 30 or more inches. Base saturation ranges from about 30 to 60 percent but is always less than 50 percent within the upper 7 inches.
The C horizon is 10YR 6/2, 6/3, 6/4, 5/4, 5/6, dry. Moist colors are 1 to 2 units darker. Base saturation generally ranges from about 5 to 50 percent.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Gerle, Nisqually and Pilliken (T) series in other families. Gerle soils are frigid, Nisqually soils are sandy and Pilliken (T) soils have an Umbric epipedon less than 20 inches thick.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Shaver soils are on mountainside slopes of 5 to 75 percent. Elevations range from 2,000 to 7,600 feet. The higher elevation is restricted to the southern Sierra mountain range, generally on south aspects. The soils formed in material weathered from granitic rocks.
The climate is subhumid, with warm dry summers and cool moist and snowy winters. Mean January temperature is 33 degrees F, mean July temperature is 65 degrees F and the mean annual temperature is 53 degrees F. The frost-free season is about 140 to 240 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Ahwahnee, Chaix, Chawanakee, Holland, Musick and Sierra series. Ahwahnee, Holland, Musick and Sierra soils have an argillic horizon. Ahwahnee, Chaix, Chawanakee, Holland and Musick all lack Mollic epipedons.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained, medium to rapid runoff, moderately rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for commercial conifer timber production, watershed areas, wildlife areas, and recreation. Natural vegetation consists of semi-open to dense, mixed conifer forest and shrub cover. Principal species are ponderosa pine, sugar pine, white fir, incense cedar, Jeffrey pine, black oak, mountain dogwood, greenleaf manzanita and mountain whitethorn.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: The middle mountain region of the western slope of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, California. The soils are moderately extensive.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Amador County (Amador Area), California, 1963.
REMARKS: The Shaver soils were formerly classified as Pachic Ultic Haploxerolls.
ADDITIONAL DATA: S77CA-019-011