LOCATION ARCATA             CA

Tentative Series
Rev. FWH/FFH/JJJ
04/2004

ARCATA SERIES

The Arcata series consists of very deep, well drained soils formed in softly consolidated sedimentary material of the Hookton formation (Ogle 1953). Arcata soils are on smooth terraces and have slopes of 0 to 4 percent. The mean annual precipitation is 40 to 60 inches, and the mean annual temperature is 52 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, active, isomesic Typic Hapludolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Arcata fine sandy loam. Nearly level low terrace. Slopes are usually less than 4 percent.

A11--0 to 10 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) when moist, fine sandy loam, moderate fine granular structure; moist, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; abundant fine and very fine, and few medium roots, many krotavina; slightly acid (pH 6.1); gradual irregular boundary.

A12--10 to 23 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) when moist fine sandy loam, weak coarse subangular blocky structure; moist, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; abundant very fine and few medium roots; many krotavinas; moderately acid (pH 6.0); gradual irregular boundary.

A3--23 to 47 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) when moist, fine sandy loam; massive; moist, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine and very fine roots in matrix, abundant in krotavinas; many krotavinas; moderately acid (pH 6.0); abrupt smooth boundary.

C--47 to 60 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) when moist; fine sandy loam; many fine distinct 10YR 7/1 and 7.5YR 5/8 mottles; massive; moist firm, nonsticky and nonplastic; strongly acid (pH 5.5).

TYPE LOCATION: McKinleyville Area, California; SW 1/4 of NE 1/4, section 31, T. 7 N., R. 1 E., HBM.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Surface texture is fine sandy loam to loam. Surface color varies from 7.5YR 3/2 to 10YR 3/2. In small acreages on Dowo Prairie, the dark (10YR 3/2) surface may be as deep as 4 feet. These areas are also usually strongly acid. Mixing of soil material from one horizon to another due to rodent activity is more evident in some areas than in others.

COMPETING SERIES: NEED TO RECOMPETE

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Arcata soils vary in texture from fine sandy loam to loam and their profiles exhibit only slight development. They occur on smooth level terraces at elevations of 50 to 200 feet above sea level. Winters are mild and wet and summers are relatively dry with frequent fog. The growing season is approximately 300 days. The Arcata soils are developing under 40 to 60 inches of rainfall, falling mainly between October and May. The average annual temperature is 52 degrees F. The average temperature for July is 56 degrees F and for January is 47 degrees F.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: Arcata soils are associated with the Hookton and Hely series. Hookton soils are developing on the same material as Arcata, but they are finer textured shallow and imperfectly to poorly drained. Hely is an upland series of sand dune origin and is redder in color.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Drainage is good, surface runoff is slow, permeability is moderately rapid.

USE AND VEGETATION: This soil is used predominantly as pasture and some flower bulbs. Vegetation consists of spruce, alder, some fir and various shrub and fern species.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Low terraces of the north coastal region of California.

MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California.

SERIES PROPOSED: Humboldt County Soil Survey Area, Humboldt County, California, July 1964.

REMARKS: Series reclassified 5/95. Competing series not updated at that time.

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.