LOCATION ANTHO AZEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, calcareous, hyperthermic Typic Torrifluvents
TYPICAL PEDON: Antho sandy loam - rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A--0 to 1 inch; brown (10YR 5/3) sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak thick platy structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine roots; common fine tubular pores; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); abrupt smooth boundary. (1/2 to 8 inches thick)
C1--1 to 13 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) stratified sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak fine granular structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); clear smooth boundary. (8 to 15 inches thick)
C2--13 to 23 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) stratified sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; common fine roots; common fine tubular pores; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); clear smooth boundary. (10 to 12 inches thick)
C3--23 to 36 inches; light brown (7.5YR 6/4) stratified sandy loam, brown (7.5YR 5/4) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; few fine roots; common fine tubular pores; few fine faint mycelia-like lime veins; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); clear smooth boundary. (10 to 16 inches thick)
C4--36 to 47 inches; light brown (7.5YR 6/4) stratified sandy loam, brown (7.5YR 5/4) moist; massive; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; few fine roots; few irregular pores; few fine faint mycelia-like calcium carbonate veins; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); clear wavy boundary. (10 to 16 inches thick)
2Btb--47 to 60 inches; reddish brown (5YR 4/4) sandy clay loam, reddish brown (5YR 4/4) moist; massive; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine roots; common very fine and few fine tubular pores, many irregular pores; few faint patchy clay films in tubular pores; few fine faint mycelia-like calcium carbonate veins; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4).
TYPE LOCATION: Maricopa County, Arizona; 1210 feet south and 200 feet
west of the center of section 16, T. 2 N., R. 1 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture - Intermittently moist in some part of the soil moisture control section during July-August and December-January. Driest during May and June. Typic aridic soil moisture regime.
Rock fragments - Up to 35 percent gravel in the control section
Reaction - slightly alkaline to very strongly alkaline
A horizon
Hue: 10YR, 7.5YR, 5YR
Value: 5, 6, or 7 dry, 3, 4, or 5 moist
Chroma: 2, 3, or 4, dry or moist
Texture: Loamy very fine sand, sandy loam, fine sandy loam, loamy fine sand, clay loam, loam
Organic matter: Less than 1 percent, decreases irregularly with depth
Calcium carbonate: Non to strongly effervescent
C horizon
Hue: 10YR, 7.5YR, 5YR
Value: 5, 6, or 7 dry, 3, 4, or 5 moist
Chroma: 2, 3, or 4 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Texture: Dominantly sandy loam; few strata of coarser or finer textures
Calcium carbonate: Non to strongly effervescent; disseminated or as filaments
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Gilman (AZ) and Maripo (AZ) series. Gilman soils have very fine sandy loam and loam C horizons. Maripo soils have sand at depths of 20 to 40 inches.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Antho soils are on alluvial fans and flood plains. Elevations range from 100 to 3000 feet. Slopes range from 0 to 5 percent. These soils formed in moderately coarse textured alluvium that includes volcanic, granitic, metamorphic and sedimentary rock. The climate is hot arid continental. The mean annual precipitation is 2 to 10 inches, occurring as summer thunderstorms and gentle winter rain. The mean annual air temperature is 72 degrees F. Frost-free period is 250 to 325 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Carrizo, Denure, Momoli, Valencia and Wellton soils. Carrizo soils are sandy-skeletal and in upland drainageways. Denure soils have a cambic horizon and are on slightly higher terraces. Momoli soils are loamy-skeletal and on slightly higher terraces. Valencia soils are on slightly higher alluvial fans. Wellton soils are coarse-loamy, have argillic horizons and are on slightly higher terraces.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat excessively drained; medium runoff; moderately rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for livestock grazing, wildlife habitat and irrigated cropland. Vegetation is creosotebush, bursage, cacti, palo verde, and annual weeds and grasses. Irrigated crops are cotton and alfalfa.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southern Arizona. The Antho series is extensive. MLRA is 31 and 40.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Phoenix, Arizona
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Maricopa County, Arizona; Soil survey of Eastern Maricopa and Northern Pinal Counties Area, Arizona; 1971.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Entisol feature - The absence of diagnostic subsurface horizons
Classified according to Keys to Soil Taxonomy Ninth Edition, 2003.