LOCATION AVONDALE AZEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, calcareous, hyperthermic Typic Torrifluvents
TYPICAL PEDON: Avondale clay loam, cultivated. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
Ap--0 to 12 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) clay loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, sticky and plastic; many fine roots; common very fine and fine pores; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); abrupt smooth boundary. (7 to 19 inches thick)
C1--12 to 37 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) stratified loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine roots; many very fine pores; common very fine mica flakes; strongly effervescent; few fine faint light gray (10YR 7/2) lime filaments; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear smooth boundary. (15 to 40 inches thick)
C2--37 to 60 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) stratified very fine sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, slightly plastic; common very fine roots; many very fine pores; common very fine mica flakes; strongly effervescent; few fine faint light gray (10YR 7/2) lime filaments; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0).
TYPE LOCATION: Maricopa County, Arizona; about 7 miles east of Buckeye, Arizona; 2,000 feet north and 1,600 feet east of the SW corner of sec. 34, T. 1 N., R. 2 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture - Intermittently moist in the soil moisture control section in some part during July-August and December-January. Typic aridic moisture regime.
Soil temperature - averages 72 to 78 degrees F.
Rock fragments - 0 to 15 percent pebbles.
Organic matter content - Less than 1 percent.
Reaction - Slightly alkaline through very strongly alkaline.
A horizon
Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR.
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist.
Chroma: 2 or 3 dry and moist.
Texture: Very fine sandy loam, silt loam, loam or clay loam.
C horizon
Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR.
Value: 4, 5, or 6 dry, 3, 4, or 5 moist.
Chroma: 2, 3, or 4 dry and moist.
Texture: Silt loam, loam, clay loam or silty clay loam.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Estrella and Trix series. Both soils have buried argillic horizons between 20 and 40 inches.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Avondale soils are on nearly level flood plains and alluvial fans. Elevation ranges from 400 to 2500 feet. They formed in medium and moderately fine textured alluvium derived from mixed basic and acid igneous rocks, quartzite and limestone. Avondale soils are in an arid or semiarid continental climate. Average annual precipitation ranges from 3 to 10 inches and falls mainly during the summer and winter. The soil receives additional moisture during summer in runoff from adjacent soils. Mean annual temperature ranges from about 71 to 75 degrees F.; and the frost-free period is from 250 to 350 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Antho, Cashion, Gilman, Glenbar, Pimer and Vint soils. Antho and Gilman soils are coarse-loamy. Cashion soils are clayey over loamy. Glenbar and Pimer soils are fine-silty. Vint soils are sandy.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; very slow runoff; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for growing cultivated crops and pasture under irrigation. Native vegetation provides some grazing during years having favorable moisture. Vegetation is mesquite, fourwing saltbush, and salt cedar, and an understory of annual grasses and weeds.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southern Arizona, mainly in the central valley area. The Avondale soils are moderately extensive. MLRA 40.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Phoenix, Arizona
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Eastern Maricopa-Northern Pinal Counties Area, Arizona, 1969.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - 0 to 12 inches (Ap horizon)
Fluvent feature an irregular decrease in organic matter is inferred from the stratification of finer and coarser textures
Classified according to Keys to Soil Taxonomy Ninth Edition, 2003