LOCATION BALHUD CA

Established Series
Rev. EJR/MRS/KDA/KP
02/2013

BALHUD SERIES

The Balhud series consists of shallow, well drained soils. These soils formed in colluvium derived from sandstone and/or shale. Balhud soils are on hillslopes. Slope is 5 to 75 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 25 centimeters (10 inches) and the mean annual temperature is about 17.8 degrees C. (64 degrees F.).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy, mixed, superactive, thermic, shallow Typic Argixerolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Balhud loam; on a southwest aspect, 10 percent slope, hillslope. The elevation is 960 meters (3,150 feet). (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated).

A--0 to 8 centimeters (0 to 3 inches); dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure parting to moderate fine subangular blocky; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; slightly effervescent; carbonates disseminated; 10 percent 2 to 75 millimeter gravel; neutral (pH 7.0); abrupt smooth boundary.

Bt--8 to 25 centimeters (3 to 10 inches); dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) clay loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate coarse subangular blocky and then parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; few thin clay films bridging mineral grains; slightly effervescent; carbonates disseminated; 10 percent 2 to 75 millimeter gravel; neutral(pH 7.0); abrupt wavy boundary.

Cr--25 to 46 centimeters (10 to 18 inches); moderately cemented, highly fractured shale.

R--46 to 71 centimeters (18 to 28 inches); very strongly cemented, slightly fractured shale.

TYPE LOCATION: Kern County, California, Southwest Part; in map unit 951, Bitcreek-Balhud-Ballinger complex, 5 to 30 percent slopes; about 1.3 kilometers (0.8 miles) southeast of Camp Dix; about 594 meters (1,950 feet) south of Cerro Noroeste Road and 1,478 meters (4,850 feet) east of Highway 166, in an unsectionalized area; T. 8 N., R. 24 W.; San Bernardino Base and Meridian; latitude 34 degrees 57 minutes 04 seconds north and longitude 119 degrees 26 minutes 07 seconds west; USGS Ballinger Canyon, California, Quadrangle, NAD83.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:

Soil temperature: Mean annual is 17 to 18 degrees C. (63 to 64 degrees F.) and the soil temperature is never below 8 degrees C. (47 degrees F.).

Soil moisture control section: Dry throughout from mid May to mid December and moist in some or all parts during the rest of the year.

Depth to paralithic contact is 25 to 51 centimeters (10 to 20 inches). About 0 to 20 percent of the surface is covered by 2- to 75-millimeter gravel consisting of sandstone and/or shale.

A horizon:
Hue: 10YR dry and moist
Value: 3 or 4 dry and 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3 dry and moist
Texture of the fine earth fraction: loam
Content of clay: 18 to 27 percent
Content of organic matter: 1.0 to 2.0 percent
Reaction: neutral or slightly alkaline
Content of rock fragments: 5 to 15 percent, 2 to 75 millimeter gravel

Bt horizon:
Hue: 10YR dry and moist
Value: 3 or 4 dry and 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3 dry and moist
Texture of the fine earth fraction: clay loam
Content of clay: 28 to 40 percent
Content of organic matter: 1.0 to 1.5 percent
Reaction: neutral or slightly alkaline
Content of rock fragments: 5 to 15 percent, 2 to 75 millimeter gravel

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Livigne, Talepop, and Topanga soils (all in MLRA 20). Livigne soils formed from diorite and gabbro and do not have an R horizon within 51 centimeters (20 inches). Talepop soils formed from metavolcanic rock and do not have an R horizon within 51 centimeters (20 inches). Topanga soils have slightly acid reaction and do not have an R horizon within 51 centimeters (20 inches).

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Balhud soils are on hillslopes. Slope is 5 to 75 percent. These soils formed in colluvium derived from sandstone and/or shale. Elevations are 405 to 1,400 meters (1,329 to 4,593 feet). The climate is arid with hot, dry summers and cool, somewhat moist winters. The mean annual precipitation is 152 to 305 millimeters (6 to 12 inches). The mean annual temperature is 14 to 18 degrees C. (58 to 64 degrees F.). The frost-free season is 180 to 300 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Ballinger, Bitcreek, Pleito, and Shimmon soils. Ballinger, Bitcreek, and Shimmon soils on hillslopes are more than 51 centimeters (20 inches) deep. Pleito soils on fan remnants and stream terraces are more than 51 centimeters (20 inches) deep.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; high or very high runoff; moderately high saturated hydraulic conductivity.

USE AND VEGETATION: Used for livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. The vegetation is dominantly annual grasses.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: The Transverse Range and the southern end of the Temblor Range. The series is not extensive and is located in MLRA 15.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Kern County, California,2013. Proposed 1993. The name is coined.

REMARKS: Competing Series checked on 7/2012. Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in the profile are:

Mollic epipedon - 0 to 25 centimeters (0 to 10 inches)
Argillic horizon - 8 to 25 centimeters (3 to 10 inches)
Paralithic contact - 25 to 51 centimeters (10 to 20 inches)

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.