LOCATION BETTERAVIA CAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy, mixed, thermic Haplic Durixeralfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Betteravia loamy sand - annual grasses and forbs, formerly cultivated. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
Ap--0 to 10 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) loamy sand, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak medium granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; many fine and very fine roots; common very fine tubular and many very fine interstitial pores; strongly acid (pH 5.1); abrupt wavy boundary. (0 to 10 inches thick)
A12--10 to 20 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) loamy sand, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; common very fine roots; many very fine interstitial and many very fine tubular pores; strongly acid (pH 5.1); clear wavy boundary. (9 to 15 inches thick)
A2--20 to 36 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) light loamy sand, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; few very fine roots; many very fine tubular and many very fine interstitial pores; strongly acid (pH 5.2); abrupt wavy boundary. (1 to 20 inches thick)
B21tsi--36 to 41 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) weakly cemented sandy loam, brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; massive; very hard, very firm, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; does not slake and softens only slightly after prolonged wetting; common very fine tubular and many very fine interstitial pores; few moderately thick clay films as bridges, colloid stains on mineral grains; neutral (pH 6.7); clear wavy boundary. (4 to 7 inches thick)
B22tsi--41 to 50 inches; reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/6) weakly cemented heavy sandy loam, strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) moist; massive; very hard, firm, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; does not slake on wetting, not quite as cemented or firm as B21tsi horizon; common very fine tubular and many very fine interstitial pores; few thick clay films as bridges and lining pores, colloid stains on mineral grains; neutral (pH 7.0); clear wavy boundary. (7 to 11 inches thick)
B23t--50 to 56 inches; reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/6) heavy sandy clay loam, strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) moist; moderate medium angular blocky structure; hard, very firm, sticky, plastic; few very fine tubular and few very fine interstitial pores; many thick clay films lining pores; neutral (pH 7.0); clear wavy boundary. (5 to 20 inches thick)
IIB31t--56 to 65 inches; reddish brown (5YR 5/4) heavy sandy loam, reddish brown (5YR 4/4) moist; massive; hard, firm, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; many very fine interstitial pores; common thin clay films lining pores; about 2 percent quartzitic gravel; neutral (pH 7.1); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 12 inches thick)
IIIB32--65 to 80 inches; reddish brown (5YR 5/4) light loamy sand, reddish brown (5YR 4/4) moist; massive; soft, friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; many very fine interstitial pores; few thin clay films line pores; neutral (pH 7.0); 5 percent quartzitic gravel. (0 to several feet thick)
NOTE: All A horizons have had much rodent activity. All B horizons except IIIB32 horizon have common, small, less than 6mm. black concretions.
TYPE LOCATION: Santa Barbara County, California; west of Santa Maria, 3/8 mile west of Blosser Road on Betteravia Road, 180 feet north and 140 feet east; central south portion NW 1/4 NW 1/4 sec. 28, T.10N., R.34W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Depth to the cemented Bsi horizon contact is 24 to 40 inches. The mean annual soil temperature is about 62 degrees F. and the soil temperature usually is not below 47 degrees F. at any time. The soil between depths of 10 and 30 inches is usually dry all of the time from about late May until about late December and is moist in some or all parts all the rest of the year. Rock fragments are lacking in the upper horizons and are present as resistant gravel up to 20 percent in some IIB or IIIB or IIIC horizons. The A1 horizon is brown to light brownish gray (10YR 5/3, 6/3, 6/2) and is sand, loamy sand or loamy fine sand. It averages less than 1 percent organic matter in all parts. This horizon is strongly or very strongly acid. In most pedons the A2 horizon is indistinct and is higher in value by 1 unit or less than adjacent horizons. Some pedons have a distinct A2 horizon 1 to 3 inches thick that is higher in value than adjacent horizons by more than 1 unit. The A2 horizons are sand or loamy sand and are strongly or very strongly acid. The B2tsi horizon has an abrupt upper boundary and a clear or gradual lower boundary. It is brown to reddish brown (10YR 5/3, 6/4, 5/4; 7.5YR 5/4, 6/6, 5/6; 5YR 5/4, 6/6, 5/6). Hue of 5YR is lacking in some pedons and is confined to the lower part of the horizon in all other pedons. The B2tsi horizon is sandy loam or sandy clay loam and approximately 15 to 25 percent clay. It is very hard and very firm in some or all parts and is firm and hard in the remaining part. All of this horizon is brittle and does not slake in water though it softens appreciably upon wetting. It is slightly acid or neutral. The upper boundary of the argillic horizon coincides with the upper boundary of the cemented horizon or it occurs within the cemented horizon or at the base of the cemented horizon. The argillic horizon is in part in the IB horizon or is wholly within the IIB and/or IIIB horizon. The IIBt horizon is brown to reddish yellow (7.5YR 5/4, 6/6, 5/6; 5YR 5/4, 4/4, 5/6, 4/6, 6/6). It is sandy loam or sandy clay loam and is neutral or mildly alkaline. Lower horizons are designated IIIB or IIIC and range from loamy sand to sandy clay loam. These horizons are neutral to moderately alkaline, but lack free lime.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Arlington, Carlsbad, Garey, and Narlon series. Arlington soils have a coarse-loamy argillic horizon above the duripan. Carlsbad soils have many prominent concretions and lack an argillic horizon. Garey soils slake upon wetting. Narlon soils lack a duripan and have a clayey argillic horizon.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Betteravia soils are nearly level to moderately sloping and are on terraces at elevations of 100 to 800 feet. They formed in sandy eolian deposits that overlie stratified terrace deposits of fine texture. The climate is dry subhumid mesothermal with warm dry summers and cool moist winters. Mean annual precipitation is 13 to 18 inches. Average January temperature is 50 degrees F., average July temperature is 63 degrees F., and mean annual temperature is 57 degrees F. The freeze-free season is 310 to 340 days.
PRINCIPAL ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the competing Garey soils and the Marina, Oceano, and Sorrento soils. Marina and Oceano soils lack cementation and have lamellae. Sorrento soils have a mollic epipedon and lack an argillic horizon.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Moderately well drained; very slow to medium runoff; very slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used for range and urban use and for growing irrigated pasture and special irrigated crops. Uncultivated areas have a cover of annual grasses and forbs with a few shrubs and scattered live oak trees.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: West portion of Santa Barbara County, California. The soils are inextensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Santa Barbara County, California, 1973.
REMARKS: The Betteravia soils were formerly classified as (medial) Noncalcic Brown soils. They are also regarded as "hardpan soils." The control section is to the top of the duripan.
OSED scanned by SSQA. Last revised by state on 11/73.