LOCATION BOUSIC CA
Established Series
Rev. GAW/JWF/RWK
04/2015
BOUSIC SERIES
The Bousic series consists of deep, moderately well drained soils that formed in fine textured alluvium derived from mixed material. Bousic soils are on basin rim areas and have slopes of 0 to 1 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 4 inches and the mean annual temperature is about 63 degrees F.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, mixed, superactive, calcareous, thermic Typic Torriorthents
TYPICAL PEDON: Bousic clay, on a less than 1 percent slope in a fallow field at 2,850 feet elevation. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated. When described the soil was dry to 42 inches and moist below.)
Ap--0 to 5 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) clay, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; moderate angular blocky structure; hard, firm, sticky and plastic; few very fine roots; few very fine interstitial pores; violently effervescent with disseminated lime; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); abrupt smooth boundary. (4 to 6 inches thick)
C1--5 to 24 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) clay, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; moderate medium and coarse angular blocky structure; very hard, firm, sticky and plastic; few very fine roots; few very fine tubular, common very fine interstitial pores; few fine gypsum crystals at a depth of about 18 inches; violently effervescent with disseminated lime; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); gradual smooth boundary. (17 to 21 inches thick)
C2--24 to 42 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) clay, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; common fine distinct mottles; strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; very hard, firm, sticky and plastic; few very fine, common medium roots; few very fine interstitial and tubular pores; violently effervescent with disseminated lime; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); gradual smooth boundary. (16 to 20 inches thick)
C3ca--42 to 60 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) clay, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; very hard, firm, sticky and plastic; few very fine roots; few very fine interstitial pores; violently effervescent (about 20 percent calcium carbonate) with disseminated lime; lime segregated in common soft masses; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0). (14 to 18 inches thick)
TYPE LOCATION: San Bernardino County, California; approximately 3 miles north of Lucerne Valley, 1 mile east of Barstow Road, SE1/4 SE1/4 NE1/4 section 24, T.5N., R.1W. UTM zone 11 506563e 3817102n NAD83
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature at a depth of 20 inches is about 65 degrees F. and the soil temperature usually is not below 47 degrees F. at any time. The soil is usually dry and is not continuously moist for as long as 60 days. It is strongly saline alkali in the upper 24 to 36 inches of the pedon. The pH ranges from 7.9 to 9.0 in the A and C horizons. Some gypsum is present in the upper parts of the pedon in nearly all areas. Organic carbon decreases regularly with increasing depth.
The Ap or upper 10 inches of the C horizon is very pale brown, pale brown, or light yellowish brown (10YR 6/3, 7/3, 6/4). Typically it is clay but ranges to silty clay loam or silty clay.
The C1 and C2 horizons to a depth of about 40 inches are pale brown or light yellowish brown (10YR 6/3, 6/4). They are clay or silty clay. Clay content in the control section is 45 to 55 percent and gradually increases with depth and is as high as 70 percent at a depth of 60 inches in some pedons.
The C3ca horizon is light yellowish brown, pale brown, or light gray (10YR 6/4, 6/3, 7/1, 7/2). Segregated lime below 40 inches ranges from few to common, fine to medium soft masses and concretions. This horizon ranges from few to common, fine to medium soft masses and concretions. This horizon ranges from 15 to 30 percent calcium carbonate equivalent.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the
Peterman,
Ragtown and
Terreton series in other families. Peterman soils have a calcic horizon at a depth of 5 to 30 inches. Ragtown soils have a mean annual soil temperature of 47 to 59 degrees F. Terreton soils have a mean annual temperature of less than 47 degrees F.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Bousic soils are on basin rim areas adjacent to playas and have slopes of 0 to 1 percent. They formed in mixed fine textured alluvium derived mainly from granitic rock sources. Elevations are 2,850 to 2,900 feet. The climate is arid with hot, dry summers and cool somewhat moist winters. The mean annual precipitation is 4 or 5 inches, most of which falls as rain in the winter. Some moisture falls occasionally as snow. The average January temperature is about 46 degrees F.; the average July temperature is about 84 degrees F.; and the mean annual temperature is 61 to 65 degrees F. The frost free season is 210 to 255 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the competing
Peterman and
Lavic and
Rosamond soils. Lavic soils are coarse, loamy and have a calcic horizon. Rosamond soils are fine, loamy and have irregularly decreasing organic matter.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Moderately well drained; slow runoff; slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: The soils are used mainly for wildlife habitat. Where irrigation water is available, some areas have been irrigated. Vegetation is sparse stands of shadscale and saline alkali tolerant forbs and grasses.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Mojave Desert portions of San Bernardino County, California in MLRA 30. The soils are not extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: PHOENIX, ARIZONA
SERIES ESTABLISHED: San Bernardino, California, Mojave River Area, 1978.
REMARKS: In a few deep pits the calcium carbonate accumulations were observed to decrease by 5 to 10 percent. The activity class was added to the classification in January of 2003. Competing series were not checked at that time. - ET UTM added 3/2009 - ET
Responsibility for this series was transferred from Davis to Phoenix 4/2015. The last revision to the series was 3/2009. ET
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.