LOCATION BUSACCA CAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, mixed, superactive, thermic Pachic Haploxerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Busacca clay loam, on a less than one percent slope under a cover of irrigated pasture grasses at an elevation of 157 feet, (48 m). When described on 7/20/93, the soil was slightly moist to 72 inches, (183 cm). (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted)
Ap--0 to 3 inches, (0 to 8 cm); dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) clay loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; 35 percent clay; moderate medium platy structure; extremely hard, slightly rigid, moderately sticky and very plastic; common very fine and few fine and medium roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; slightly acid, pH 6.5 by Hellige-Truog; clear smooth boundary. (3 to 10 inches, (8 to 25 cm) thick)
A--3 to 8 inches, (8 to 20 cm); dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) clay loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; 35 percent clay; strong coarse prismatic structure parting to strong fine and medium granular; extremely hard, slightly rigid, moderately sticky and very plastic; common very fine and few fine and medium roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; slightly acid, pH 6.5 by Hellige-Truog; clear smooth boundary. (5 to 10 inches, (13 to 25 cm) thick)
Bw1--8 to 16 inches, (20 to 41 cm); brown (10YR 4/3) clay loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; 35 percent clay; strong coarse prismatic structure parting to strong fine angular blocky; extremely hard, slightly rigid, moderately sticky and very plastic; common very fine and few fine and medium roots; few very fine and fine tubular pores; neutral, pH 7.0 by Hellige-Truog; abrupt smooth boundary.
Bw2--16 to 28 inches, (41 to 71 cm); brown (10YR 4/3) silty clay loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; 37 percent clay; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to strong fine angular blocky; hard, very firm, moderately sticky and very plastic; common very fine roots; common very fine and few fine tubular pores; neutral, pH 7.0 by Hellige-Truog; abrupt smooth boundary.
Bw3--28 to 43 inches, (71 to 109 cm); brown (10YR 5/3) silty clay loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; 35 percent clay; moderate fine angular blocky structure; very hard, extremely firm, moderately sticky and very plastic; few very fine roots; few fine and common very fine tubular pores; slightly alkaline, pH 7.5 by Hellige-Truog; gradual smooth boundary.
Bw4--43 to 60 inches, (109 to 152 cm); brown (10YR 5/3) clay loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; 33 percent clay; weak fine angular blocky structure; moderately hard, firm, slightly sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; few fine round black (N 2/0) moist, iron-manganese concretions throughout; slightly alkaline, pH 7.5 by Hellige-Truog; gradual smooth boundary.
Bw5--60 to 72 inches, (152 to 183 cm); brown (10YR 5/3) clay loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; 29 percent clay; weak fine subangular blocky structure; moderately hard, firm, slightly sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; few fine round black (N 2/0) moist, iron-manganese concretions with sharp boundaries throughout; slightly alkaline, pH 7.5 by Hellige-Truog. (Combined thickness of the Bw horizon is 60 to 72 inches, (152 to 183 cm) thick)
TYPE LOCATION: Butte County, California; about 2.5 miles east of Durham, approximately 2800 feet east and 100 feet south of the intersection of the Durham Highway and Esquon Road; Township 21 N., Range 2 E.,; in an unsectionized area in the Esquon Land Grant; 39 degrees, 38 minutes, 44 seconds North latitude, 121 degrees, 45 minutes, 12 seconds West longitude, NAD27. U.S.G.S. Quad: Chico, California.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Thickness of the mollic epipedon is 20 to 35 inches, (51 to 89 cm). The mean annual soil temperature is 60 to 62 degrees F, (16 to 17 degrees C). The soil moisture control section is dry from July to November (120 to 125 days). The particle-size control section averages 35 to 40 percent clay. Mineralogy is mixed. Surface-initiated reversible cracks 1/8 to 1/2 inch wide extend to a depth of 28 inches, (71 cm) from about May 15 to October 15 (140 to 160 days) when the soil is not irrigated. A fluctuating water table can occur between 30 and greater than 80 inches, (76 to 203 cm) below the surface of the soil from December through April. In some pedons lime is present below 28 inches, (71 cm).
The A horizon dry color is 10YR 4/1, 4/2, 4/3, 5/2 or 5/3. Moist color is 10YR 3/1, 3/2 or 3/3. Clay content ranges from 30 to 40 percent. Organic matter ranges from 2 to 5 percent. Reaction ranges from slightly acid to slightly alkaline.
The upper Bw horizon dry color is 10YR 4/3, 5/2, 5/3, 6/2 or 6/3. Moist color is 10YR 3/2, 3/3, 4/2 or 4/3. Texture is clay loam, silty clay loam or clay. Clay content ranges from 35 percent to 42 percent. Organic matter ranges from .2 to 2 percent. Reaction ranges from neutral to slightly alkaline.
The lower Bw horizon dry color is 10YR 5/3, 6/3, 6/4, 7/3 or 7/4. Moist color is 10YR 3/3, 4/2, 4/3, 4/4, 5/3, 5/4, 7.5YR 4/3 or 4/4. Texture is clay loam or loam. Clay content ranges from 25 percent to 35 percent. Redoximorphic features such as oxidized iron masses and iron manganese concentrations occur. Organic matter ranges from .1 percent to 1 percent. Reaction ranges from neutral to strongly alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Archerdale and Finrod soils. Archerdale soils are well drained and are on fan terraces. Finrod soils have a duripan between 40 and 60 inches, (102 to 152 cm).
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Busacca soils are on distal alluvial fans. Slopes range from 0 to 1 percent and have been leveled. These soils formed in alluvium weathered from mixed rocks. Elevation is 120 to 245 feet, (37 to 75 m). Mean annual precipitation is 20 to 27 inches, (508 to 686 mm). The mean annual temperature is 60 to 62 degrees F, (16 to 17 degrees C). Frost free season is 245 to 255 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Conejo, Edjobe, Bosquejo and Farwell soils. Conejo soils average less than 35 percent clay in the particle-size control section. Edjobe soils have a duripan between 60 and 80 inches, (152 to 203 cm), have smectitic mineralogy and are on basin rims. Bosquejo soils have 40 to 50 percent clay in the particle-size control section, are smectitic and are in interfan basins. Farwell soils are fine-loamy and are on flood plain margins.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Moderately well drained; neglegiable runoff; moderately slow saturated hydraulic conductivity in the A horizon, moderately slow to slow in the upper Bw horizon and moderate to moderately slow in the lower Bw horizon. Occasionally ponded up to 3 inches, (8 cm) above the surface for brief duration from December through March. A fluctuating water table can occur between 30 and greater than 80 inches, (76 to 203 cm) below the surface of the soil from December through April.
USE AND VEGETATION: This soil is used for pasture, row crops and some orchards.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Butte County, California. The soils are moderately extensive. MLRA 17 - Sacramento Valley.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Butte County, California 2005. Source of name is coined.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon zone from 0 to 28 inches, (0 to 71 cm). (Ap, A1, Bw1, Bw2)
Cambic horizon zone from 28 to 72 inches, (71 to 183 cm). (Bw3, Bc1, Bc2)
Particle-size control section zone from 0 to 40 inches, (0 to 102 cm).
Moisture control section zone from 5 to 14 inches, (13 to 36 cm) is dry from July to November (120 to 125 days).
LEP based on estimated LE was calculated to be 5.4 (to 100cm)
Assumed mixed mineralogy.
ADDITIONAL DATA: Characterization data from nearby lab pedon number: 89P0067, NSSL, Lincoln, NE.