LOCATION CAMARILLO CAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, calcareous, thermic Aquic Xerofluvents
TYPICAL PEDON: Camarillo sandy loam, in young lemon grove. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
Ap--0 to 7 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; massive; upper few inches loose, lower part strongly compacted by tillage; hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots; many very fine interstitial and few very fine and fine tubular pores; slightly effervescent, carbonates disseminated; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); clear smooth lower boundary. (6 to 10 inches thick)
A--7 to 17 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; massive; hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots; many very fine interstitial and few very fine and fine tubular pores; strongly effervescent, carbonates disseminated; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); gradual wavy boundary. (5 to 15 inches thick)
Bkg--17 to 24 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; massive; hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots and few coarse decayed roots; many very fine interstitial and common very fine tubular pores; light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) redoximorphic masses of iron accumulation as coarse blotches of sandy material a few inches across, light olive brown (2.5Y 5/3) moist; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear wavy boundary. (5 to 10 inches thick)
Bkgy1--24 to 36 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) heavy loam, olive brown (2.5Y 4/3) moist; weak coarse prismatic structure; hard, friable, sticky and plastic; many very fine interstitial and many very fine, few fine and medium tubular pores; many fine distinct light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) redoximorphic masses of iron accumulation; slightly effervescent, carbonates disseminated; lower half of horizon has many fine soft gypsum masses; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear wavy boundary. (10 to 15 inches thick)
Bkgy2--36 to 44 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) fine sandy clay loam, light olive brown (2.5Y 5/3) moist; massive; hard, firm, sticky, plastic; common very fine interstitial and common very fine and few fine tubular pores; many fine distinct reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/6) redoximorphic accumulations of iron, reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/6) mottles, brown (7.5YR 5/4) moist; brown stains in tubular pores; discontinuous seams and masses of reddish brown (5YR 4/3) moist silty clay loam strongly effervescent, carbonates disseminated; many fine soft gypsum masses; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear smooth boundary. (5 to 10 inches thick)
Bkg--44 to 50 inches; light gray (2.5Y 7/2) sandy loam, grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) moist; massive; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine interstitial and few fine tubular pores; many medium distinct reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/6) redoximorphic accumulations of iron, strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) moist; many soft dark 2 to 5 mm concretions and blotches; strongly effervescent, carbonates disseminated; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 10 inches thick)
2Bg1--50 to 60 inches; light gray (2.5Y 7/2) fine sand, light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable; many very fine interstitial and few fine tubular pores with brown stains on tubular pores; many large distinct reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/6) redoximorphic accumulations of iron, strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) moist; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); gradual smooth boundary. (0 to 15 inches thick)
2Bg2--60 to 80 inches; light gray (5Y 7/2) fine sand, gray (5Y 5/1) moist; massive; soft, very friable; many very fine interstitial and few fine tubular pores; common medium distinct brown (7.5YR 5/4) and few fine prominent dark reddish brown (5YR 3/4) moist redoximorphic accumulations of iron gradually decreasing in number to none at the bottom; strongly alkaline (pH 8.5).
TYPE LOCATION: Ventura County, California; 4 1/2 miles east and 2 1/2 miles south of Oxnard; 3/4 mile west on Etting Road from Wood Road, and .28 mile south on farm road and 100 feet east.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature is about 59 degrees to 64 degrees F. and the soil temperature usually is not below 47 degrees F. at any time. The soil between depths of about 5 and 15 inches is usually dry all of the time from May or June until December and is moist in some or all parts all the rest of the year. Except where artificially drained the soil is saturated to within 20 to 40 inches of the surface from about January until May in most years. In late summer the water table is 45 to 100 inches below the surface. Redoximorphic features are present in most subhorizons. The upper boundary of the redoximorphic features is within 20 to 40 inches of the surface. The profile is slightly or moderately alkaline in all parts. Carbonates are mostly disseminated and generally are present in all horizons. In some pedons the uppermost 4 to 8 inches and some sand or loamy sand strata below a depth of 40 inches are noncalcareous. The control section is sandy loam, fine sandy loam, loam, clay loam or silty clay loam. The 10 to 40 inch particle size control section averages 18 to 30 percent clay and has more than 15 percent particles coarser than very fine sand. A few individual horizons have up to 35 percent clay. Weak to strong stratification is present and organic matter decreases irregularly with increasing depth. Gypsum is absent in some pedons.
The A horizon is brown, grayish brown, pale brown, light brownish gray, dark grayish brown, very dark grayish brown, dark gray or gray (10YR 5/2, 5/3, 6/3, 6/2, 4/2, 3/2, 4/1, 5/1; 2.5Y 5/2, 4/2). Organic matter averages 1 to 4 percent and is less than 1 percent below a depth of 20 inches. This horizon is hard or very hard and is massive in the upper part or in all parts. (See Remarks).
The B horizon is grayish brown, light brownish gray, brown, light gray, light yellowish brown, light olive brown, gray, light olive gray, pale olive, olive gray (10YR 5/2, 5/3, 6/2, 6/3; 2.5Y 7/2, 6/4, 5/4, 6/2; 5Y 7/2, 6/1, 6/2, 6/3, 6/4, 5/2). Some pedons have contrasting textures below a depth of 40 inches while others have distinct buried A horizons.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Hueneme, Maria, Mocho, Merritt, Pacheco, and Sycamore series in other families. Hueneme soils have less than 18 percent clay in the control section. Maria soils have mottles above a depth of 20 inches and have a dry value of 6 in the A horizon. Mocho, Merritt and Pacheco soils have mollic epipedons and Mocho soils lack mottles and periods of saturation. Sycamore soils lack lime within 20 inches of the surface.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Camarillo soils are nearly level and are on flood plains at elevations of 10 to 200 feet. Slopes are 0 to 2 percent. They formed in alluvium derived mostly from sedimentary rock sources. The climate is dry subhumid mesothermal with warm dry somewhat foggy summers and cool moist winters. Mean annual precipitation is 12 to 20 inches. Average January temperature is about 54 degrees F.; average July temperature is 65 degrees F.; mean annual temperature is about 59 degrees F. The freeze-free season is 275 to 350 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the competing Hueneme, Mocho and Pacheco soils and the Anacapa and Pico soils. Anacapa and Pico soils have less than 18 percent clay in the control section and lack redoximorphic features.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat poorly drained; drainage has been altered in many areas by artificial drains; low runoff; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used mostly for growing irrigated truck, field, and specialty crops and for lemons. All areas have been cleared at one time. A few areas are in grasses, forbs, and willows.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Coastal valleys in south-central California and west side of the Central Valley. The soils are moderately extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Ventura County, California, 1973.
REMARKS: These soils would have mollic epipedons except the epipedon is hard or very hard and massive, probably due in part to heavy tillage.