LOCATION DELANO CAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, thermic Xeric Haplargids
TYPICAL PEDON: Delano sandy loam, cultivated. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
Ap1--0 to 6 inches (0 to 15 centimeters); brown (10YR 5/3) sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine roots; many very fine interstitial and tubular pores; slightly effervescent with carbonates disseminated; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); abrupt smooth boundary. (5 to 8 inches [13 to 20 centimeters] thick)
Ap2--6 to 11 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and few fine roots; many very fine interstitial and tubular pores; strongly effervescent with carbonates disseminated; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); abrupt wavy boundary. (5 to 18 inches [13 to 46 centimeters] thick)
Btk1--11 to 22 inches; light brown (7.5YR 6/4) clay loam, brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium angular blocky; hard, firm, sticky and plastic; common very fine roots; few very fine interstitial and common very fine tubular pores; continuous moderately thick clay films on faces of peds and in pores; violently effervescent, carbonates segregated as common fine threads in the matrix; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); abrupt wavy boundary. (6 to 15 inches [15 to 38 centimeters] thick)
Btk2--22 to 36 inches; light brown (7.5YR 6/4) sandy clay loam, brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; strong coarse prismatic structure parting to moderate coarse subangular blocky; very hard, very firm, slightly sticky and plastic; common very fine roots; common very fine roots; common very fine interstitial and tubular pores; many moderately thick clay films on faces of peds and in pores; violently effervescent, carbonates segregated as common fine threads in the matrix and common irregular carbonate concentrations infused into the matrix along faces of peds ; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); abrupt smooth boundary. (10 to 20 inches [25 to 51 centimeters] thick)
Btk3--36 to 42 inches; light brown (7.5YR 6/4) heavy sandy loam, brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; moderate coarse and medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, slightly sticky and plastic; common very fine roots; common very fine interstitial and tubular pores; common moderately thick clay films on faces of peds and in pores; violently effervescent, carbonatessegregated as common fine threads in the matrix; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 10 inches [0 to 25 centimeters] thick)
C--42 to 63 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) sandy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots; many very fine interstitial and few very fine tubular pores; strongly effervescent, carbonates segregated as few fine threads in the matrix; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0).
TYPE LOCATION: Kern County Soil Survey (Northwest Part) California; At the Auto Club Famoso Raceway; about 5 miles (8.0 kilometers) east of Famoso; about 120 feet (36.6 meters) west and 2,500 feet (762.0 meters) north of southeast corner of section 12, T. 27 S., R. 26 E., Mount Diablo Base and Meridian; Latitude 35 degrees 35 minutes, 41 seconds north and Longitude 119 degrees 8 minutes 1 second west; USGS Famoso, California Quadrangle, NAD83
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The soil between the depths of 4 and 12 inches (10 and 30 centimeters) is dry all the time from mid April to January and moist in some part for more than 90 days in the winter. Mean annual soil temperature is about 64 degrees to 67 degrees F. (17.8 to 19.4 degrees C.) Surface cover consists of mixed mineralogy rock fragments, 0 to 15 percent, 2 to 75 millimeter gravel.
A Horizon:
Hue=10YR dry and moist
Value=5 or 6 dry and 3 to 5 moist
Chroma=2 to 4 dry and moist
Texture of the fine-earth fraction=loamy sand, sandy loam, loam or sandy clay loam
Clay percent=2 to 27 percent
Organic matter content=0 to 1 percent
Reaction=strongly acid to slightly alkaline
Rock fragments=0 to15 percent, 2 to 75 millimeter gravel
B Horizon:
Hue=10YR dry and moist
Value=5 or 6 dry and 4 or 5 moist
Chroma=3 or 4 dry and moist
Texture of the fine-earth fraction=loamy sand, sandy loam, loam, sandy clay loam, or clay loam
Clay percent=2 to 30 percent
Organic matter content=0 to 0.75 percent
Reaction=neutral to moderately alkaline
Rock fragments=0 to15 percent, 2 to 75 millimeter gravel
C Horizon:
Hue=10YR dry and moist
Value=5 to 7 dry and moist
Chroma=3 or 4 dry and moist
Texture of the fine-earth fraction=sandy loam or loam
Clay content=10 to 27 percent
Organic matter content=0 to 0.5 percent
Reaction=neutral to moderately alkaline
Rock fragments=0 to 15 percent, 2 to 75 millimeter gravel
In some pedons the C horizon is below 60 inches (152 centimeters)
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Cuyama, Pokonahbe, and Winnedumah series. Cuyama soils have an Aridic moisture regime bordering on Xeric. Mean annual soil temperature is 60 to 64 degrees F. Pokonahbe and Winnedumah soils are somewhat poorly drained. of the time that the soil temperature is above 41 degrees F. (5.0 degrees C.) and are moist for less than 60 consecutive days in the winter.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Delano soils are on alluvial fans, plains, streamterraces, and fan remnants. Slope is 0 to 9 percent. They formed from deep coarse-textured alluvium from granitoid rock sources. The climate is arid (desert) with hot dry summers and cool winters. Elevations are 300 to 700 feet (91.4 to 213.4 meters). Mean annual precipitation is 6 to 9 inches (15 to 23 centimeters). Average January temperature is 46 degrees F. (7.7 degrees C.); average July temperature is 83 degrees F. (28.3 degrees C.); mean annual temperature is 64 degrees F (17.8 degrees C.). Frost-free season is about 260 to 290 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Exeter, Panoche, and Wasco soils. Exeter soils have a duripan. Panoche lacks a Bt horizon. Wasco soils lack a Bt horizon and are coarse-loamy.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; medium to slow runoff; moderately slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used mainly for growing irrigated citrus, fruits, nuts, and row crops. Vegetation is mainly annual grasses and forbs.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Mainly in the southeastern part of the San Joaquin Valley. They are not extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Upper San Joaquin Valley, California Reconnaissance, 1948.
REMARKS: The Cuyama and Tejon are established series but have not been used since the Bakersfield Soil Survey Report (1937) and the Wasco Soil Survey Report (1936). Since there is considerate overlap with the Delano, Milham, and other series they probably should be made inactive.
Series reclassified on September, 1994. Competing series not reviewed at that time.