LOCATION DIGIORGIO CAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, nonacid, thermic Xeric Torriorthents
TYPICAL PEDON: DiGiorgio sandy clay loam, irrigated wheat. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
Ap--0 to 7 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) sandy clay loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium and coarse subangular blocky structure and moderate very fine and fine granular; very hard, friable, slightly sticky and plastic; common very fine roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); abrupt smooth boundary. (6 to 17 inches thick)
A12--7 to 18 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) sandy clay loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak medium and coarse angular blocky structure; very hard, friable, slightly sticky and plastic; common very fine roots; few very fine and fine tubular pores; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); clear wavy boundary. (6 to 23 inches thick)
C1--18 to 60 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) sandy clay loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; massive; very hard, friable, slightly sticky and plastic; few very fine roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; strongly effervescent with disseminated lime; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); abrupt wavy boundary. (6 to 42 inches thick)
IIC2--60 to 78 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) heavy fine sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 4/3) moist; massive; hard, friable, slightly sticky and plastic; common very fine and fine tubular pores, strongly effervescent with disseminated lime; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2).
TYPE LOCATION: Kern County, California; approximately 2-1/2 miles south of Arvin in the SW1/4 SE1/4 NE1/4 section 11, T.32S., R.29E., MDBM.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The soils are dry in all parts from early May until November unless irrigated. Mean annual soil temperature is 62 to 70 degrees F. Reaction is mildly or moderately alkaline throughout. Lime usually is disseminated in the lower part of the profiles, but may occur as filaments and threads in some pedons. Organic matter is more than 1 percent to depths of more than 7 inches.
The A horizon is grayish brown, brown, dark grayish brown, dark brown, or dark yellowish brown (10YR 5/2, 5/3, 4/2, 4/3, 4/4). It is typically sandy clay loam, but is loam, silt loam or clay loam in some pedons. This horizon is not moist 3 months or more of the year (cumulative).
The C horizon is very pale brown, pale brown, yellowish brown, brown, grayish brown or dark brown (10YR 7/3, 6/3, 6/2, 5/4, 5/3, 5/2, 4/3). It is sandy loam, fine sandy loam, loam, clay loam or sandy clay loam and has 18 to 35 percent clay loam. Weak stratification occurs in some pedons.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Arvin, Hesperia, McFarland, Panoche, Rosamond and Steuber series. Arvin, Hesperia and Steuber soils have less than 18 percent clay throughout. McFarland soils have less than 1 percent organic matter in the upper 7 inches. Panoche and Rosamond soils have more than 18 percent clay, are calcareous throughout and contain less than 1 percent organic matter.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: DiGiorgio soils are in basins and on stream flood plains formed in mixed alluvium with slopes of 0 to 2 percent. Elevations are 300 to 700 feet. The climate is semiarid with cool somewhat moist winters and hot, dry summers. Mean annual precipitation is 6 to 8 inches. Average January temperature is about 47 degrees F.; average July temperature is about 83 degrees F.; the mean annual temperature is about 66 degrees F. Frost-free season is 250 to 300 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the competing Arvin and Hesperia soils and the San Emigdio and Whitewolf soils. San Emigdio soils have less than 18 percent clay and a xeric moisture regime. Whitewolf soils are sandy throughout.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; medium runoff; moderately slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used mainly for irrigated field and row crops with small acreages for irrigated orchards and vineyards.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southeastern edge of the San Joaquin Valley of California. The soils are not extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Kern County, California, 1976.
REMARKS: This soil would be classified as a Mollisol except that it is not moist in some part of the epipedon for 3 months or more of the year (cumulative).
The activity class was added to the classification in February of 2003. Competing series were not checked at that time. - ET
OSED scanned by SSQA. Last revised by state on 12/76.