LOCATION DIVISION CA

Established Series
Rev. ET-MAV-JVC
06/2016

DIVISION SERIES

The Division series consists of shallow to a duripan, poorly drained soils that formed in alluvium and lacustrine deposits derived from mixed sources influenced by volcanic ash. Division soils are on stream terraces and lake terraces. Slopes are 0 to 2 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 130 mm and the mean annual temperature is about 15 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy, mixed, superactive, thermic, shallow Aquicambidic Haplodurids

TYPICAL PEDON: Division ashy fine sandy loam--at an elevation of -1,161 meters; rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted. When described on December 19, 1985, the soil was slightly moist to 46 cm and moist below 152 cm.)

An1--0 to 5 cm; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) ashy fine sandy loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; moderate thick platy structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and fine and few medium roots; common very fine interstitial and few very fine tubular pores; 5 percent gravel; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); clear smooth boundary.

An2--5 to 15 cm; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) ashy fine sandy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; weak, medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine tubular and interstitial pores; violently effervescent; strongly alkaline (pH 8.7); gradual smooth boundary.

An3--15 to 28 cm; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) ashy fine sandy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine and common fine and medium roots; common very fine tubular pores; violently effervescent; very strongly alkaline (pH 9.2); abrupt smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the A horizons is 25 to 51 cm)

2Bqkm--28 to 46 cm; light gray (2.5Y 7/2) duripan, olive brown (2.5Y 4/4) moist; strongly cemented by secondary silica; fractures average 30 cm apart and have continuous distinct clay films on fracture faces; violently effervescent with 12 percent calcium carbonate equivalent; very strongly alkaline (pH 9.9); abrupt wavy boundary. (10 to 25 cm thick)

2Btnq--46 to 66 cm; light gray (5Y 7/2) ashy loam, olive (5Y 5/3) moist; moderate very coarse and coarse angular blocky structure parting to moderate thick platy; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; brittle and weakly cemented in places by secondary silica; common very fine and few fine roots; many very fine, common fine, and few medium tubular pores; common faint and few distinct clay films on faces of peds and lining pores; violently effervescent (15 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); very strongly alkaline (pH 9.4); abrupt wavy boundary. (15 to 25 cm thick)

2Btn--66 to 79 cm; light gray (5Y 7/2) ashy loam, olive (5Y 5/3) moist; moderate coarse angular blocky structure parting to moderate medium platy; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and few fine roots; many very fine and common fine tubular pores; common faint clay films on faces of peds and lining pores; violently effervescent (20 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); strongly alkaline (pH 8.8); clear smooth boundary. (8 to 20 cm thick)

2Bt--79 to 86 cm; light gray (5Y 7/2) ashy sandy loam, olive (5Y 5/3) moist; moderate coarse angular blocky structure parting to moderate medium platy; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine and fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; many faint clay films on faces of peds and lining pores; violently effervescent (14 percent calcium carbonate equivalent); moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); abrupt smooth boundary. (5 to 15 cm thick)

3C1--86 to 97 cm; light gray (2.5Y 7/2) and light gray (5Y 7/2) stratified sandy loam and loam, olive brown (2.5Y 4/4) and olive (5Y 5/3) moist; weak medium angular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine and fine roots; common very fine, few fine tubular and common very fine interstitial pores; common fine, medium, and large prominent dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) masses of iron accumulation; slightly to violently effervescent; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4) and moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); abrupt wavy boundary.

3C2--97 to 127 cm; light gray (5Y 7/2) loamy very fine sand, olive gray (5Y 5/2) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine and fine roots; common very fine, few fine tubular and many very fine interstitial pores; neutral (pH 7.0); gradual wavy boundary.

3C3--127 to 165 cm; light gray (5Y 7/2) stratified loamy very fine sand and very fine sandy loam, olive gray (5Y 4/2) and olive gray (5Y 5/2) moist; weak coarse angular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine and few fine roots; common very fine and few fine tubular pores; common fine, medium, and large prominent dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) masses of iron accumulation lining pores and coating faces of peds; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4). (Combined thickness of the 3C horizons is 51 to 89 inches)

TYPE LOCATION: Inyo County, California; about 8 miles north of Independence; 400 feet south and 275 feet east of the northwest corner of section 12, T. 12 S., R. 34 E.; USGS Blackrock 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle; 36 degrees 55 minutes 35 seconds north latitude and 118 degrees 13 minutes 03 seconds west longitude; WGS84 Decimal Degrees 36.9263889 latitude, -118.2175000 longitude.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: The soil between the depths of 20 and 28 cm is dry throughout from 200 to 225 days from about May 15 to December 15. It is moist throughout for 75 to 105 days from about January 15 to April 30 and is moist in some or all parts for 70 to 85 consecutive days from about March 1 to May 15 when the soil is above 47 degrees F; typic aridic soil moisture regime.
Mean annual soil temperature: 15 to 18 degrees C. The soil temperature is below 8 degrees C. from about December 1 to March 1, and is below 5 degrees C. from about January 1 to February 1.
Depth to duripan: 25 to 51 cm.

An horizons
Dry color: 7.5YR 7/2, 7/4; 10YR 6/2, 7/2 or 7/3.
Moist color: 7.5YR 5/2, 5/4; 10YR 4/2, 4/4 or 5/2.
Texture: Ashy fine sandy loam, ashy sandy loam, or ashy loamy sand.
Clay content: 6 to 12 percent.
Volcanic glass content: 20 to 30 percent in coarse silt through fine sand fractions.
Oxalate extractable Al + 1/2 Fe: 0.3 to 0.5 percent.
Reaction: Moderately alkaline or strongly alkaline.
Salinity (EC): 2 to 8 mmhos/cm.
Sodicity (SAR): 1 to 5 in the An1 horizon and 13 to 20 in the An3 horizon.

2Bqkm horizon
Dry color: 2.5Y 7/2, 8/2; or 10YR 7/2.
Moist color: 2.5Y 4/2, 4/4, 6/2; or 10YR 5/2.
Cementation: Strongly cemented material which has widely spaced fractures often coated with illuvial clay.

2Btnq horizon
Dry color: 5Y 7/2 or 10YR 7/2.
Moist color: 5Y 5/3 or 10YR 5/2.
Clay content: 18 to 27 percent.
Secondary silica: Weakly cemented with silica in spots.
Salinity (EC): 2 to 8 mmhos/cm.
Sodicity (SAR): 50 to 100.

2Btn and 2Bt horizons
Dry color: 2.5Y 5/2, 6/2; 5Y 7/2 or 7/3.
Moist color: 2.5Y 3/2, 4/2; 5Y 4/3, 4/4 or 5/3.
Texture: Ashy loam or ashy sandy loam.
Clay content: 18 to 27 percent.
Volcanic glass content: 5 to 45 percent in coarse silt through fine sand fractions.
Reaction: Moderately alkaline or strongly alkaline.

3C horizons
Dry color: 2.5Y 7/2, 8/1; 5Y 7/2 or 8/1.
Moist color: 2.5Y 4/4, 6/2; 5Y 4/2, 5/2 or 5/3.
Texture: Stratified sand, loamy very fine sand, sandy loam, very fine sandy loam, and loam
Clay content: 12 to 18 percent.
Reaction: Neutral or slightly alkaline.

COMPETING SERIES: At present, there are no other series in this family.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Division soils are on stream terraces and lake terraces. These soils formed in alluvium and lacustrine deposits derived from mixed sources influenced by volcanic ash. Slopes are 0 to 2 percent. Elevations are 1,152 to 1,189 meters. The climate is arid with cool, moist winters and hot, dry summers. The mean annual precipitation 100 to 150 mm. The mean annual temperature is 14 to 16 degrees C., mean January temperature is about 4 degrees C., and the mean July temperature is about 27 degrees C. The frost-free period is 160 to 210 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Mazourka, Numu, Pokonahbe, Shondow, and Winnedumah soils.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Poorly drained; very high surface runoff; moderately rapid permeability above the duripan and very slow permeability in the duripan. Endosaturation is present with an apparent seasonal high water table between 61 and 91 cm (moderately deep free water occurrence class) from March to June. Cumulative annual duration classes are Transitory or Common.

USE AND VEGETATION: Division soils are used for rangeland and wildlife habitat. Vegetation is alkali sacaton, black greasewood, and inland saltgrass.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: East-central California in the Owens Valley. These soils are not extensive with about 3,500 acres of the series mapped to date. MLRA 29.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California.

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Inyo County, California, Benton-Owens Valley area, 1997.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - The zone from the soil surface to 28 cm (An1, An2, and An3 horizons).
Andic intergrade feature - The zone from the soil surface to 28 cm (An1, An2, and An3 horizons).
Duripan - The zone from 28 to 46 cm (2Bqkm horizon).
Endosaturation feature - The condition of ground water with an upper boundary between 61 and 91 cm at certain times during normal years (2Btnq, 2Btn, 2Bt, 3C1, 3C2, and 3C3 horizons).
Particle-size control section - The zone from the soil surface to 28 cm (An1, An2, and An3 horizons).

ADDITIONAL DATA: The typical pedon at the series type location was sampled for full characterization by the Soil Survey Laboratory (SSL), Lincoln, NE, as soil survey sample number S86CA-027-008 (pedon number 86P0815).

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.