LOCATION EMIDIO CA

Established Series
Rev. PWB/KJO/MRS/KDA/KP
09/2013

EMIDIO SERIES

The Emidio series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in uplifted alluvium and/or colluvium derived from unconsolidated mixed rock sources. The Emidio soils are on benches on hillslopes. Slope is 15 to 30 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 254 millimeters (10 inches) and the mean annual temperature is about 17 degrees C. (62 degrees F.)

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, thermic Calcic Pachic Haploxerolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Emidio loam, on a north facing slope under heavily grazed annual grasses and forbs at an elevation of 953 meters (3,125 feet). (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated. When described on July 11, 1990, the soil was dry throughout.)

A1--0 to 10 centimeters (0 to 4 inches); very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) loam, black (10YR 2/1) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and plastic; common very fine roots; common very fine and few fine tubular pores; moderately acid (pH 5.9); clear smooth boundary.

A2--10 to 41 centimeters (4 to 16 inches); very dark gray (10YR 3/1) loam, black (10YR 2/1) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, sticky and plastic; common very fine roots; many very fine, common fine and medium, and few coarse tubular pores; neutral (pH 6.6); clear smooth boundary. (The A horizon is 13 to 51 centimeters [5 to 20 inches] thick).

Bw1--41 to 81 centimeters (16 to 32 inches); very dark gray (10YR 3/1) sandy clay loam, black (10YR 2/1) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure; hard, firm, sticky and plastic; common very fine roots; common very fine and few fine, medium, and coarse tubular pores; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear smooth boundary.

Bw2--81 to 104 centimeters (32 to 41 inches); dark gray (10YR 4/1) clay loam, black (10YR 2/1) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, sticky and plastic; few very fine roots; many very fine, common fine, and few medium and coarse tubular pores; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear wavy boundary. (The Bw horizon is 0 to 64 centimeters [0 to 25 inches] thick.)

Bky1--104 to 124 centimeters (41 to 49 inches); dark gray (10YR 4/1) and grayish brown (10YR 5/2) loam, black (10YR 2/1) and very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, sticky and plastic; few very fine roots; many very fine and few fine tubular pores; calcium carbonate equivalent of 5 percent; gypsum content of 20 percent; many fine, medium and coarse masses and threads of gypsum; strongly effervescent; carbonates disseminated and segregated as common fine, medium, and coarse soft masses encircling many gypsum masses; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear wavy boundary.

Bky2--124 to 165 centimeters (49 to 65 inches); light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) and pale brown (10YR 6/3) loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) and brown (10YR 4/3) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots; many very fine tubular pores; calcium carbonate equivalent of 5 percent; gypsum content of 20 percent; many fine, medium and coarse masses and threads of gypsum; common fine, medium and coarse masses and threads of gypsum; violently effervescent; carbonates disseminated and segregated as common fine, medium, and coarse soft masses encircling many gypsum masses; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0).

TYPE LOCATION: Kern County, California, Southwest Part; in map unit 395, Pleito-Emidio-Loslobos association, 15 to 75 percent slopes; about 39 kilometers (24 miles) southeast of Taft; 786 meters (2, 580 feet) west and 140 meters (460 feet) south of the northeast corner of section 12, T. 10 N., R. 21 W.; San Bernardino Base and Meridian; latitude 34 degrees 58 minutes 30 seconds north and longitude 119 degrees 04 minutes 24 seconds west; USGS Pleito Hills, California, Quadrangle, NAD83.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:

About 5 to 15 percent of the surface is covered by 2 to 75 millimeter gravel and 0 to 5 percent 75 to 250 millimeter cobbles consisting of mixed sedimentary rock.

A horizons:
Hue: 10YR dry and moist
Value: 3 or 4 dry and 2 moist
Chroma: 1 or 2 dry and moist
Texture of the fine earth fraction: loam
Content of clay: 15 to 24 percent clay
Content of organic matter: 1.5 to 5 percent
Reaction: moderately acid to neutral
Content of rock fragments: 0 to 8 percent 2 to 75 millimeter gravel and 0 to 2 percent 75 to 250 millimeter cobbles

Bw horizons:
Hue: 10YR dry and moist
Value: 3 to 5 dry and 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 1 or 2 dry and moist
Texture of the fine earth fraction: loam, sandy clay loam, or clay loam
Content of clay: 18 to 35 percent clay
Content of organic matter: 1 to 3 percent
Reaction: slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline
Content of rock fragments: 0 to 8 percent 2 to 75 millimeter gravel and 0 to 2 percent 75 to 250 millimeter cobbles

Bky horizons:
Hue: 10YR dry and moist
Value: 4 to 6 dry and 2 to 4 moist
Chroma: 1 to 3 dry and moist
Texture of the fine earth fraction: loam, sandy clay loam, or clay loam
Content of clay: 12 to 28 percent clay
Content of organic matter: 0.5 to 2 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 5 to 10 percent
Content of gypsum: 10 to 30 percent
Reaction: slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline
Content of rock fragments: 0 to 8 percent 2 to 75 millimeter gravel and 0 to 2 percent 75 to 250 millimeter cobbles

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Colpien, Flamen, Linne, Newpark, Pleito, and San Benito series. Colpien (MLRA 17) and soils formed in alluvium derived mainly from granitic rocks, have slopes ranging from 0 to 2 percent, and have Bt horizons. Flamen (MLRA 17) soils formed in alluvium derived mainly from granitic rocks, have slopes ranging from 0 to 2 percent, and are deep to a duripan. Linne soils are moderately deep and formed in material weathered from fairly soft shale and sandstone. Newpark soils (MLRA 14) are on alluvial fans with slopes from 0 to 2 percent. Pleito soils (MLRA 17 and 18) are on terraces, fan remnants, erosional remnants, and alluvial fans with slopes of 2 to 60 percent. San Benito soils are neutral or slightly alkaline in the A horizons. Colpien, Flamen, Linne, Newpark, Pleito, and San Benito soils do not have a gypsic horizon.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Emidio soils are on nearly level to gently sloping benches on hillslopes. Slope is 15 to 30 percent. The Emidio soils formed in uplifted alluvium and/or colluvium derived from unconsolidated mixed rock sources. Elevations are 417 to 1,307 meters (1,368 to 4,288 feet). The climate is semiarid with hot dry summers and cool, moist winters. The mean annual precipitation is 229 to 305 millimeters (9 to 12 inches). The mean annual temperature is 15 to 17 degrees C. (59 to 63 degrees F.). Mean July temperature is about 26 degrees C. (79 degrees F.), and mean January temperature is about 6 degrees C. (43 degrees F.). The frost-free season is 200 to 250 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Pleito (MLRA 17 and 18) and Loslobos (MLRA 15) soils. Loslobos soils are on backslopes and are coarse-loamy. Pleito soils do not have a gypsic horizon.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow runoff; moderately high saturated hydraulic conductivity.

USE AND VEGETATION: Used for livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. The vegetation is dominantly ripgut brome, soft chess, filaree, wild oats, Mediterranean barley, and creeping wild rye.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Transverse Range of Southern California. The series is not extensive. MLRA is 15.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Kern County, California, 2013 Proposed 1990. The name is from the San Emidio Ranch.

REMARKS: Animal burrowing to a depth of up to 1.2 meters (4 feet) on the Emidio soil, and on other geographically associated soils, may have assisted in the formation of a Pachic mollic epipedon in this area of limited precipitation. Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in the profile are:

Mollic epipedon - 0 to 124 centimeters (0 to 49 inches) (A1, A2, Bw1, Bw2, Bky1).

Gypsic horizon - the zone from 104 to 165 centimeters (41 to 65 inches) (Bky1, Bky2).

Particle size control section - the zone from 25 to 102 centimeters (10 to 40 inches).

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.