LOCATION FRESNO CA
Established Series
Rev: GJ, RAD
09/2021
FRESNO SERIES
The Fresno series is a member of the Fine-Loamy, Mixed, Thermic family of Natric Durixeralfs. Fresno Soils have light gray strongly alkaline A horizons, light brownish gray strongly alkaline sandy clay loam Bt horizons which abruptly overlies strongly cemented lime-silica hardpan. Salts and alkali are usually present in excessive amounts.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, thermic Natric Durixeralfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Fresno fine sandy loam. on less than one percent slope. Uncultivated. (Colors for dry conditions unless otherwise noted)
A1--0 to 4 inches; light gray (2.5Y 7/2) to light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) fine sandy loam, grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) when moist; essentially massive dry; very weak very fine granular structure moist; hard, friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; few fine roots, common fine pores; low in organic matter; slightly calcareous; very strongly alkaline (pH 9.2); clear smooth boundary. (2 to 6 inches thick)
A3--4 to 12 inches; light gray (2.5Y 7/2) fine sandy loam, light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) when moist; essentially massive dry; very weak very fine granular structure moist; hard, friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; few fine roots, common fine pores; low in organic matter; slightly calcareous; very strongly alkaline (pH 10.2); abrupt smooth boundary. (4 to 10 inches thick)
B2t--12 to 18 inches; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) sandy clay loam, grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) when moist; weak coarse prismatic and moderate medium blocky structure; very hard, firm; slightly sticky, plastic moderate continuous clay films; slightly calcareous with the lime, disseminated; very strongly alkaline (pH 9.6); abrupt wavy boundary. (8 to 20 inches thick)
C1mca--18 to 24 inches; light gray (2.5Y 7/2) strongly cemented lime silica hardpan, grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) when moist the upper fraction of an inch or more is darker colored and indurated; very strongly alkaline (pH 9.4); strongly calcareous, the lime mainly in hardened lenses and seams; abrupt wavy boundary. (2 to 12 inches thick)
IIC2--24 to 60 inches; light gray (2.5Y 7/1) stratified loam and fine sandy loam, light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) when moist; a few fine distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) and strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) and strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) mottles; massive; hard, firm to friable; moderately calcareous, becoming less calcareous with depth; very strongly alkaline (pH 9.2).
TYPE LOCATION: Madera County, California; NE 1/4 SW 1/4 Sec. 28 T12S R153E., north of road and 1/4 mile southeast of junction of Road 27 and Avenue 7.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Depth to duripan ranges from 14 to 36 model inches but is typically about 24 inches. The soils are dry for 60 consecutive days or more. Soil mineralogy is mixed.
The A horizons range in color (10YR and 2.5Y hues) from grayish brown, light grayish brown, light gray to very pale brown; in texture from sandy loam to loam; in reaction from moderately to very strongly alkaline and usually calcareous; structure is massive but there may be a thin (inch) vesicular or platy crust on the surface. Dark brown irregular and spotty stains, indicative of an alkali condition, commonly occur at the surface and in the soil.
The B2t horizons range in color(10YR and 2.5Y hues) from light grayish brown to dark grayish brown with occasional light olive brown to olive brown, in texture from light clay loam, clay loam to sandy clay loam; in reaction from moderately to very strongly alkaline and in structure from moderate to strong angular blocky.
The hardpan is variable indegree of hardness but usually is strongly cemented. It may be platy to massive in structure. The underlying material is somewhat stratified, friable but with strongly cemented lenses in some areas.
COMPETING SERIES: The
Exeter soils have light grayish brown slightly acid fine sandy loam A horizons, brown massive slightly acid loam B2t horizons and reddish brown strongly cemented to indurated Cm horizons. The
La Palma soils have yellowish brown A horizons, a light brown Bt horizon with a pH exceeding 9.6 and a white lime cemented Ccam horizon. The
Louie soils have light brownish gray sandy loam A horizons, clay loan to light clay Bt horizons on light gray moderately alkaline strongly cemented Cm horizons.
Dinuba soils have grayish brown, neutral A horizons, light brownish gray mildly alkaline sandy loam Bt horizons and a white stratified silt and very fine sandy loam, weakly cemented Cca horizon.
El Peco soils have very pale brown strongly alkaline A sandy loam horizons, similar C horizons overlying strongly cemented lime silica pan.
Lewis soils have pale brown A horizons, brown, clay Bt horizons and a brown, weakly lime cemented hardpan, 2-8 inches thick. The
Pachappa soils have darker surface horizons and lack duripans within a depth of 40 inches.
Pond soils lack duripans.
Pogo soils have mollic epipedons.
Traver soils have argillic horizon with less than 18 percent clay and lack duripans.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Fresno soils occur in nearly level valley plains with an irregular low hummocky microrelief. The lower part of the profile consists of stratified sediments principally from the granitic Sierra Nevada. Also soils occur at elevations from near sea level to approximately 250 feet in a semiarid mesothermal climate having a mean annual precipitation of 6 to 12 inches with hot dry summers and cool, moist winters; an average January temperature of 45 degrees f.; an average July temperature of 82 degrees F.; average annual temperature of 63 degrees F. The average frost-free season is over 250 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These include the
El Peco,
Pachappa,
Pond,
Poso and
Traver soils. Reclaimed soils are used for cotton, alfalfa, and irrigated pasture.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Moderately well drained. Surface runoff and permeability are very slow; small pools of water commonly persist during wet winters.
USE AND VEGETATION: Saline-alkali tolerant shrubs, weeds, and grasses. Vegetation in general is sparse and spots bare of vegetation are common. Fresno soils are reclaimed with moderate difficulty. Un-reclaimed soils are used for winter and spring range.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: The soils are moderately extensive and occur in California in the San Joaquin Valley generally east of the valley axis.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Fresno Area, Fresno County, California, 1900.
REMARKS: The soil was classified as a Solonetz in the 1938 yearbook.
The activity class was added to the classification in January of 2003. Competing series were not checked at that time. - ET
OSED scanned by SSQA
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.