LOCATION GARECK CAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, calcareous, thermic Sodic Torriarents
TYPICAL PEDON: Gareck sandy loam, under irrigated cultivation, with a slope of 0 to 2 percent at an elevation of 278 feet. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap1--0 to 6 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine roots; common very fine tubular and interstitial pores; slightly effervescent, carbonates disseminated; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); gradual smooth boundary. (4 to 8 inches thick).
Ap2--6 to 17 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine roots; common very fine and few fine tubular pores, and few very fine interstitial pores; few thin clay films lining pores of fragments of a displaced natric horizon; 5 percent subangular fragments of a displaced natric horizon; strongly effervescent, carbonates disseminated; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); clear smooth boundary. (8 to 18 inches thick).
Ap3--17 to 28 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, sticky and plastic; few very fine roots; common very fine tubular and few very fine interstitial pores; common moderately thick clay films lining pores and on faces of fragments of a displaced natric horizon; 5 percent subangular fragments of a displaced natric horizon; strongly effervescent, carbonates disseminated, and segregated as few fine irregular soft masses; moderately alkaline (pH 8.3); gradual smooth boundary. (8 to 18 inches thick).
Ap4--28 to 47 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) sandy clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots; common very fine tubular and interstitial pores; few thin clay films bridging sand grains and on faces of fragments of a displaced natric horizon; 5 percent subangular fragments of a displaced natric horizon; strongly effervescent, carbonates disseminated, and segregated as common fine seams, filaments and irregular soft masses; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); clear smooth boundary. (10 to 30 inches thick).
2Bk--47 to 62 inches; light gray (10YR 7/2) sandy loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine tubular and interstitial pores; 5 percent pebbles; strongly effervescent, carbonates disseminated, and segregated as common fine irregular soft masses; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4).
TYPE LOCATION: Tulare County, California; about 10 miles south of Pixley; about 200 feet north and 80 feet west of the southeast corner of Sec. 20, T. 24 S., R. 25 E., MDB&M; Latitude 35 degrees, 49 minutes, 19 seconds north and Longitude 119 degrees, 17 minutes, 8 seconds west; Delano West Quadrangle.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mean annual soil temperature: 65 to 68 degrees F.
Depth to displaced fragments of a natric horizon: 4 to 8 inches.
Electrical conductivity: 0 to 4 decisiemens per meter.
Sodium adsorption ratio: 0 to 8.
Ap1 Horizon--10YR 5/2, 5/3, 6/2, 6/3, 7/2, 7/3 dry; 10YR 3/2, 3/3, 4/2, 4/3, 5/2, 5/3 moist. Many pedons have been greatly darkened by the addition of large amounts of organic matter, but it is believed that they lack enough organic carbon to be mollic epipedons.
Clay: 10 to 20 percent.
Texture: Commonly a sandy loam, but this can vary greatly due to surface mixing and land leveling.
Carbonates: Slightly to violently effervescent. (Calcium carbonate equivalent 1 to 3 percent)
Reaction: Neutral to moderately alkaline
Ap2, Ap3 and Ap4 Horizons--10YR 5/3, 5/4, 6/3, 6/4 dry; 10YR 3/3, 3/4, 4/3, 4/4 moist.
Texture: Loam, sandy clay loam or clay loam.
Clay: 18 to 30 percent.
Clay films: Few to many, thin to moderately thick in pores, bridging sand grains, and on fragments of displaced natric horizon.
Carbonates: Slightly to violently effervescent. (Calcium carbonate equivalent 1 to 5 percent.
Reaction: Slightly alkaline to moderately alkaline.
2Bk Horizon--10YR 6/2, 6/3, 6/4, 7/2, 7/3, 7/4 dry; 10YR 4/2, 4/3, 4/4, 5/2, 5/3, 5/4 moist.
Texture: Stratified loamy sand to sandy clay loam.
Clay: averages 8 to 18 percent and ranges 3 to 30 percent.
Coarse fragments: 0 to 10 percent.
Carbonates: Strongly to violently effervescent. (Calcium carbonate equivalent 1 to 5 percent)
Coarse fragments: 0 to 10 percent gravel.
Reaction: Commonly is slightly to moderately alkaline, but ranges to very strongly alkaline in some pedons. This is highly variable due to the degree of reclamation.
Other features: Crystals of gypsum occur in some pedons in the Ap or 2Bk horizons where gypsum has been added to the soil.
COMPETING SERIES: This is the Crosscreek series T-CA). Crosscreek soils have displaced duripan fragments and duripans.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Gareck soils are on terraces. The soils formed in the chemically and mechanically reclaimed remnants of the Garces series (Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, thermic Typic Natrargids). Garces soils formed in granitic alluvium. Slopes are 0 to 2 percent. Elevations are 210 to 390 feet. The climate is arid with hot, dry summers and cool, moist winters. The mean annual precipitation is 6 to 8 inches, the mean annual temperature is 63 to 66 degrees F., and the frost free season is 250 to 275 days. Flooding is rare.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Garces, Jerryslu, and Kimberlina soils. Garces soils have natric horizons. Jerryslu soils have natric horizons and continuous indurated duripans. Kimberlina soils lack argillic horizons and have coarse-loamy families.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; runoff is negligible to low; moderately slow permeability. Flooding is rare.
USE AND VEGETATION: This soil is used for irrigated cropland growing cotton, alfalfa, corn silage and wheat. It is also used for dairy and cattle production and building site development.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: The southern part of the San Joaquin valley. The soil is not extensive. MLRA 17.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Tulare County, West Part, California, 1999. The name is coined.
REMARKS: This soil was derived from a fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, thermic Typic Natrargids (Garces Series) but has been mechanically ripped to a depth of 47 inches or more in the typical pedon, and has been treated with farm chemicals (gypsum, sulfuric acid, etc.) and irrigation water. This has completely destroyed the natric horizon leaving clay films on displaced peds and aggregates. This was originally proposed as a Natric subgroup as the soil has identifiable fragments of a natric horizon and is not Sodic.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon:
1.0 Ochric Epipedon--The zone from the surface to a depth of about 6 inches (Ap1 horizon).
2.0 Clay films on displaced fragments of a natric horizon--The zone from 6 inches to a depth of about 47 inches (Ap2, Ap3 and Ap4 horizons).