LOCATION GOLDBERG CAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, thermic Typic Natraquolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Goldberg loam--on a slope of less than 1 percent in a native pasture under sedges, grasses and clover at 210 feet elevation. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated. When described on April 12, 1979, the soil was moist below 4 inches and the water table was at 36 inches.)
A--0 to 4 inches; gray (5Y 5/1) loam, very dark gray (5Y 3/1) moist; few fine distinct olive (5Y 4/3) mottles moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, sticky and plastic; many very fine roots; common very fine tubular and interstitial pores; very few colloidal stains on peds; EC 1.1 mmhos; SAR 4; neutral (pH 7.3); clear wavy boundary. (1 to 12 inches thick)
BAt--4 to 16 inches; gray (5Y 5/1) heavy clay loam, very dark gray (5Y 3/1) moist; few fine distinct dark gray (5Y 4/1) and olive (5Y 5/3) mottles, black (5Y 2/1) and olive (5YR 4/3) moist; moderate coarse angular blocky structure; hard, friable, sticky and plastic; many very fine roots concentrated along vertical faces of peds and common fine roots in peds; common very fine tubular and many very fine interstitial pores; common thin clay films on peds and in pores, black (N 2.0) continuous colloidal stains on peds; slightly effervescent, disseminated lime; EC 5.4 mmhos; SAR 6; mildly alkaline (pH 7.5); abrupt wavy boundary. (5 to 14 inches thick)
Bt1--16 to 24 inches; gray (5Y 5/1) heavy clay loam, very dark gray (5Y 3/1) moist; few fine distinct olive (5Y 5/3) and dark gray (5Y 4/1) mottles, olive (5Y 4/3) and black (5Y 2/1) moist; moderate coarse prismatic structure; hard, friable, sticky and plastic; many very fine roots concentrated along vertical faces of peds and common fine roots in peds; many very fine tubular and interstitial pores; common moderately thick clay films on peds and in pores, many black colloidal stains on peds; slightly effervescent, disseminated lime; few fine gypsum crystals; EC 8.5 mmhos; SAR 15; moderately alkaline (pH 7.9); abrupt wavy boundary. (8 to 13 inches thick)
Btk--24 to 32 inches; variegated gray (5Y 5/1) and dark gray (5Y 4/1) clay, dark gray (5Y 4/1) moist; few fine distinct olive (5Y 5/3) mottles, olive (5Y 4/3) moist; moderate coarse prismatic structure; hard, friable, sticky and plastic; many very fine roots; many very fine tubular pores; few thin clay films on peds and in pores; many pressure faces, many black (N 2/0) colloidal stains on peds; slightly effervescent, lime disseminated and in few fine irregularly shaped soft masses; EC 4.5 mmhos; SAR 18; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); abrupt wavy boundary. (6 to 15 inches thick)
BCtg--32 to 44 inches; olive gray (5Y 5/2) clay, olive gray (5Y 4/2) moist; few fine distinct olive (5Y 5/3) and dark gray (5Y 4/1) mottles, olive (5Y 4/3) and dark greenish gray (5BG 4/1) moist; massive; very hard, friable, sticky and plastic; few very fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; few thin clay films in pores; slightly effervescent, disseminated lime; EC 2.0 mmhos; SAR 12; moderately alkaline (pH 8.3); abrupt wavy boundary (6 to 12 inches thick)
Cg1--44 to 54 inches; light olive gray (5Y 6/2) clay loam, gray (5Y 5/1) moist; olive (5Y 5/3) and dark gray (5Y 4/1) mottles, few fine distinct olive (5Y 5/3) and dark greenish gray (5GB 4/1) moist; massive; very hard friable, slightly sticky and plastic; few very fine roots; few very fine irregular shaped soft masses; EC 2.0 mmhos; SAR 4; mildly alkaline (pH 7.8); abrupt wavy boundary. (10 to 12 inches thick)
Cg2--54 to 60 inches; light olive gray (5Y 6/2) sandy clay loam, olive gray (5Y 5/2) moist; few fine faint and distinct pale olive (5Y 6/3) and gray (5Y 6/1) mottles, olive (5Y 4/3) and dark greenish gray (5BG 4/1) moist; massive; hard, friable, slightly sticky and plastic; few very fine roots; few very fine tubular and interstitial pores; very few black (N 2/0) organic stains in pores; strongly effervescent, lime disseminated and in common fine irregularly shaped soft masses; EC 2.1 mmhos; SAR 1.3; mildly alkaline (pH 7.6).
TYPE LOCATION: Kings County, California; approximately 1.6 miles south of Hanford-Armona Road and 1.5 miles west of 19th Avenue; about 825 feet south and 25 feet west of the center of sec. 8, T. 19 S., R. 20 E., MDBM.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Unless artificially drained, the soil is saturated in some or all parts most of the year. It is typically saline-alkali in most of the soil profile. Organic matter is between 1 and 5 percent at the surface. The mean annual soil temperature ranges from 60 degrees to 65 degrees F. The upper 10 to 15 inches of the soil has moist matrix values of 3 or less. This horizon is neutral to moderately alkaline and is noneffervescent to violently effervescent with disseminated lime.
The A horizon has dry color of 10YR 4/1; 5Y 4/1, 4/2, 5/1, 5/2, 5/3 and moist color of 10YR 3/1; 5Y 2/1, 3/1, 3/2. Mottles are distinct or prominent and have moist color of 2.5Y 4/2, 5/6; or 5Y 4/3, 4/4. It is loam or clay loam with 12 to 35 percent clay. It is neutral to moderately alkaline and is noneffervescent to violently effervescent with disseminated lime.
The Bt horizon has dry color of 5Y 4/1, 4/2, 5/1 or 5/2 and moist color of 5Y 3/1, 3/2, 4/1, or 4/2. Mottles are distinct or prominent and have moist colors of 5Y 2.5/1, 3/1, 3/2, 4/1, 4/2, 4/3; 5GY 4/1; 5G 5/1 and 5BG 4/1. This horizon is clay loam or clay and averages 35 to 50 percent clay. It is mildly alkaline to very strongly alkaline. It is slightly effervescent to violently effervescent and lime is disseminated or in soft masses. SAR is 10 to 50 but is at least 13 in the upper part.
The C horizon has dry color of 5Y 6/2, 5/2 and moist color of 5Y 4/2, 4/3, 5/1, 5/2, 5/3. Mottles have moist color of 5Y 4/1, 4/3, 5/3, 5/6; 5G 4/1; or 5BG 4/1. This horizon ranges from loamy sand to clay loam. It is mildly alkaline to very strongly alkaline. It is slightly effervescent to violently and lime is disseminated or in soft masses.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Durrstein, Hoven, Napa, and Pridham series in other families. Durrstein, Hoven, and Napa soils have a mesic temperature regime. Pridham soils have mixed minerology and the moisture control section is moist from summer thunder showers in July, August or September.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTINGS: Goldberg soils are on alluvial plains and flood plains. Slopes are 0 to 2 percent. Elevation is 200 to 240 feet. The soils formed in alluvium from sedimentary and acid igneous rock. The climate is arid with hot, dry summers and mild, somewhat moist winters. The average annual precipitation varies from 7 to 8 inches. Mean January temperature is 48 degrees F; mean July temperature is 83 degrees F; mean annual temperature is 64 degrees F. Frost-free season is 250 to 275 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Garces, Gepford, Grangeville, Kimberlina, Lakeside, and Lemoore soils. Garces, Lemore, and Kimberlina soils have an ochric epipedon. Gepford, Grangeville, and Lakeside soils lack a natric horizon.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat poorly drained; very slow runoff; very slow permeability. Most areas of this soil are now artificially drained because of dams and drainage ditches in the ares. A water table occurs at a depth greater than 3 feet. These soils are now protected from flooding.
USE AND VEGETATION: This soil is used mainly for irrigated cropland growing, barley, safflower, grain, sorghum, and cotton. Natural vegetation is sedges, grasses and forbs.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: San Joaquin Valley, California. The series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Kings County, California, 1980.