LOCATION HONN CATentative Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, thermic Mollic Haploxeralfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Honn gravelly sandy loam - pasture. (Colors for dry conditions unless otherwise noted.)
A11--0 to 3 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) gravelly sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak fine and medium platy structure breaking to moderate medium granular structure; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; many very fine roots; many fine interstitial pores; medium acid (pH 5.8) abrupt smooth boundary. (1 to 4 inches thick)
A12--3 to 8 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) slightly gravelly sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; massive; hard, friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; common fine roots; many very fine tubular and interstitial, very few medium tubular pores; medium acid (pH 6.0); clear smooth boundary. (3 to 6 inches thick)
A3--8 to 17 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) slightly gravelly heavy sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; massive; very hard, friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; very few fine and coarse roots; many very fine tubular and interstitial, very few medium tubular pores; medium acid (pH 6.0); clear smooth boundary. (6 to 10 inches thick)
B1t--17 to 24 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) slightly gravelly light sandy clay loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; massive; very hard, friable, nonsticky, slightly plastic; very few fine and medium roots; many very fine tubular and interstitial, very few medium tubular pores; few thin clay films in pores; medium acid (pH 6.0); clear, smooth boundary. (4 to 9 inches thick)
B2t--24 to 32 inches; brown and pale brown (10YR 5/3 and 6/3) slightly gravelly sandy clay loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) moist; massive; hard, friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; very few fine and medium roots; many very fine tubular and interstitial, very few medium tubular pores; common moderately thick clay films in pores and few thin clay films as bridges; medium acid (pH 6.0); clear, smooth boundary. (8 to 14 inches thick)
IIB3t--32 to 46 inches; light brownish gray and dark yellowish brown (10YR 6/2 and 4/4) gravelly heavy sandy clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist with few fine distinct dark reddish brown and common fine faint very dark grayish brown mottles; massive; very hard, friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; very few fine and medium roots; many very fine interstitial and few very fine tubular pores; few moderately thick clay films in pores and common moderately thick clay films as bridges; weakly cemented; medium acid (pH 6.0); clear smooth boundary. (8 to 17 inches thick)
IIC--46 to 56 inches; light gray (10YR 7/2) very gravelly sandy clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist with common fine distinct dark reddish brown and black mottles; massive; hard, friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; very few fine and medium roots; many very fine interstitial pores; and pockets of strongly mottled soil material in this horizon; weakly cemented; slightly acid (pH 6.5).
TYPE LOCATION: Shasta County, California, about 1 mile west of Millville, 1/4 mile ESE of NW 1/4 corner section 15, T.31N., R.2W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Solum thickness is 25 to 40 inches to the bottom of the argillic horizon, and mean annual soil temperature ranges from 60 to 65 degrees F. The soils are dry in the moisture control section from about June 1 to September 30 most years. The A horizon colors are grayish brown to pale brown in 10YR hues and have values of 5 or 6 dry and 3 or 4 moist. Chromas are 2 dry and 2 or 3 moist. Texture ranges from gravelly sandy loam to gravelly fine sandy loam; structure from moderate granular in the upper A to massive in the lower A horizon. Consistence is hard in some part of the upper A horizon. Reaction is medium acid to slightly acid. The B1t and B2t horizon colors are brown to very pale brown in hues of 10YR and 7.5YR with values of 5, 6 and 7 dry; 3 or 4 moist. Chromas are 3 or 4 both moist and dry. Texture ranges from gravelly light sandy clay loam to clay loam and in reaction from strongly acid to medium acid. The IIB3t and IIC horizons have variegated colors in yellowish browns with dark reddish brown, dark grayish brown and dark reddish brown mottles. The horizons are weakly cemented.
COMPETING SERIES: These include the Arbuckle, Churn, Los Robles, Millrace and Molinos series. The Arbuckle soils are brown or pale brown and are slightly acid. The Churn soils have light yellowish brown A horizons. The Los Robles soils have brown clay loam A horizons and brown, heavy clay loam, neutral B2t horizons. The Millrace soils have very gravelly loamy sand B2t horizons. The Molinos soils lack B2t horizons and are neutral.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Honn soils occur on nearly level or gently sloping low terraces under oak-grass vegetation. Underlying alluvium is slowly permeable, dense gravelly clay loam or clay. The soils occur at elevations of 300 to 800 feet in a Mediterranean climate with mean annual rainfall of 25 to 40 inches, with hot dry summers and cool moist winters. Mean annual temperature is about 60 to 62 degrees F., average January temperature about 41 degrees F., and average July temperature about 78 degrees F. The frost-free season is about 250 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: Honn soils occur in the same general area as Churn soils, Keefers soils with very cobbly clay B2t horizons, Los Robles, Molinos, and Vina soils without B2t horizons.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained, moderate to moderately slow permeability, slow to medium runoff. The substrata are slowly permeable.
USE AND VEGETATION: Cropland or dry pasture. Natural vegetation consists of valley oak, blue oak, interior live oak, digger pine, manzanita and annual grasses and forbs.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northern Sacramento Valley associated with Tuscan Formation and other tuff deposits. The soils are inextensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California
SERIES PROPOSED: Shasta County, California, 1965.
REMARKS: The Honn series was formerly classified in the Noncalcic Brown group.
OSED scanned by SSQA. Last revised by state on 11/69.