LOCATION HUENEME CAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, calcareous, thermic Oxyaquic Xerofluvents
TYPICAL PEDON: Hueneme sandy loam - lemon grove (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
Ap1--0 to 2 inches; Grayish brown (10YR 5/2) loamy fine sand, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak fine granular structure; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; few very fine roots; many very fine interstitial and very few fine tubular pores; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); abrupt smooth boundary. (1 to 3 inches thick)
Ap2--2 to 9 inches; Grayish brown (10YR 5/2) light sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; massive (compacted by tillage); hard, friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; few fine and very fine roots; many very fine interstitial pores; slightly effervescent, lime disseminated; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear smooth boundary. (4 to 8 inches thick)
A13--9 to 17 inches; Grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) light sandy loam, dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky, slightly plastic; few fine and very fine roots; many very fine interstitial and few fine tubular pores; strongly effervescent, lime disseminated; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); gradual smooth boundary. (6 to 15 inches thick)
C1--17 to 23 inches; Grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) light sandy loam, dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) moist; massive; hard, friable, nonsticky, slightly plastic; few fine and very fine roots; many very fine interstitial and common very fine and few fine tubular pores; many gypsum segregations; violently effervescent, lime disseminated and segregated into soft masses; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); gradual wavy boundary. (4 to 12 inches thick)
C2--23 to 37 inches; Grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) loamy sand, dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) moist; common fine distinct mottles of light gray (2.5Y 7/2), pale yellow (2.5Y 7/3) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; few fine and very fine roots; many very fine interstitial and common very fine and fine tubular pores; very few gypsum segregations; violently effervescent, lime disseminated, and segregated into soft masses; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); abrupt smooth boundary. (10 to 20 inches thick)
C3--37 to 41 inches; Light gray (2.5Y 7/2) sandy loam, grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) moist; many fine faint mottles of light gray (2.5Y 7/2), pale yellow (2.5Y 7/3) moist; massive; hard, friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; many very fine interstitial and common fine and very fine tubular pores; many gypsum segregations; violently effervescent, lime disseminated and segregated into soft masses; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 6 inches thick)
C4--41 to 65 inches; Light gray (2.5Y 7/2) sand, grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) moist; many fine faint mottles of light gray (2.5Y 7/2), pale yellow (2.5Y 7/3) moist; single grained; loose dry and moist; nonsticky, nonplastic; many very fine interstitial pores; strongly effervescent, lime disseminated; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear smooth boundary. (18 to 30 inches thick)
C5--65 to 70 inches; Light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) stratified silt and sand, dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) moist; many large prominent mottles of reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/6), strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) moist; weak thin platy structure (layered); soft, friable, slightly sticky, slightly plastic; many very fine interstitial and few very fine tubular pores; strongly effervescent, lime disseminated and segregated into soft masses; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4).
TYPE LOCATION: Ventura County, California; approximately 1,300 feet south and 1,000 feet east of the intersection of Hueneme Road and Nauman Road.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: These soils have A horizons that are darkened by organic matter, but they are stratified and the organic matter decreases irregularly with depth. There are few rock fragments, generally less than 10 percent gravel. The soils are saturated, unless drained, to within 20 to 40 inches of the surface during part of the winter and spring or longer. Some mottling is present above a depth of 40 inches. Gypsum segregations and a few small brown concretions may or may not be present. The soils are usually moist all the time in some or all parts between depths of 8 and 24 inches from early December until about mid May. The same section is dry all the time, unless irrigated, from about June until November. The mean summer soil temperature is about 67 degrees F., the mean winter soil temperature is about 56 degrees F., and the mean annual soil temperature about 64 degrees F. The A horizon is grayish brown or light brownish gray in hue of 10YR or 2.5Y. It is mildly to moderately alkaline and the immediate surface may be calcareous or noncalcareous. All parts of the 10 to 20 inch zone and below are calcareous. Some or all parts of the A horizon are hard and massive when dry. The C horizon is light gray, light brownish gray, or light olive gray in 10YR or 2.5Y hue. It is stratified sandy loam or loamy sand and averages sandy loam in the 10 to 40 inch section with about 10 to 15 percent clay. Thin silty or sandy strata are commonly present.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Bishop, Camarillo, Dello, Grangeville, Hilmar, Lang, Laugenour, Maria, Piper, and Tyndall series. Bishop soils have mollic epipedons and a mean soil temperature of less than 59 degrees F. Camarillo soils have more than 18 percent clay. Grangeville soils have mollic epipedons. Dello and Lang soils are sand or loamy sand through the 10 to 40 inch section. Hilmar soils are loamy sand in the upper part of the 10 to 40 inch section and loam in the lower part. Maria soils are high in silt and have more than 18 percent clay. Piper, Laugenour, and Tyndall soils have mottles and other evidence of poor drainage above a depth of 20 inches.
SETTING: Hueneme soils are in nearly level alluvial plains and basins in stratified alluvium derived from alkaline sedimentary sources. These soils are at elevations from near sea level to approximately 1,000 feet in a dry subhumid, mesothermal climate having a mean annual rainfall of about 15 inches with cool, rainless, foggy summers and cool, moist winters; an average January temperature of about 53 degrees F., an average July temperature of about 67 degrees F., a mean annual temperature of 60 degrees F.; and a frost-free season of about 275 to 365 days.
PRINCIPAL ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Anacapa, Cropley, Mocho, and Sorrento soils and the competing Camarillo soils. Anacapa, Mocho, and Sorrento soils all lack mottles above a depth of 40 inches and are in slightly higher positions. Cropley soils are fine textured.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Natural drainage is poor although many areas have been artificially drained. Undrained areas may have seasonal water table as high as 20 to 40 inches in wet years. Runoff is slow or very slow. Permeability is moderately rapid. Unless protected, these soils are subject to periodic flooding. Original amounts of salt were variable due to flooding and flushing.
USE AND VEGETATION: The principal uses are for vegetables and lemons. Originally, vegetation consisted of salt-tolerant grasses and forbs in most areas.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Coastal plains and valleys in southern California. The soils are of moderate extent in MLRA 19.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Ventura County, California, 1971.
REMARKS: The Hueneme series was formerly classified in the Alluvial soils.
OSED scanned by SSQA. Last revised by state on 6/72.
ADDITIONAL DATA: NSSL pedon S71CA-059-005 (type location) and S71CA-059-003 (range in characteristics)