LOCATION KILMER CAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, calcareous, thermic Typic Xerorthents
TYPICAL PEDON: Kilmer loam - on a northeast-facing slope of 25 percent under soft chess, red brome and filaree at 1,120 feet elevation. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated. When described on 4/5/77 the soil was slightly moist below a depth of 6 inches.)
A1--0 to 5 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine roots; common very fine interstitial and tubular pores; slightly effervescent, disseminated lime; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); gradual smooth boundary. (1 to 6 inches thick)
A1--5 to 14 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) clay loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine roots; many very fine tubular and common very fine interstitial pores; violently effervescent, disseminated lime; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear smooth boundary. (9 to 16 inches thick)
C--14 to 32 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, sticky and plastic; few very fine roots; many very fine, few fine tubular and common very fine interstitial pores; violently effervescent, lime segregated in many fine irregularly shaped filaments; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); abrupt wavy boundary. (10 to 18 inches thick)
R--32 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) massive calcareous shale, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist. Fractures are more than 30cm apart.
TYPE LOCATION: Kern County, California; 1/2 mile due east from Indian Rocks on the eastern slopes of the Sunflower Valley; in the southeast 1/4, northwest 1/4, southwest 1/4 of section 13, T. 25 S., R. 17 E., MDB&M.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Depth to a lithic contact of massive sandstone or shale is 20 to 40 inches. Mean annual soil temperature is 63 degrees F. The soil between depths of 6 and 18 inches is usually moist in all parts from December 1 until March 1 and dry in all parts from April 15 until November 15. Moisture regime is xeric bordering on aridic. The soils are dry for more than 200 days.
The A horizon has dry color of 10YR 6/2, 6/3 or 2.5Y 6/2 and moist color of 10YR 3/3, 4/2, 4/3, or 4/4. It is loam or clay loam and has 15 to 35 percent clay. This horizon is mildly alkaline or moderately alkaline (pH 7.4-8.4). It is slightly effervescent to violently effervescent with disseminated lime. Gravel content is less than 15 percent.
The C horizon has dry color of 10YR 6/3, 6/4, 7/3, or 7/4 and moist color of 10YR 3/3, 4/4, 4/3, 5/3, or 5/4. It is loam or clay loam and has 18 to 35 percent clay. This horizon is slightly effervescent to violently effervescent with disseminated lime. Some pedons lack segregated lime. Gravel content is less than 15 percent.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Arburua and Mendi series in the same family and the Balcom, Calleguas, Garretson, Hillbrick, Kettleman, San Emigdio, San Timoteo, and Shedd in other families. Arburua soils are dry for only 90 to 120 days. Balcom soils have a paralithic contact at a depth of 23 to 40 inches and have a cambic horizon. Calleguas soils have a paralithic contact at a depth of less than 20 inches. Garretson soils are non-acid and lack a lithic or paralithic contact. Hillbrick soils have a lithic contact at a depth of 10 to 20 inches. Kettleman soils have an aridic moisture regime. Mendi soils have a paralithic contact at a depth greater than 60 inches. San Emigdio and San Timoteo soils are coarse-loamy. Shedd soils are in the fine-silty family and have chroma of 2 or less.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Kilmer soils are on narrow ridgetops, hillslopes, rounded hills and mountains. Slopes are 5 to 75 percent. The soils formed in material weathered from massive unfractured shale or sandstone. Elevations are 200 to 4,200 feet. The climate is semi-arid with hot, dry summers and cool, moist winters. Mean annual precipitation is 8 to 12 inches. Mean January temperature is 44 degrees F., mean July temperature is 83 degrees F., mean annual temperature is 59 to 61 degrees F. Frost-free season is 175 to 250 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the competing Hillbrick and Kettleman soils and the Ayar, Gaviota, and Millsholm soils. Ayar soils are clayey throughout and have cracks extending to depths of 20 inches. Gaviota soils have a lithic contact at a depth less than 20 inches. Millsholm soils have a cambic horizon and a lithic contact at a depth of 10 to 20 inches.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; medium to high; moderately slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for rangeland grazing by cattle and sheep. Native vegetation is soft chess, red brome, slender oats, filaree, and buckwheat with scattered shrubs in some areas.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Eastern slopes of the Diablo and Temblor ranges. These soils are moderately extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Kern County, Northwestern Part, California, 1982.
REMARKS: These soils are dry more than half the time but are moist for just slightly more than 90 consecutive days. They are at the very dry end of xeric.