LOCATION KLIPSTEIN CATentative Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, thermic Typic Haplocambids
TYPICAL PEDON: Klipstein sandy loam, in a fallow field, at an elevation of 760 feet. (When described on August 23, 1989, the soil was dry throughout. Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated).
A--0 to 5 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate medium angular blocky structure; hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; 10 percent gravel; slightly effervescent with disseminated carbonates; mildly alkaline (pH 7.4); abrupt smooth boundary. (2 to 10 inches thick)
Bw--5 to 23 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) extremely gravelly sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; 60 percent gravel; 10 percent cobbles; slightly effervescent with disseminated carbonates; mildly alkaline (pH 7.4); abrupt smooth boundary. (7 to 18 inches thick)
Bk1--23 to 31 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) very gravelly sandy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine tubular pores; 55 percent gravel; violently effervescent with disseminated carbonates and segregated as powdery coatings of carbonates on undersides of some rock fragments; mildly alkaline (pH 7.5); abrupt smooth boundary.
Bk2--31 to 36 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) loamy sand, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine interstitial pores; 10 percent gravel; violently effervescent with disseminated carbonates and segregated as few fine filaments and powdery coatings of carbonates on undersides of some rock fragments; mildly alkaline (pH 7.5); abrupt smooth boundary.
Bk3--36 to 60 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) extremely gravelly sandy loam, light yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; no roots; common fine interstitial and few very fine tubular pores; 60 percent gravel; 10 percent cobbles; violently effervescent with disseminated carbonates and segregated as powdery coatings of carbonates on undersides of some rock fragments; mildly alkaline (pH 7.5).
TYPE LOCATION: Kern County, California; about 26 miles southwest of downtown Bakersfield; 1.72 mile east and 0.78 mile south of the intersection of Highway 166 and Basic School Road; 50 feet south and 1,600 feet west of the northeast corner of Sec. 13, T. 11 N., R. 23 W. SBB&M; 35 degrees, 2 minutes, 48 seconds north latitude and 119 degrees, 16 minutes, 57 seconds west longitude; Pentland quadrangle.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil temperature - Average annual: 62 to 67 degrees F and the soil temperature is never below 47 degrees F.
Soil moisture - dry throughout from mid April to mid December and is never moist more than 90 consecutive days.
Particle size control section:
Percent clay: averages 5 to 15
Percent rock fragments: averages 50 to 90
Depth to segregated carbonates: 10 to 30 inches
Reaction: mildly to moderately alkaline throughout
A horizon:
Hue: 10 YR
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 3 moist or dry
Texture: sandy loam or gravelly sandy loam
Coarse fragments: 0 to 30 percent gravel and 0 to 10 percent cobbles
Bw horizon:
Hue: 10 YR
Value: 6 or 7 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 3 moist or dry
Texture: extremely gravelly loamy sand, very gravelly sandy loam or extremely gravelly sandy loam
Coarse fragments: averages 35 to 60 percent gravel and 0 to 10 percent cobbles
Bk horizons:
Hue: 10 YR
Value: 6 or 7 dry, 3, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 3 or 4 dry or moist
Texture: coarse sand, loamy sand, sandy loam, and fine sandy loam, extremely gravelly coarse sand and extremely gravelly sandy loam.
Coarse fragments: averages 60 to 90 percent with 0 to 85 gravel and 0 to 10 percent cobbles.
COMPETING SERIES: This is the Vado series. Vado soils receive summer precipitation, are in areas of higher precipitation, and have less than 3 percent calcium carbonate in the upper 40 inches of the profile.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Norwalk soils are on fan terraces. Slopes are 2 to 5 percent. The soils formed in alluvium derived dominantly from granitic and sedimentary rock. Elevations are 625 to 875 feet. The climate is arid with hot dry summers and cool, somewhat moist winters. The mean annual precipitation is 6 to 8 inches. The mean annual temperature is 62 to 65 degrees F. Mean July temperature is about 85 degrees F., and mean January temperature is about 47 degrees F. The frost-free season is 250 to 300 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Cerini (T), Excelsior, Guijarral, and Wheelridge (T) soils. Cerini soils are on adjacent alluvial fans and are fine-loamy and do not have a cambic horizon. Excelsior soils are on adjacent alluvial fans, are coarse-loamy, and do not have a cambic horizon. Guijarral soils are on similar landforms and are coarse-loamy. Wheelridge soils are on similar landforms and are sandy.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow runoff; moderately rapid permeability. These soils are subject to rare flooding.
USE AND VEGETATION: Norwalk soils are used for livestock grazing and for irrigated field and row crops, orchards and vineyards. Native vegetation is allscale saltbush, rabbitbush, red brome and redstem filaree.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Along the rim of the Southern San Joaquin Valley of California. The series is not extensive. MLRA is 17.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California
SERIES PROPOSED: Kern County, California, 1990. Norwalk is the name of a local oil refinery.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in the profile are:
Ochric epipedon -- 0 to 5 inches (A)
Cambic horizon -- 5 to 23 inches (Bw)
Particle size control section -- the zone from 10 to 40 inches
NSSL pedon # S90CA-029-015 for full characterization.