LOCATION LITTLESIGNAL            CA

Tentative Series
Rev. KDA/KP/BRY/MRS
12/2022

LITTLESIGNAL SERIES

The Littlesignal series consists of deep, well drained soils that formed in residuum derived from sandstone and/or shale. The Littlesignal soils are on hillslopes. Slope is 15 to 75 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 178 mm (7 in) and the mean annual temperature is about 17 degrees C (62 degrees F).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, thermic Typic Calcigypsids

TYPICAL PEDON: Littlesignal loam, on an east-facing slope of 52 percent under red brome, fiddleneck, redstem filaree, turkey mullein, allscale saltbrush (Atriplex spp.), and pine bluegrass, at an elevation of 366 meters (1,200 feet). (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated. When described on November 19, 1992, the soil was slightly moist.)

A1--0 to 8 cm (0 to 3 in); pale brown (10YR 6/3) loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; 15 percent clay; moderate coarse and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and plastic; common very fine roots; few very fine interstitial pores; electrical conductivity of 2.6 decisiemens per meter; calcium carbonate equivalent of 5; violently effervescent; carbonates disseminated; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear smooth boundary.

A2--8 to 28 cm (3 to 11 in); pale brown (10YR 6/3) loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; 17 percent clay; moderate medium and fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine roots; few very fine interstitial pores; electrical conductivity of 1.7 decisiemens per meter; calcium carbonate equivalent of 7; violently effervescent; carbonates disseminated; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear smooth boundary.

Bw--28 to 51 cm (11 to 20 in); light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; 16 percent clay; weak medium and fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine roots; common very fine interstitial pores; electrical conductivity of 2.2 decisiemens per meter; calcium carbonate equivalent of 7; gypsum content of 9 percent; violently effervescent; carbonates disseminated; 10 percent gravel; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear smooth boundary.

Bk1--51 to 64 cm (20 to 25 in); pale yellow (2.5Y 8/2) silt loam, pale yellow (2.5Y 7/3) moist; 4 percent clay; weak coarse and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots; few very fine interstitial pores; electrical conductivity of 2.3 decisiemens per meter; calcium carbonate equivalent of 6; gypsum content of 31 percent; violently effervescent; carbonates disseminated and segregated as few fine coatings on the underside of pebbles; 10 percent gravel; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear smooth boundary.

Bk2--64 to 89 cm (25 to 35 in); pale yellow (2.5Y 8/2) silt loam, pale yellow (2.5Y 7/3) moist; 4 percent clay; weak coarse and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine roots; few very fine interstitial pores; electrical conductivity of 3.0 decisiemens per meter; calcium carbonate equivalent of 5; gypsum content of 6 percent; violently effervescent; carbonates disseminated and segregated as few fine coatings on the underside of pebbles; 10 percent gravel; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); gradual wavy boundary.

2Bky--89 to 132 cm (35 to 52 in); pale yellow (5Y 8/2) extremely paragravelly silt loam, light olive gray (5Y 6/2) moist; 4 percent clay; massive; soft, friable, sticky and plastic; many very fine and few fine roots; common very fine and few fine tubular pores; electrical conductivity of 6.7 decisiemens per meter; sodium adsorption ratio of 10; calcium carbonate equivalent of 1; gypsum content of 26 percent; violently effervescent; carbonates disseminated and segregated as few fine threads; common fine filaments of gypsum; 70 percent paragravel; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); abrupt wavy boundary.

2Cr--132 to 152 cm (52 to 60 in), weakly cemented, highly fractured shale

TYPE LOCATION: Kern County, California, Southwest part; in map unit 432; about 53 kilometers (33 miles) southwest of downtown Bakersfield in the Temblor Range; 579 meters (1,900 feet) east and 594 meters (1,950 feet) south of the northwest corner of section 3, T. 11 N., R. 24 W.; San Bernardino Base and Meridian; latitude 35 degrees, 4 minutes, 17 seconds north and longitude 119 degrees, 25 minutes, 51 seconds west; USGS Maricopa, California, Quadrangle, NAD83.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil temperature: Mean annual soil temperature at 50 cm is 18 to 20 degrees C. (65 degrees to 69 degrees F.) The soils have a thermic temperature regime.


Soil moisture: The soils have an aridic moisture regime. The soil moisture control section is dry in all parts from April through November and is not moist for as long as 90 consecutive days.


Diagnostic feature(s):
Ochric epipedon thickness: 18 cm
Calcic horizon thickness: 15 to 50 cm
Gypsic horizon thickness: 50 to 100 cm
Depth to paralithic contact: 100 to 150 cm

Particle size control section weighted average:
Rock fragments: 0 to 15 percent gravel
Clay content: 2 to 18 percent
Reaction: slightly to moderately alkaline

A horizons:
Hue: 10YR
Value: 5 to 7 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Texture of the fine earth fraction: sandy loam or loam
Content of clay: 10 to 20 percent
Content of organic matter: 0.75 to 4 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 3 to 10 percent
Content of gypsum: 0 to 10 percent

Bw and Bk horizons:
Hue: 10YR, 2.5Y
Value: 6 to 8 dry, 4 to 7 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3 dry, 2 to 4 moist
Texture of the fine earth fraction: sandy loam, loam, or silt loam
Content of clay: 2 to 20 percent
Content of organic matter: 0.2 to 1 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 3 to 10 percent
Content of gypsum: 5 to 40 percent
Content of rock fragments: 0 to 15 percent gravel

2Bky Horizon:
Hue: 10YR, 2.5Y, 5Y
Value: 7 or 8 dry, 4 to 7 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3 dry, 2 to 4 moist
Texture of the fine earth fraction: sandy loam, loam, or silt loam
Content of clay: 2 to 10 percent
Content of organic matter: 0.1 to 0.3 percent
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 1 to 10 percent
Content of gypsum: 10 to 40 percent
Content of rock fragments: 60 to 80 percent paragravel

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Alamogordo, Borderline, Hobcan, Monahans, Monzingo, and Ugyp soils. Alamogordo (MLRA 42B) and Monahans (MLRA 42A) soils do not receive significant amounts of winter precipitation and have most of the rainfall occuring as high-intensity, convective thunderstorms from midspring to midautumn. Borderline (MLRA 41) soils are on fan terraces with slopes from 2 to 15 percent. Hobcan soils are on alluvial fans and fan terraces with 1 to 5 percent slopes and have a hue of 5YR or 7.5YR in the A and Bk horizons. Monzingo (MLRA 41) soils are on dissected relict lake beds and formed in mixed alluvium from prehistoric lakes and marshes. Ugyp (MLRA 41) soils are on alluvial fans with slopes from 0 to 5 percent and have 5 to 10 percent gypsum in the Bky horizons.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Littlesignal soils are on hillslopes. Slopes are 15 to 75 percent. These soils formed in material weathered from sandstone and/or shale. They occur at elevations of 227 to 942 meters (740 to 3,090 feet). The climate is arid with hot dry summers and cool, somewhat moist winters. Mean annual precipitation is 152 to 203 mm (6 to 8 inches). Mean January temperature is 8 degrees C (46 degrees F); mean July temperature is 28 degrees C (82 degrees F); mean annual temperature varies from 16 to 18 degrees C (60 degrees to 64 degrees F). Frost-free season is 240 to 300 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Ballinger, Cochora, and Pyxo soils. Ballinger soils on hills are moderately deep, have a fine particle-size class and have a smectitic mineralogy class. Cochora soils on hills are shallow, have a loamy particle-size class, and have a calcareous mineralogy class. Pyxo soils on hills and mountains are moderately deep.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; high runoff; moderately high saturated hydraulic conductivity.

USE AND VEGETATION: Used for spring grazing of sheep and cattle. Some areas are used for oil production. Natural vegetation consists of red brome, fiddleneck, redstem filaree, turkey mullen, allscale, saltbrush, and pine bluegrass.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Signal Hills, Temblor Range, and Telephone Hills along the southeast border of Kern and San Luis Obispo Counties, MLRA 15. This soil is not extensive.

SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California

SERIES PROPOSED: Kern County, Southwest Part, California, 2008. The name is derived from the nearby Little Signal Hills.

REMARKS:
Particle Size Control Section for this pedon: 25 to 100 cm.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric Epipedon 0 to 18 cm
Calcic Horizon 64 to 89 cm
Gypsic Horizon 64 to 152 cm
Paralithic Contact 132 cm
Paralithic Materials 132 to 152 cm

Soil classified using the 12th Edition of the Keys to Soil Taxonomy.

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.