LOCATION MARIMEL CAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, thermic Cumulic Haploxerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Marimel sandy clay loam, irrigated pasture. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)
A11--0 to 16 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) sandy clay loam, very dark grayish brown (2.5Y 3/2) moist; moderate medium granular structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine roots; many very fine tubular pores; slightly alkaline (pH 7.5); clear smooth boundary. (10 to 20 inches thick)
A12ca--16 to 35 inches; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) clay loam, very dark grayish brown (2.5Y 3/2) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine roots; many very fine tubular pores; few thin clay films lining pores; slightly alkaline (pH 7.5); slightly effervescent with lime disseminated and segregated in filaments; clear smooth boundary. (10 to 20 inches thick)
Cgca--35 to 60 inches; variegated gray (5Y 5/1) and pale olive (5Y 6/3) silty clay loam, very dark gray (5Y 3/1) moist; few fine prominent light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) and strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) mottles, fine distinct dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4, 3/4) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine roots; many very fine tubular pores; few thin clay films lining pores; slightly alkaline (pH 7.5); strongly effervescent with lime disseminated and segregated in filaments; free water at depth of 36 inches.
TYPE LOCATION: San Luis Obispo County, California; on the Pereira Ranch; about 4,800 feet west and 900 feet south of the SW corner of section 11, T.31S., R.12E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The soil between depths of 6 and 17 inches is usually moist from some time in November to some time in May and usually dry the rest of the year. Mean annual soil temperature is about 61 degrees to 64 degrees F. Organic carbon is more than 0.6 percent at a depth of more than 20 inches and is more than 0.3 percent at a depth of 50 inches. Clay content in the 10 to 40 inch control section averages 18 to 35 percent. Intermittent ground water occurs at depths of 24 to 60 inches.
The A horizon is grayish brown, very dark gray, dark gray, dark grayish brown or dark brown (2.5Y 5/2; 10YR 3/1, 4/1, 4/2, 4/3). Moist colors are very dark gray, very dark grayish brown, dark brown or black (2.5Y 3/0, 3/2; 10YR 3/1, 3/2, 3/3, 2/1). This horizon is loam, sandy clay loam, clay loam, or silty clay loam. It ranges from neutral through moderately alkaline. The lower part of this horizon is calcareous with lime both disseminated and segregated in threads.
The C horizon is one or a variegated combination of any two of the following colors: pale olive, dark gray, gray, light gray, light brownish gray, and pale brown (5Y 5/1, 6/3; 10YR 4/1, 5/1, 6/1, 6/2, 6/3, 7/1, 7/2). Moist colors are very dark gray, dark olive gray, very dark grayish brown, dark gray, dark grayish brown, dark yellowish brown, dark reddish brown or reddish brown (5Y 3/1, 3/3, 4/1; 2.5Y 3/2; 10YR 3/1, 3/4, 4/1, 4/2, 4/4; 5YR 3/3, 3/4). Stratification with loam, silt loam, sandy clay loam, clay loam, and silty clay loam is common. Reaction is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline. This horizon is calcareous, with lime both disseminated and segregated in threads.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Still and Vina series in this family and the Conejo, Pacheco, and Salinas series. Still, Vina and Conejo soils are all noncalcareous throughout and lack wetness mottles. Salinas soils lack wetness mottles. Pacheco soils have a mollic epipedon less than 20 inches thick.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Marimel soils are on flood plains and alluvial fans and in valleys and have 0 to 9 percent slopes. They formed in alluvium derived from sedimentary rock, at elevations of 0 to 400 feet. The climate is subhumid mesothermal with warm, dry but foggy summers and cool, moist winters. Mean annual precipitation is 15 to 20 inches. Average January temperature is 52 degrees F.; average July temperature is 60 degrees F., mean annual temperature is 56 degrees to 59 degrees. The frost-free season is 300 to 350 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Clear Lake, Diablo, Los Osos and Mocho soils and the competing Salinas soils. Clear Lake, Diablo and Los Osos soils have more than 35 percent clay in the control section. Mocho soils are well drained and lack wetness mottles.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat poorly drained; very slow and slow runoff; moderately slow permeability. An intermittent water table occurs at a depth of 24 to 60 inches during the period of November to July. Some areas are subject to occasional flooding. Streams have become entrenched in some areas and the soils are now well drained.
USE AND VEGETATION: Where these soils have been drained, they are used for truck crops, barley and orchards. Where not drained they are used mainly for wildlife habitat. Vegetation is annual grasses, forbs, and water tolerant plants.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Coastal plains and valleys of San Luis Obispo County, California. These soils are inextensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California
SERIES ESTABLISHED: San Luis Obispo County, Coastal part, California, 1977.
REMARKS: The activity class was added to the classification in February of 2003. Competing series were not checked at that time. - ET