LOCATION MILAGRO CA

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

MILAGRO SERIES

The Milagro series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in alluvium derived dominantly from granitoid rock. The Milagro soils are on alluvial fans and fan skirts. Slope is 0 to 1 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 152 mm (6 inches) and the mean annual air temperature is about 18 degrees C. (64 degrees F.).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, nonacid, thermic Typic Torrifluvents

TYPICAL PEDON: Milagro fine sandy loam, in a plowed field, at an elevation of 102 meters (335 feet). (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated. When described on December 6, 1988, the soil was dry from 0 to 69 centimeters (0 to 27 inches) and slightly moist below.)

Ap--0 to 20 cm (0 to 8 in); grayish brown (10YR 5/2) fine sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; 11 percent clay; moderately coarse cloddy structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine and fine roots; few very fine, fine and medium tubular and common very fine interstitial pores; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); abrupt smooth boundary. (15 to 25 cm [6 to 10 in] thick)

A--20 to 36 cm (8 to 14 in); brown (10YR 5/3) fine sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; 12 percent clay; weak medium subangular blocky structure parting to weak fine subangular blocky; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine roots; few very fine interstitial and very fine tubular pores; neutral (pH 6.8); abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 23 cm [0 to 9 in] thick)

C1--36 to 48 cm (14 to 19 in); grayish brown (10YR 5/2) fine sandy loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; 12 percent clay; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine and fine roots; few very fine interstitial and few fine tubular pores; neutral (pH 6.8); abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 20 cm [0 to 8 in] thick)

C2--48 to 69 cm (19 to 27 in); light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) loamy fine sand, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; 7 percent clay; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine roots; few very fine interstitial pores; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 30 cm [0 to 12 in] thick)

C3--69 to 81 cm (27 to 32 in); light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) finely stratified silt loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; 15 percent clay; common brownish yellow (10YR 6/8) fine mottles, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) moist; strong very thin platy rock structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots; many very fine and few fine tubular pores; slightly effervescent, carbonates disseminated; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); abrupt smooth boundary. (10 to 20 cm [4 to 8 in] thick)

C4--81 to 130 cm (32 to 51 in); light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) sandy loam, olive brown (2.5Y 4/4) moist; 10 percent clay; massive; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots; common very fine and fine interstitial and few fine tubular pores; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); gradual smooth boundary. (20 to 51 cm [8 to 20 in] thick)

C5--130 to 152 cm (51 to 60 in); grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) sandy loam, olive brown (2.5Y 4/4) moist; 11 percent clay; massive; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots; common very fine interstitial and few very fine and fine tubular pores; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8).

TYPE LOCATION: Kern County, California, Southwest Part; in map unit 231, Milagro fine sandy loam, 0 to 1 percent slopes; about 16 kilometers (10 miles) south-southeast of downtown Bakersfield; 2 kilometers (1.25 miles) south of State Highway 119 and 579 meters (1,900 feet) west of Ashe road; about 777 meters (2,550 feet) south and 741 meters (2,430 feet) west of the northeast corner of section 9, T. 31 S., R. 27 E.; Mount Diablo Base and Meridian; latitude 35 degrees 14 minutes 44 seconds north and longitude 119 degrees 04 minutes 57 seconds west; USGS Conner, California, Quadrangle, NAD83.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil temperature: Average annual soil temperature is 17 to 19 degrees C (62 to 67 degrees F.) and the soil temperature is never below 8 degrees C (47 degrees F). The soils have a thermic temperature regime.

Soil moisture: The soils have an aridic soil moisture regime. Dry throughout from mid April to late December and is never moist more than 90 consecutive days.

Diagnostic Feature(s):
Ochric epipedon thickness: 18 to 36 cm

Organic matter: Decreases irregularly with depth.
Electrical conductivity: 0 to 4 decisiemens per meter
Sodium absorption ratio: 1 to 6

Particle size control section weighted average:
Clay content: 5 to 18 percent
Reaction: slightly acid to moderately alkaline

Ap and A horizons:
Hue: 10YR, 2.5Y
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3, dry or moist
Texture of the fine earth fraction: loamy sand, sandy loam, or fine sandy loam
Content of clay: 5 to 18 percent
Content of organic matter: 0.3 to 1 percent

C horizons:
Hue: 10YR, 2.5Y
Value: 5 to 7 dry, 2 to 5 moist
Chroma: 1 to 4, dry or moist
Texture of the fine earth fraction: stratified loamy fine sand to silty clay loam
Content of clay: 5 to 28 percent
Content of organic matter: 0.01 to 0.6 percent

COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing soils at this time.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Milagro soils are on alluvial fans and fan skirts. Slope is 0 to 1 percent. The Milagro soils formed in alluvium derived dominantly from granitoid rock. Elevations are 89 to 158 meters (290 to 515 feet). The climate is arid with hot dry summers and cool, slightly moist winters. The mean annual precipitation is 127 to 178 mm (5 to 7 inches). The mean annual temperature is 17 to 18 degrees C. (62 to 65 degrees F.). Mean July temperature is about 29 degrees C. (85 degrees F.), and mean January temperature is about 8 degrees C. (47 degrees F.). The frost-free season is 250 to 300 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Bakersfield, Granoso, Kimberlina, Vineland, Wasco soils. Bakersfield soils on flood plains have a mollic epipedon. Granoso soils on alluvial fans and flood plains are Torripsamments with no particle-size class. Kimberlina soils on flood plains and recent alluvial fans have a calcareous mineralogy class. Vineland soils on flood plains and deltas have a sandy particle-size class. Wasco soils on recent alluvial fans and floodplains formed in mixed alluvium derived mainly from igneous and/or sedimentary rock sources and have a regular decrease in organic matter.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained, slow runoff; moderately high saturated hydraulic conductivity. These soils are subject to rare flooding but are protected by dams, water diversions and levees.

USE AND VEGETATION: Milagro soils are used for irrigated cropland and home site development. Commonly grown crops are cotton, onions, carrots, lettuce, cabbage, grapes, dry beans, and many other fruits and vegetables. Native vegetation is annual grasses and forbs.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southern San Joaquin Valley of California, MRLA 17. The series is moderately extensive.

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

SERIES PROPOSED: Kern County, California, 1989. Name is coined.

REMARKS:
Particle size control section - 25 to 100 cm.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in the profile are:
Ochric epipedon 0 to 36 cm
Fluventic subgroup irregular decrease in organic carbon with depth based on modified Walkley-Black method and visual observation.

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

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.