LOCATION MIRAGE CA
Established Series
Rev. GAW/JWF/GWH/ET
11/2015
MIRAGE SERIES
The Mirage series consist of deep, well drained soils that formed in mixed alluvium, dominantly from granitic sources. Mirage soils are on old terraces with well developed erosion pavement and have slopes of 2 to 5 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 4 inches and the mean annual temperature is about 63 degrees.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, thermic Typic Haplosalids
TYPICAL PEDON: Mirage sandy loam, on a 2 percent slope under sparse creosotebush and a few annual grasses at 3,160 feet elevation. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated. When described the soil was moist to 50 inches and dry below.) 80 percent of the surface is covered with a varnished desert pavement.
A1--0 to 3 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) sandy loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; weak thin platy structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine roots; common very fine vesicular and very fine interstitial pores; about 5 percent (1/4 to 3/8 inch) pebbles; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear smooth boundary. (3 to 6 inches thick)
B1t--3 to 5 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/4) sandy loam, dark brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; common very fine roots; few very fine interstitial and tubular pores; many thin clay films as bridges between mineral grains; about 5 percent (1/4 to 1/2 inch) pebbles; slightly alkaline (pH 7.6); clear smooth boundary. (2 to 4 inches thick)
B2t--5 to 21 inches; yellowish red (5YR 5/6) sandy clay loam, yellowish red (5YR 4/6) moist; moderate fine and medium angular blocky structure; hard, firm, sticky and plastic; few very fine roots; few very fine interstitial and tubular pores; common thin clay films on peds, many moderately thick clay films as bridges between mineral grains and in some pores; about 10 to 15 percent (1/4 to 1/2 inch) pebbles; slightly effervescent with disseminated lime; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); gradual smooth boundary. (16 to 24 inches thick)
B3tca--21 to 39 inches; reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/6) gravelly sandy loam, strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) moist; moderate fine angular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; roots and pores as in above horizon; many thin clay films as bridges between mineral grains; about 30 percent pebbles (1/2 to 2 inches); strongly effervescent with disseminated lime; segregated lime as few, fine and medium soft masses and filaments in lower parts of horizon; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); gradual smooth boundary. (12 to 18 inches thick)
Cca--39 to 60 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/4) gravelly loamy sand, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; moderate medium platy structure; loose, very friable,; about 20 percent (1/2 to 1 inch) pebbles; some pebbles have lime coatings on bottom; strongly effervescent with disseminated lime; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0).
TYPE LOCATION: San Bernardino County, California; on Stoddard Well Road, in the NE1/4 NE1/4 section 34, T.8N., R.2W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Solum thickness ranges from 34 to 40 inches. The mean annual soil temperature at a depth of about 20 inches is about 65 degrees F. and the soil temperature usually is not below 47 degrees F. at any time. The soil is usually dry and is not continuously moist for as long as 60 days. Estimated electrical conductivity ranges from 20 to 70 mmhos/cm and SAR is 13 to 40 in the solum.
The varnished desert pavement consists of well rounded or subangular pebbles or cobbles ranging from 3/8 to 5 inches in diameter.
The A horizon is light yellowish brown or very pale brown (10YR 6/4, 7/4). Moist colors are yellowish brown or very pale brown (10YR 6/4, 7/4). Moist colors are yellowish brown or dark yellowish brown (10YR 5/4, 4/4). This horizon is typically sandy loam with 5 to 12 percent clay and 5 to 10 percent fine gravel. Structure ranges from weak thin to strong thick platy. A few pedons have moderate fine subangular blocky structure. This horizon is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline.
The B2t horizon is yellowish red, reddish yellow, or reddish brown (5YR 5/6, 6/6, 5/4). Moist colors are yellowish red or reddish brown (5YR 4/6, 4/4). This horizon is sandy clay loam, gravelly sandy clay loam, or clay loam and averages 20 to 30 percent clay. Fine gravel is 10 to 35 percent. This horizon is neutral or slightly alkaline.
The B3t horizon is reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/6, 7/6; 5YR 7/8). Moist colors are strong brown or yellowish red (7.5YR 5/6; 5YR 5/8). This horizon is gravelly sandy clay loam or gravelly sandy loam with 20 to 35 percent fine gravel. It is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline. Lime is disseminated and the horizon is weakly to strongly effervescent. Lime occurs as filaments, threads, or fine and medium soft masses in lower parts. Some pedons lack carbonates in this horizon.
The C horizon is light yellowish brown or very pale brown (10YR 6/4, 7/3, 7/4). Moist colors are yellowish brown, pale brown or light yellowish brown (10YR 6/3, 5/4, 6/4). This horizon is gravelly loamy sand or very gravelly sand. Fine gravel is 20 to 50 percent. This horizon is strongly or violently effervescent. Calcium carbonate equivalent is 8 to 15 percent mainly disseminated.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the
Anway,
Avenal (T),
Berino,
Bryman,
Bucklebar,
Chimenea (T),
Cornville,
Dona Ana,
Garlock,
Hap,
Hi Vista,
Madurez,
Milham,
Mohave,
Neuralia,
Palomas, Palo Verdes,
Tijeras and
Tres Hermanos series. All of these have salt content less than 20 mmhos/cm and an SAR of less than 13. Also, Anway and Madurez have sola less than 20 inches thick. Avenal soils have less than 35 percent total sand throughout. Berino, Cornville, Hap and Mohave soils have a calcic horizon above a depth of 40 inches. Bucklebar soils have a thin A2 surface horizon and have less than 15 percent gravel in the control section. Chimenea soils are underlain by highly weathered granite at a depth of 6 to 20 inches. Hi Vista soils have a lithic contact a depth of less than 40 inches. Neuralia soils have hue of 7.5YR or 10YR in the argillic horizon. Dona Ana and Tres Hermanos soils are calcareous throughout and thickness of sola is less than 34 inches. Palomas soils are 36 to 50 inches deep to carbonates. Tijeras soils have sola less than 34 inches thick. Bryman soils have prismatic structure in the upper part of the B2t horizon. With the exception of Avenal, Bryman, Garlock, Milham and Neuralia, the soil moisture control section of the competing series is intermittently moist in summer.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Mirage soils are on old stream terraces and have gradients of 2 to 5 percent. They formed in mixed alluvium derived dominantly form granitic sources. Elevation ranges from 2,600 to 3,400 feet. A well developed erosion pavement covers 70 to 90 percent of the surface. The climate is arid with hot, dry summers and cool, partly moist winters. The mean annual precipitation is 4 or 6 inches, most of the moisture falls as rain in the winter. Some moisture falls occasionally as snow. The average January temperature is 46 degrees F; the average July temperature is 84 degrees F.; and the mean annual temperature is 61 to 65 degrees F. The frost free season is 210 to 255 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the competing
Bryman soils and the
Cajon,
Cuddeback,
Joshua and
Nebona soils. Cajon soils lack an argillic horizon and have a sandy control section. Cuddeback soils have a duripan at a depth of 20 to 40 inches. Joshua soils have a silica cementation in the C horizon. Nebona soils have a duripan at a depth of less than 20 inches.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; medium to rapid runoff; moderately slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used for wildlife habitat and recreation. Vegetation is very sparse stands of creosotebush, yucca species, annual grasses and forbs.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Terraces of Mojave Desert. The soils are not extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: PHOENIX, ARIZONA
SERIES ESTABLISHED: San Bernardino County, California, Mojave River Area, 1978.
REMARKS: Mirage soils could be classified as Salic Haplargids if an ammendment to the Soil Taxonomy establishing a salci subgroup is adopted. They lack the structure required for a natric horizon.
The activity class was added to the classification in February of 2003. Competing series were not checked at that time. - ET
Responsibility for this series was transferred from Davis to Phoenix 11/2015. The last revision to the series was 2/2003. ET
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.