LOCATION NAREA CA

Established Series
Rev. JCR/LJL/ET
12/2015

NAREA SERIES

The Narea series consists of very deep, somewhat excessively drained soils that formed in sandy alluvium derived from granite. The Narea soils are on fan remnants and have slopes of 2 to 30 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 4 inches and the mean annual temperature is about 67 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy, mixed, thermic Durinodic Haplocalcids

TYPICAL PEDON: Narea gravelly loamy coarse sand on a northeast facing, smooth 3 percent slope at an elevation of 2,100 feet. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted). The soil surface is partially covered with 20 percent gravel.

A1--0 to 1 inch; pale brown (10YR 6/3) gravelly loamy coarse sand, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; weak thin platy structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine roots; common fine interstitial pores; sodium adsorption ratio of 1; 20 percent gravel; strongly effervescent matrix; neutral (pH 7.2); abrupt smooth boundary.

A2--1 to 7 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) gravelly loamy coarse sand, pale brown (10YR 6/3) moist; moderate thin platy structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine roots; common fine tubular pores; sodium adsorption ratio of 1; 20 percent gravel; strongly effervescent matrix; (9 percent calcium carbonate equivalence); slightly alkaline (pH 7.7); abrupt wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the A horizon ranges from 6 to 10 inches.)

Bkq1--7 to 15 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) gravelly loamy coarse sand, pale brown (10YR 6/3) moist; moderate thick platy structure; hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common fine and medium roots; common fine interstitial pores; 1 percent medium rounded very pale brown (10YR 8/2) soft masses of carbonate; 12 percent very coarse and extremely coarse rounded and cylindrical very pale brown (10YR 8/2) hard durinodes; 20 percent thin carbonate coats on undersides of rock fragments; electrical conductivity of 1 dS/m; sodium adsorption ratio of 1; 25 percent gravel; strongly effervescent (14 percent calcium carbonate equivalence); slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); clear wavy boundary.

Bkq2--15 to 27 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) gravelly loamy coarse sand, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common fine and medium roots; common fine tubular pores; 6 percent medium irregular very pale brown (10YR 8/2) soft masses of carbonate; 3 percent medium and coarse rounded very pale brown (10YR 8/2) hard and very hard durinodes; 10 percent thin carbonate coats on undersides of rock fragments; sodium adsorption ratio of 2; 20 percent gravel; strongly effervescent (10 percent calcium carbonate equivalence); moderately alkaline (pH 7.9); abrupt wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bkq1 and Bkq2 horizons ranges from 10 to 24 inches.)

Bkq3--27 to 39 inches; light gray (10YR 7/2) very gravelly coarse sand, pale brown (10YR 6/3) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine to medium roots matted on top of horizon; common medium interstitial pores; 12 percent secondary carbonates as disseminated pockets throughout; 25 percent very coarse and extremely coarse irregular brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) hard durinodes, very weak discontinuous silica cementation with thin discontinuous laminar cap; 20 percent thin carbonate coats on undersides of rock fragments; electrical conductivity of 0 dS/m; sodium adsorption ratio of 3; 40 percent gravel; strongly effervescent (8 percent calcium carbonate equivalence); moderately alkaline (pH 7.9); clear wavy boundary. (6 to 20 inches thick)

Bkq4--39 to 50 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) gravelly coarse sand, pale brown (10YR 6/3) moist; single grain; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine roots; common medium interstitial pores; 2 percent medium and coarse irregular very pale brown (10YR 8/2) disseminated pockets of carbonates; 10 percent medium and coarse irregular brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) extremely hard durinodes; 5 percent thin carbonate coats on undersides of rock fragments; sodium adsorption ratio of 5; 20 percent gravel; strongly effervescent (9 percent calcium carbonate equivalence); moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); abrupt wavy boundary.

Bkq5--50 to 70 inches; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) gravelly coarse sand, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; 6 percent very coarse and extremely coarse rounded very pale brown (10YR 8/2) disseminated pockets of carbonates; 2 percent coarse irregular brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) hard durinodes; 15 percent thin carbonate coats on undersides of rock fragments; electrical conductivity of 1 dS/m; sodium adsorption ratio of 11; 25 percent gravel; strongly effervescent (12 percent calcium carbonate equivalence); strongly alkaline (pH 8.9); clear wavy boundary.

Bkq6--70 to 80 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) gravelly coarse sand, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; 5 percent medium and coarse cylindrical very pale brown (10YR 8/2) hard carbonate nodules; 15 percent thin carbonate coats on undersides of rock fragments; electrical conductivity of 1 dS/m; sodium adsorption ratio of 12; 25 percent gravel; strongly effervescent (8 percent calcium carbonate equivalence); strongly alkaline (pH 8.9).

TYPE LOCATION: San Bernardino County, California; about 8 miles west and 11 miles north of Twentynine Palms; 1,000 feet east and 2,100 feet north of the southwest corner of section 31, T. 3 N., R. 8 E.; 34 degrees, 18 minutes, 04.0 seconds north latitude and 116 degrees, 11 minutes, 26.6 seconds west longitude; Deadman Lake SW quadrangle; UTM 11S, 0574550e 3795600n; NAS-C.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:

Soil moisture - usually dry, moist in some part for short periods during winter and early spring and for 10 to 20 days cumulative between July and October following convection storms. The soils have a Typic-Aridic moisture regime.

Soil temperature - 66 to 71 degrees F.

Depth to calcic horizon - 6 to 18 inches.

Depth to durinodic horizon - 20 to 30 inches.

Control section -
Rock fragments: average 15 to 35 percent, mainly gravel.

Clay content: 2 to 8 percent.

A horizon
Value: 6 through 8 dry, 5 through 7 moist.

Chroma: 2 through 4, dry or moist.

Calcium carbonate equivalent of the less than 2 millimeter fraction: 1 to 10 percent.

Reaction: neutral to moderately alkaline.

Bkq1 and Bkq2 horizons
Value: 6 through 8 dry, 5 through 7 moist.

Chroma: 2 through 4, dry or moist.

Rock fragments: 15 to 35 percent.

Effervescence: strongly or violently effervescent.

Secondary carbonates: 1 to 10 percent as soft masses and bands.

Calcium carbonate equivalent of the less than 2 millimeter fraction: 10 to 20 percent.

Electrical conductivity: 0 to 2 dS/m.

Sodium adsorption ratio: 1 to 6.

Reaction: slightly alkaline to strongly alkaline.

Other features: 1 to 30 percent durinodes.

Bkq3 horizon
Value: 6 through 8 dry, 5 or 6 moist.

Chroma: 2 through 4, dry or moist.

Rock fragments: 15 to 45 percent.

Effervescence: strongly or violently effervescent.

Secondary carbonates: 5 to 20 percent as disseminated pockets and bands.

Calcium carbonate equivalent of the less than 2 millimeter fraction: 5 to 15 percent.

Electrical conductivity: 0 to 2 dS/m.

Sodium adsorption ratio: 1 to 5.

Reaction: moderately alkaline or strongly alkaline.

Other features: 20 to 50 percent durinodes.

Bkq4, Bkq5 and Bkq6 horizons
Rock fragments: 15 to 35 percent.

Clay content: 2 to 8 percent.

Secondary carbonates: 1 to 10 percent as disseminated pockets or bands.

Calcium carbonate equivalent of the less than 2 millimeter fraction: 5 to 15 percent.

Electrical conductivity: 0 to 2 dS/m.

Sodium adsorption ratio: 5 to 12.

Effervescence: strongly or violently effervescent.

Reaction: moderately alkaline to very strongly alkaline.

Other features: 1 to 10 percent durinodes.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Macagce (T CA) and Coyote (T CA) series. Macagce and Coyote soils have durinodic horizons within 20 inches of the soil surface. In addition, Coyote soils have 5 to 10 percent calcium carbonate equivalence in the particle-size control section. Macagce soils have electrical conductivity of 4 dS/m or more and SAR of 13 or more in the lower half of the series control section.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Narea soils are on fan remnants. Slopes are 2 to 30 percent. These soils formed in sandy alluvium derived from granite. Elevations are 1,875 to 3,300 feet. The climate is arid with hot, dry summers and warm, moist winters. The mean annual precipitation is 2 to 6 inches; the mean annual air temperature is 64 to 69 degrees F. and the frost-free season is 240 to 300 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Desfirex, Edalph and Macagce soils. Desfirex soils have an argillic horizon and a duripan at 20 to 30 inches. Edalph soils do not have a durinodic horizon. Macagce soils have a durinodic horizon at 5 to 10 inches.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat excessively drained; very low to medium runoff; rapid over very rapid permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: Narea soils are used for military exercises and wildlife habitat. The present vegetation is mainly white bursage, creosotebush, desert senna and ratany.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Mojave Desert of southeastern California, U.S.A.; MLRA 30. These soils are of small extent.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: PHOENIX, ARIZONA

SERIES ESTABLISHED: San Bernardino County, California, Marine Corps Air/Ground Combat Center Soil Survey Area, 2000. The name is coined.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in the profile are:

1. Ochric epipedon -- 0 to 7 inches (A1 and A2 horizons).
2. Calcic horizon -- 7 to 39 inches (Bkq1, Bkq2 and Bkq3 horizons).
3. Durinodic horizon -- 27 to 39 inches (Bkq3 horizon).
4. Particle-size control section -- 10 to 40 inches (Part of the Bkq1, Bkq2, Bkq3 and part of the Bkq4 horizons).

Responsibility for this series was transferred from Davis to Phoenix 12/2015. The last revision to the series was 6/2001. ET

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.