LOCATION NOVATO CA

Established Series
Rev. ET/GML/RLR
05/2020

NOVATO SERIES

The Novato series consists of very deep, very poorly drained soils that formed in alluvium deposited along the margin of bays. Novato soils are in tidal marshes and have slopes of 0 to 2 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 545 millimeters and the mean annual temperature is about 15 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Very-fine, mixed, active, nonacid, isomesic Typic Sulfaquents

TYPICAL PEDON: Novato clay, on a nearly level slope with a cover of cordgrass, pickleweed, and saltgrass at 0 meter elevation. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated. When described (12/14/2017) the soil was wet throughout. A water table was near soil surface. The soil was described during mid tide.)

Ag1--0 to 16 cm; light olive gray (5Y 6/2) clay, olive gray (5Y 4/2) moist; weak thick platy structure; extremely hard, firm, very sticky and very plastic; many fine and common medium roots; many fine and common medium tubular pores; 8 percent medium prominent strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) iron-manganese masses on surfaces along pores; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); clear wavy boundary.

Ag2--16 to 28 cm; gray (5Y 6/1) clay, dark gray (5Y 4/1) moist; weak medium platy structure; extremely hard, firm, very sticky and very plastic; common very fine and few medium roots; many very fine tubular pores; 8 percent medium prominent strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) weakly cemented iron manganese nodules and 5 percent medium prominent strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) iron-manganese masses in the matrix; 2 percent prominent black (N 2.5/) organic stains; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); gradual wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of Ag horizons is 15 to 55 cm)

Cg1--28 to 120 cm; greenish gray (10Y 6/1) clay, dark greenish gray (10Y 4/1) moist; massive; extremely hard, firm, very sticky and very plastic; common fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; 1 percent wood fragments; 5 percent organic stains black (N 2.5/); moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); gradual wavy boundary.

Cg2--120 to 200 cm; greenish gray (10Y 6/1) clay, very dark greenish gray (10Y 3/1) moist; massive; extremely hard, firm, very sticky and very plastic; 1 percent wood fragments; 5 percent organic stains black (N 2.5/); moderately alkaline (pH 8.2). (Combined thickness of Cg horizons is 145 to 185 cm)

TYPE LOCATION: Marin County, California; Salt marsh to the southeast of Hamilton Bay restoration area. Follow the southern levee to the bend at the margin with the salt marsh. Continue south along the levee 1250 meters south and 75 meter east of the bend in the levee. 38.03696 degrees latitude, -122.49843 degrees longitude; UTM Zone 10, 4210034.60n, 0544014.53e; WGS84. U.S.G.S. Quad Name: Petaluma Point, CA.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The soils are continuously saturated with sea water. At some depth within 50 cm of the surface dominant chromas on the matrix of 2 or less. The n value is 1.0 to 1.5. The average clay content in the control section is 60 percent or greater. Mean annual soil temperature is 14.5 to 15.5 degrees C. The difference between mean summer and mean winter soil temperatures is 5 degrees Celsius or less. Soil has sulfidic material throughout. The soil is slightly alkaline through strongly alkaline throughout when saturated. After air drying for 30 days the soil is extremely acid.

Ag horizons
Hue: 2.5YR, 10YR or 5Y dry and moist
Value: 4 to 7 dry; 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 1 to 3 dry and moist
Texture: silty clay or clay
Clay content: 50 to 70 percent
Electrical conductivity (EC): 30 to 60 dS/m
Sodium adsorption ratio (SAR): 46 to 90

Cg horizons
Hue: N, 5Y, 2.5Y or 10YR dry and moist
Value: 5 to 7 dry; 2 to 4 moist
Chroma: 0, 1 or 2 dry and moist
Texture: silty clay or clay
Clay content:50 to 70
Electrical conductivity (EC): 20 to 70 dS/m
Sodium adsorption ratio (SAR): 46 to 90

COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Novato soils are in tidal marshes. They are nearly level and were deposited as bay mud. Elevation is 0 to 4 meters. The climate is subhumid with warm and partially foggy summer and cool moist winters. Mean annual precipitation is 370 to 725 mm. Mean annual temperature is 14.5 degrees to 15.5 degrees F. The mean January temperature is about 8 degrees C.; and the mean July temperature is about 20 degrees F. The frost-free season is about 355 to 365 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are Blucher, Cole and Reyes soils.
Blucher soils: fine-loamy particle-size class and have a mollic epipedon located on alluvial fans and edges of basins.
Cole soils: argillic horizon and a mollic epipedon and are located on alluvial fans.
Reyes soils: acidic pH from drainage and are protected from tidal influence by levees.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Very poorly drained; low saturated hydraulic conductivity. Water table fluctuates with the tides from 0.5 meter above the surface during very high tides to a depth of 0.5 meter during low tides.

USE AND VEGETATION: It is used for wildlife habitat. The principal native plants are pickleweed, saltgrass, and cordgrass.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Along the margins of San Francisco, San Pablo, and Tomales Bays in California. The soils are of moderate extent.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Marin County, California, 1979

REMARKS:

Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:

Ochric epipedon - the zone from a depth of 0 to 28 cm
Redox concentrations - the zone from a depth of 0 to 28 cm
Aquic conditions - the zone from a depth of 0 to 200 cm
Sulfidic materials - the zone from a depth of 28 to 200 cm

Reyes soils mapped in other survey areas not protected by levees and flooded daily by tides would now be recognized as the Novato series. Reyes soils have now been redefined to include only those soils that have been reclaimed and are protected by levees.

Type location was moved from 1979CA041001 to S2017CA041001 to better fit current concept of Novato series.

ADDITIONAL DATA:

Site ID S2017CA041001 Pedon ID S2017CA041001
Classified using the Twelfth Edition Keys to Soil Taxonomy (2014)

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.