LOCATION NUEVA CAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, thermic Fluventic Haploxerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Nueva loam - on a nearly level slope of less than 1 percent under irrigated tomatoes at 48 feet elevation. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated. When described on November 10, 1981, the soil was moist throughout.)
Ap--0 to 7 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak medium granular structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots; common very fine interstitial pores; neutral (pH 7.0); clear smooth boundary. (5 to 10 inches thick)
A--7 to 17 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; strong coarse granular structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine roots; common very fine interstitial and few fine tubular pores; neutral (pH 7.0); clear wavy boundary. (5 to 10 inches thick)
C1--17 to 26 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) fine sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; common very fine roots; common very fine interstitial and few fine tubular pores; slightly alkaline (pH 7.5); clear smooth boundary. (9 to 25 inches thick)
C2--26 to 42 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) silt loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; many fine distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) mottles; massive; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine roots; many very fine and fine tubular pores; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); abrupt smooth boundary. (10 to 20 inches thick)
2Ab--42 to 61 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) clay loam, black (10YR 2/1) moist; massive; hard, very friable, sticky and plastic; common very fine roots; many very fine and fine tubular pores; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0).
TYPE LOCATION: Sutter County, California; approximately 3 miles north of Meridian on Mawson Road, then 0.5 mile west on Meridian Road, then 1,200 feet north on Gas Well road and 1,500 feet north into field; 1,400 feet east and 1,350 feet north of the southwest corner section 36, T. 16 N., R. 1 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature ranges from 60 degrees to 65 degrees F. and is above 47 degrees F. the entire year. The soil between depths of 6 and 19 inches is dry in all parts from May through October and is moist in some or all parts from November through April irrigated. The difference between mean summer and mean winter soil temperature ranges from 30 degrees to 33 degrees F.
The 10 to 40 inch particle-size control section is stratified layers of loam, silt loam, fine sandy loam, and sandy loam. Clay content ranges from 15 to 27 percent but averages greater than 18 percent and more than 15 percent fine sand or coarser material. Content of organic matter decreases irregularly with depth.
The A horizon has dry color of 10YR 5/3, 5/2, 5/1 or 4/1 and moist color of 10YR 3/3, 3/2, 3/1 or 2/1. It is loam or sandy loam and is neutral or slightly alkaline.
The C horizon has dry color of 10YR 6/3 or 5/3, and moist color of 10YR 4/3 or 3/3. It is slightly or moderately alkaline.
Some pedons lack an Ab horizon. Where present the Ab horizon has dry colors of 10YR 4/2, 5/2 or 4/1 and moist colors of 10YR 3/1, 2/1 or 3/2. It is clay loam or silty clay loam.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Mocho series and the Pacheco and Still series in other families. Mocho soils are calcareous throughout and are well drained. Pacheco soils have moist chromas of 2 and have mottles above 30 inches. Still soils have a mollic epipedon greater than 20 inches thick.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Nueva soils are on flood plains. These soils formed in alluvium from mixed sources. Elevations are 20 to 80 feet. Climate is subhumid with hot dry summers and cool moist winters. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 14 to 20 inches. Mean January temperature is 45 degrees F. mean July temperature is 77 degrees F., and mean annual temperature varies from 60 degrees to 64 degrees F. Frost-free season is about 260 to 280 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Capay, Columbia, and Shanghai soils. Capay soils are clayey throughout. Columbia and Shanghai soils lack mollic epipedons and are on similar flood plains.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat poorly drained; very slow runoff; moderate permeability in the upper part, moderately slow permeability in the lower buried horizons. A water table occurs at 48 to 60 inches throughout the year except in drained areas. The water table occurs at depths of 48 to 60 inches from December through April and below 60 inches the rest of the year. Some areas are subject to occasional very brief to brief periods of flooding from December to April.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for irrigated orchards, small grains and row crops.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southeastern part of Sacramento Valley. Soils are not extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Sutter County California 1983. Series name was coined.
REMARKS: The activity class was added to the classification in February of 2003. Competing series were not checked at that time. - ET
OSED scanned by SSQA. Last revised by state on 2/84.