LOCATION ORDFERRY CAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, thermic Xeric Duraquerts
TYPICAL PEDON: Ordferry silty clay on a 1 percent slope under a cover of pasture grasses and dock at an elevation of 106 feet, (32 m). When described on 6/5/96 the soil was dry to 29 inches, (74 cm). (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated).
A1--0 to 3 inches, (0 to 8 cm); light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) silty clay, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; 50 percent clay; moderate fine subangular blocky structure parting to moderate fine granular; very hard, firm, moderately sticky and plastic; common very fine and fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; common fine strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) irregular oxidized iron masses , common fine black (N 2/0) irregular manganese masses ; 1 percent well rounded gravel; slightly acid, pH 6.3 by Hellige-Truog; abrupt smooth boundary.
A2--3 to 6 inches, (8 to 15 cm); light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) silty clay, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; 50 percent clay; strong medium prismatic structure parting to moderate fine angular blocky; very hard, very firm, sticky and plastic; common very fine and fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; common fine strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) irregular oxidized iron masses, common fine black (N 2/0) irregular manganese masses ; slightly acid, pH 6.5 by Hellige-Truog; clear smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the Ap horizon is 5 to 8 inches, (13 to 20 cm) thick).
Bss1--6 to 13 inches, (15 to 33 cm); light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) silty clay, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) moist; 55 percent clay; strong medium prismatic structure parting to moderate fine angular blocky; very hard, very firm, very sticky and very plastic; common very fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; many fine strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) irregular oxidized iron masses, many fine black (N 2/0) irregular manganese masses; few slickensides; neutral, pH 6.6;by Hellige-Truog abrupt smooth boundary. (5 to 8 inches, (13 to 20 cm) thick)
Bss2--13 to 25 inches, (33 to 64 cm); light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) silty clay, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) moist; 60 percent clay; weak medium prismatic structure parting to moderate fine angular blocky; very hard, very firm, very sticky and very plastic; few very fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; common fine strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) irregular oxidized iron masses, common fine black (N 2/0) irregular manganese masses, common fine black (N 2/0) spherical manganese nodules; common slickensides and wedge-shaped aggregates; moderately alkaline, pH 8.0 by Hellige-Truog; abrupt smooth boundary. (10 to 15 inches, (25 to 38 cm) thick).
Bk--25 to 29 inches, (64 to 74 cm); light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) silty clay, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; 45 percent clay; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, sticky and plastic; very few very fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; common fine strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) irregular oxidized iron masses, common fine black (N 2/0) spherical manganese nodules; strongly effervescent on concretions; moderately alkaline, pH 8.3 by Hellige-Truog; abrupt smooth boundary. (3 to 5 inches, (8 to 13 cm) thick).
2Bkqm1--29 to 33 inches, (74 to 84 cm); indurated duripan grayish brown (10YR 5/2), grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) moist; 0.25 inch, (0.6 cm) thick silica and lime cemented capping; strong fine platy structure; very rigid, indurated, nonsticky and nonplastic; very few very fine roots between plates and very few very fine roots matted on top of capping; very few tubular pores; violently effervescent throughout; abrupt smooth boundary.
2Bkqm2--33 to 40 inches, (84 to 102 cm); strongly to indurated duripan grayish brown (10YR 5/2), grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) moist; strong fine platy structure; very rigid, strongly cemented to indurated, nonsticky and nonplastic; slightly effervescent throughout. (Combined thickness of the Bkqm horizon is 9 to 15 inches, (23 to 38 cm) or more thick).
TYPE LOCATION: Butte County, California; about 5.8 miles southeast of Rancho Llano Seco headquarters; approximately 2400 feet west and 5500 feet south of the intersection of Grainland Road and Seven Mile Lane; in an unsectionized area in the Llano Seco Land Grant;121 degrees, 55 minutes, 0.0 seconds North latitude and 39 degrees, 35 minutes, 37.5 seconds West longitude, NAD83. U.S.G.S. Quad: Llano Seco, California.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Depth to duripan is 20 to 40 inches, (51 to 102 cm). The mean annual soil temperature is 62 to 64 degrees F, (17 to 18 degrees C). The soil moisture control section is dry from May to October 15 (about 165 days). The particle-size control section averages 45 to 55 percent clay. Mineralogy is dominantly smectitic. The soil is calcareous from 25 to 40 inches, (64 to 102 cm). Reversible surface-initiated cracks 0.5 to 1 inch, (1.3 to 2.5 cm) wide extend to a depth of 25 inches, (64 cm) from June to October (about 130 days) when the soil is not irrigated. Slickensides range from few to common in the Bss and Bss horizons. A fluctuating water table can occur from the top of the duripan to 6 inches, (15 cm) below the surface of the soil from December through May. Redoximorphic features such as manganese nodules, manganese masses and oxidized iron masses may occur throughout all horizons. Some pedons have accumulations of carbonates and or carbonate concretions in chimney areas.
The A horizon dry color is 10YR 6/2. Moist color is 10YR 4/2. Texture is silty clay or clay. Clay content ranges from 40 to 50 percent. Organic matter ranges from 1 to 2 percent. Reaction ranges from slightly acid to neutral.
The Bss horizon dry color is 10YR 6/2. Moist color is 10YR 5/2, 4/2, 4/3, 3/3 or 3/4. Texture is silty clay or clay. Clay content ranges from 40 to 60 percent. Organic matter ranges from 0.1 to 1 percent. Reaction ranges from neutral to slightly alkaline.
The Bss horizon dry color is 10YR 6/2 or 6/3. Moist color is 10YR 4/2, 5/2, 4/3 or 3/3. Texture is silty clay or clay. Clay content ranges from 40 to 60 percent. Organic matter ranges from 0.1 to 1 percent. Reaction ranges from slightly alkaline to moderately alkaline.
The Bk horizon dry color is 10YR 6/2, 6/3 or 6/4. Moist color is 10YR 4/2, 4/3, 5/4 or 5/3. Texture is silty clay or clay loam. Clay content ranges from 35 to 50 percent. Organic matter ranges from 0.1 to 1 percent. Effervescence ranges from violent to slight. Salinity ranges from 0 to 2 mmhos/cm. Reaction ranges from moderately alkaline to strongly alkaline.
The 2Bkqm horizon dry color is 10YR 6/4 or 5/2. Moist color is 10YR 4/4, 4/3 or 2.5Y 5/2. Rupture resistance ranges from strongly cemented to indurated cemented with silica and lime.
COMPETING SERIES: This is the Jacktone series. Jacktone soils have color value of 5 or less dry and 3 or less moist and have neutral hue, lack oxidized iron masses in the A horizon; have calcium carbonate as high as 15 inches, (38 cm) in the Bssk horizon, and are subject to rare flooding.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Ordferry soils are on basin rims and basin floors. Slopes range from 0 to 2 percent. These soils formed in alluvium from mixed rocks. Elevation is 95 to 110 feet, (29 to 34 m). Mean annual precipitation is 18 to 19 inches, (457 to 482 mm). The mean annual temperature is 59 to 60 degrees F, (15 to 16 degrees C). Frost free season is 240 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Blavo, Dodgeland, Esquon, Lofgren, and Neerdobe soils. Blavo soils are very-fine. Dodgeland soils are very deep, poorly drained, and are in basins and overflow channels. Esquon soils are deep to duripan. Lofgren soils are deep to duripan and are very-fine.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Poorly drained; high to very high runoff; slow saturated hydraulic conductivity in the A, Bss, and Bk horizons and is impermeable in the 2Bkqm horizons. The soils are occasionally flooded for brief periods in December through March. Water frequently to occasionally ponds up to 6 inches (15 cm) above the surface for long to brief duration from December through March. A fluctuating water table can occur from the top of the duripan to depths of 6 inches, (15 cm) below the surface of the soil from December through May.
USE AND VEGETATION: This soil is used for pasture and wildlife habitat. Typical vegetation is wildrye, ripgut brome, prickly lettuce, meadow barley, dock, and plantain.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Butte County, California. MLRA 17 Sacramento Valley. The soils are not extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Butte County, California 2005. Source of name from Ordferry Bridge.
REMARKS: These soils were previously mapped as Landlow in the Soil Survey of Chico Area, California 1926.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - 0 to 6 inches, (0 to 15 cm). (A1, A2)
Cambic horizon - 6 to 29 inches, (15 to 74 cm) (Bss, Bss, Bk).
Duripan - 29 to 40 inches, (74 to 102 cm) (2Bkqm1, 2Bkqm2).
Particle-size control section 10 to 29 inches. (25 to 74cm)
Soil moisture control section 7 to 20 inches. (18 to 51cm)