LOCATION POPSON CA
Inactive Series
Rev. PWB-MAV
02/2024
POPSON SERIES
The Popson series consists of very deep, well drained soils formed in fan or stream alluvium. Popson soils are on broad alluvial fans and flood plains and have slopes of 0 to 5 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 5 inches and the mean annual temperature is about 64 degrees F.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, calcareous, thermic Typic Torrifluvents
TYPICAL PEDON: Popson fine sandy loam under shadscale, allscale saltbush, and filaree at an elevation of 2,325 feet. (When described on April 25, 1988, dry throughout; Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated).
A1--0 to 2 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) fine sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 4/3) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure parting to weak coarse platy; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and few fine and medium roots; few very fine tubular pores; 10 percent pebbles (2 to 10 mm in diameter); slightly effervescent disseminated lime; neutral (pH 7.2); abrupt smooth boundary.
A2--2 to 9 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) sandy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and few fine and medium roots; common very fine and few fine tubular pores; 7 percent pebbles (2 to 10 mm in diameter); neutral (pH 7.2); clear smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the A horizon is 6 to 14 inches)
C1--9 to 17 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) sandy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and few fine roots; common very fine and few fine tubular pores; 7 percent pebbles (2 to 10 mm in diameter); slightly effervescent disseminated lime; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 12 inches thick)
C2--17 to 31 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) loamy sand, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine and fine roots; common very fine and few fine tubular pores; 7 percent pebbles (2 to 10 mm in diameter); slightly effervescent disseminated lime; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear smooth boundary. (8 to 15 inches thick)
C3--31 to 49 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) sandy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine roots; common very fine and few fine tubular pores; 10 percent pebbles (2 to 10 mm in diameter); moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); abrupt smooth boundary. (10 to 21 inches thick)
C4--49 to 60 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) sandy clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; massive; hard, firm, sticky and plastic; few very fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; few fine manganese nodules; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2).
TYPE LOCATION: Kern County, California; about 4 miles southwest of Edwards AFB headquarters and 1 mile southeast of the Rod and Gun Club; 1850 feet east and 1100 feet south of the northwest corner of Sec. 16, T. 9 N., R. 10 W., Edwards quadrangle., SBBM.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature is 63 to 72 degrees F. The soil temperature is below 47 degrees F. from about December 15 to February 20, and is usually never below 41 degrees F. The soil between the depths of 8 and 24 inches is dry throughout for 275 to 310 days from about March 1 to December 15. It is moist throughout for 10 to 50 days from about January 1 to March 1 and is moist in some or all parts for 55 to 90 consecutive days from about December 15 to March 1 when the soil is above 47.
The A horizon has dry colors of 10YR 6/3 or 6/4. Moist color is 10YR 4/3 or 4/4. It has 8 to 18 percent clay. It is noneffervescent or slightly effervescent with disseminated lime. Reaction is neutral or mildly alkaline. It has 5 to 15 percent gravel.
The C horizon has dry colors of 10YR 6/2, 6/3, or 6/4. Moist colors are 10YR 4/2, 4/3, or 4/4. It is stratified with layers of sandy loam, loamy sand, and gravelly loamy sand or gravelly loamy coarse sand. Textures of loam, clay loam and sandy clay loam with 20 to 35 percent clay are common below 40 inches. It is typically slightly effervescent to strongly effervescent with disseminated lime between 10 and 30 inches. Reaction is mildly alkaline or moderately alkaline. It typically has 5 to 15 percent gravel, but some pedons have 15 to 35 percent gravel in some horizons.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the
Anthony,
Comoro,
Excelsior,
Gila,
Grabe,
Ireteba,
Junction,
Tobler, and
Victorville series in the same family and the
Hesperia series. Anthony, Comoro, Gila, and Grabe soils are moist in the moisture control section in summer. Excelsior soils never have soil temperatures below 47 degrees F. Hesperia soils have an aridic moisture regime bordering on xeric. Ireteba soils have a zone of carbonate accumulation. Junction and Tobler soils have hue of 5YR or 2.5YR. Victorville soils have a moist color value of 3.5 or less and more than 1 percent organic matter in the A horizon.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Popson soils are on broad alluvial fans and flood plains. Slopes are 0 to 5 percent. The soils formed in fan or stream alluvium. Elevations are 2,300 to 2,550 feet. The climate is arid with hot, dry summers and cool, slightly moist winters. The mean annual precipitation is 4 to 5 inches. The mean annual temperature is 60 to 64 degrees F. Mean July temperature is about 83 degrees F., and mean January temperature is about 44 degrees F. The frost-free season is 200 to 250 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the similar
Hesperia, competing
Victorville, and the
Cajon and
Rosamond soils. Cajon soils are on similar landforms and are sandy. Rosamond soils are on similar landforms and are fine-loamy.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow runoff; moderate permeability. These soils are occasionally flooded for brief periods in December through March.
USE AND VEGETATION: Popson soils are used for military operations, building sites, and wildlife habitat. Vegetation is dominantly shadscale, allscale saltbush, filaree, red brome, and rabbit brush.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Mojave Desert of California. The series is not extensive.
SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: DAVIS, CALIFORNIA
SERIES PROPOSED: Kern County, California, 1989. Named after nearby Popson Avenue.
REMARKS: The Popson series is in MLRA 30. The Popson series is being mapped where it matches the Hesperia series. It is being differentiated from the Hesperia series because it does not have a aridic moisture regime bordering on xeric. Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in the profile are:
1. Ochric epipedon -- 0 to 9 inches (A1, A2)
1.1 Organic carbon assumed to be less than 0.6 percent based on laboratory analysis of similar soils in surrounding surveys.
1.2 Dry color of 10YR 6/3 and 6/4 and moist color of 10YR 4/3 and 4/4.
OTHER SOIL CHARACTERISTICS:
1. FLUVENT SUBORDER: Based on stratification observed in modal pit and the occurrence of occasional flooding. Organic carbon is assumed to decrease irregularly with depth.
2. TYPIC SUBGROUP: Meets all requirements for Typic subgroup.
3. TEMPERATURE REGIME -- Thermic. MAST 63 to 72 degrees F. Based on soil temperature data from surrounding soil surveys and preliminary field measurements.
4. MINERALOGY -- Mixed; no evidence to support any other.
5. PARTICLE SIZE CLASS -- Coarse-loamy. The 10- to 40-inch particle- size control section averages 11 percent clay and 72 percent sand based on field estimates.
6. MOISTURE REGIME - Aridic. Based on soil moisture data from surrounding soil surveys.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.