LOCATION SALTCANYON CAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, thermic Pachic Argixerolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Saltcanyon loam, 1 to 5 percent slopes,
rangeland. When described on October 11, 1995, the soil was
dry throughout. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise
stated.)
A--0 to 13 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very hard, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine roots; many very fine interstitial pores; 10 percent gravels; neutral (pH 7.0); clear smooth boundary.
Bt1--13 to 25 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) clay loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots; few fine tubular pores; few thin clay films on faces of peds; 10 percent gravels; neutral (pH 7.2); gradual smooth boundary.
Bt2--25 to 43 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) clay loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots; common fine tubular pores; common thin clay films on faces of peds; 10 percent gravels; slightly alkaline (pH 7.5); clear smooth boundary.
Bt3--43 to 61 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) clay loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots; common fine tubular pores; common thin clay films on faces of peds; 10 percent gravels; slightly alkaline (ph 7.7).
TYPE LOCATION: Colusa County, California; about 12 miles west of Williams CA; approximately 2200 feet east and 2250 feet north of
the southwest corner of section 6, T. 14 N., R. 4 W., MDB&M; 39 degrees, 5 minutes, 28 seconds north latitude and 122 degrees, 20 minutes, 40 seconds west longitude; USGS Salt Canyon CA topographic quadrangle.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The soils between the depths of 6 and 19 inches is moist in some or all parts from November through May 31. The mean annual soil temperature is 60 to 62 degrees F. The soil profile contains 0 to 15 percent coarse fragments. Reaction is neutral to slightly alkaline throughout. The 6 to 17 inch SMCS is dry in all parts from June 1 to October 31 and moist in all parts from November 1 to May 31.
The A horizon has dry color of 10YR 5/3, 5/2, 4/3; 10YR 3/3, 3/2, or 2/2 moist. Texture is loam. Clay content is 12 to 27 percent.
The Bt horizon has dry color of 10YR 5/3, 5/2, 4/3; 10YR 3/3, 3/2, or 2/2 moist. In the lower part of the Bt horizon the color may be 10YR 5/4 dry; 10YR 3/4 moist. Texture is loam, sandy clay loam, or clay loam. Clay content is 25 to 35 percent.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Arujo, Botella, Chico, Corona, Elkhorn, Havala, Lockwood, and McCoy series. Arujo soils have a paralithic contact at depths of 40 to 60 inches. Botella, Elkhorn, and Lockwood soils have less than 20 degrees F. difference between mean summer and winter soil temperatures. Chico soils are in MLRA 17 and more data is needed to seperate this series. Havala soils have a meanannual precipitation of about 10 inches and are in MLRA 22. McCoy soils have a paralithic contact at depths of 25 to 40 inches.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Saltcanyon soils are on alluvial fans in the mountain valleys of the Coast Range. They have slope gradients from 1 to 15 percent. Elevations are 600 to 1,600 feet. The climate is semiarid with cool, moist winters and hot, dry summers. Mean annual precipitation is 18 to 22 inches. Average January temperature is about 43 degrees F.; average July temperature is about 76 degrees F. Mean annual temperature is about 58 to 62 degrees F. The frost-free season is about 185 to 225 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Contra Costa, Millsholm, Capay, Altamont and Sehorn soils. The Contra Costa and Millsholm soils are formed in residuum and are moderately deep and shallow respectively. The Capay, Altamont and Sehorn series have greater than 30% clay throughout with intersecting slickensides. The Capay soils are lower in basins than Saltcanyon soils and the Altamont, Sehorn, Contra Costa, and Millsholm soils are on hillslopes.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; very slow to medium runoff; moderately slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used mainly for range and hay crops. Native vegetation is annual grasses, forbs, and scattered blue oaks.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Foothills and mountain valleys of the Coast Range of central California. This soil is not extensive. MLRA 15 and 14.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Colusa County, California 1997.