LOCATION SANTANELA CAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, thermic Typic Natraqualfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Santanela loam - on a smooth slope of less than 2 percent under alkali heath, Baltic rush, medusahead, saltgrass, spike weed, and other salt tolerant wetland grasses and forbs at 95 feet elevation. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated. When described on July 7, 1977, the soil was dry to 10 inches and moist below).
A--0 to 3 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; many medium distinct brown and very pale brown (10YR 5/3, 8/3) mottles, many medium distinct dark gray and light yellowish brown (10YR 4/1, 6/4) mottles moist; moderate medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; few very fine and fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; neutral (pH 7.0); clear smooth boundary. (2 to 4 inches thick)
E--3 to 6 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; many fine prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) mottles, many fine distinct very dark gray and yellowish brown (10YR 3/1, 5/8) mottles moist; moderate medium and coarse angular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; slightly effervescent with disseminated lime; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); abrupt wavy boundary. (2 to 10 inches thick)
Btn1--6 to 10 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) clay loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; many fine and medium prominent strong brown and light yellowish brown (7.5YR 5/8; 10YR 6/4) mottles, many fine distinct yellowish brown and very dark brown (10YR 5/6, 2/2) mottles moist; strong coarse columnar structure; very hard, firm, sticky and very plastic; few very fine roots; no pores; continuous moderately thick clay films on peds; slightly effervescent with disseminated lime and segregated as few fine irregular soft masses; ESP is 50; strongly alkaline (pH 8.5); clear wavy boundary. (4 to 12 inches thick)
Btn2--10 to 14 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) clay loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; many medium distinct dark gray and brownish yellow (10YR 4/1, 6/6) mottles moist; strong medium prismatic structure; hard, firm, sticky and plastic; few very fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; many thin clay films on peds and bridging sand grains; slightly effervescent with disseminated lime; strongly alkaline (pH 8.5); clear smooth boundary. (2 to 6 inches thick)
BC--14 to 19 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; many medium distinct brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) mottles moist; moderate medium prismatic structure; very hard, firm, sticky and plastic; few very fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; many thin clay films on peds, line pores and bridge sand grains; slightly effervescent with disseminated lime; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2) clear wavy boundary. (3 to 7 inches thick)
Cn1--19 to 33 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; common medium distinct dark brown (10YR 4/3) mottles moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, sticky and plastic; few very fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; many thin clay films on ped and line pores; slightly effervescent with disseminated lime; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear wavy boundary. (10 to 16 inches thick)
Cn2--33 to 47 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) sandy loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; no mottles; massive; hard, friable, nonsticky and slightly plastic; no roots; few very fine tubular pores; very few thin clay films bridging sand grains; slightly effervescent with disseminated lime; ESP is 51; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); abrupt wavy boundary. (8 to 12 inches thick)
2Cn3--47 to 61 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) loam, olive gray and very dark gray (5Y 4/2, 3/1) moist; common fine and medium distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) mottles; moderate medium angular blocky structure; slightly hard, firm, sticky and plastic; few very fine interstitial pores; few thin clay films bridging sand grains; strongly effervescent with disseminated lime; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2).
TYPE LOCATION: Merced County, California; 6.5 miles northwest of the city of Los Banos, 2,400 feet east and 1,500 feet south of the NW corner of sec. 25, T. 9 S., R. 9 E., in the Volta Wildlife Area.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: In most years the entire profile is saturated and is covered by stagnant surface water from September through April. Thickness of the A horizons range from 5 to 14 inches. The control section averages between 20 to 35 percent clay. Organic matter in the A horizon is less than 1 percent and decreases regularly with depth. Some pedons have up to 10 percent gravel 1 to 3 cm in size.
The A horizon is 10YR 3/1, 4/1, 5/1, 5/2, 5/3, 5/4, 6/2; 2.5Y 4/2 or 5/2. Moist colors are 10YR 3/1, 3/3, 4/3, or 4/4. It is sandy loam or loam. Reaction is neutral to moderately alkaline. Some pedons do not have mottles.
The E horizon is 10YR 3/3, 3/4, 5/3, 6/1, 6/2, 6/3; or 2.5Y 6/2. Moist colors are 10YR 3/2, 3/3, 4/2, 4/3, 4/4; or 2.5Y 4/2. It is sandy loam, loam, or clay loam. Some pedons do not have mottles.
The Btn horizon is 10YR 5/2 or 5/3. Moist colors are 10YR 3/2, 4/2, 4/3, 4/4, 5/3, 5/4; 2.5Y 4/2; 5Y 5/2 or 5/3. It is loam, clay loam or sandy clay loam. Dissemanted lime ranges from slightly to strongly effervescent and is moderately alkaline or strongly alkaline. ESP ranges from 15 to 55.
The Cn horizon is 10YR 5/2, 5/3, or 6/3. Moist colors are 10YR 3/3, 4/2, 4/3, 5/3, 5/4, 6/6; 2.Y 4/2, 4/4, 5/4, 6/2; 5Y 3/1 or 4/2. It is sandy loam, loam or sandy clay loam. It is moderately alkaline or strongly alkaline. ESP ranges from 15 to 55.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Edminster, Kesterson, and Turlock series in other families. Edminster and Kesterson soils are poorly drained and have clean sand grains coating the upper part of the natric horizon. Turlock soils have less than 15 percent sodium in the upper part of the argillic horizon.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Santanela soils are alluvial soils on the western edge of the California valley basin. Slopes are 0 to 2 percent. The soils formed in mixed alluvium derived from sedimentary rocks. Some areas have been leveled but the natural microrelief is hummocky. Elevations are 90 to 100 feet. The climate is semiarid mesothermal with hot dry summers and cool moist winters. The mean annual precipitation is about 11 inches. The mean annual temperature is about 62 degrees F. Frost-free season is about 210 to 280 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Triangle and Turlock soils. Triangle soils have intersecting slickensides, wide cracks, and a fine control section.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Very poorly drained (ponded from September through April); slow runoff; slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: This soil is ponded and used dominantly to provide habitat for waterfowl. There is some limited livestock grazing during the summer months. Vegetation is saltgrass, iodinebush, alkali heath, Baltic rush, alkaliweed, trefoil and other salt tolerant wetland grasses and forbs.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: This soil is distributed along the western edge of the central part of San Joaquin Valley basin. It is not extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Merced County, California, 1984.
REMARKS: These soils were formerly mapped as Orestimba soils in the Los Banos Area, series 1939 report. ESP determined by versinate method. pH determined by colorimetric method using Thymol Blue and Hellige-Troug Triplex indicators. Texture determined by modified Bouyoucos method.
The activity class was added to the classification in February of 2003. Competing series were not checked at that time. - ET