LOCATION SAN EMIGDIO CAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, calcareous, thermic Typic Xerofluvents
TYPICAL PEDON: San Emigdio fine sandy loam, grassland, formerly cultivated. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted).
Ap--0 to 8 inches; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) fine sandy loam, dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) moist; weak medium and fine granular structure; hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine roots; many fine tubular pores; slightly effervescent, disseminated lime; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 10 inches thick)
C1--8 to 22 inches; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) fine sandy loam, dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) moist; massive; hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common fine roots; many fine tubular pores; strongly effervescent, lime disseminated and in filaments; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear smooth boundary. (10 to 16 inches thick)
C2--22 to 42 inches; light gray (2.5Y 7/2) fine sandy loam, light olive brown (2.5Y 5/3) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine roots; many fine tubular pores; strongly effervescent, lime disseminated and in filaments; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear smooth boundary. (15 to 24 inches thick)
C3--42 to 60 inches; light gray (2.5Y 7/2) fine sandy loam, light olive brown (2.5Y 5/3) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine roots; many fine tubular pores; strongly effervescent, lime disseminated and in filaments; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2).
TYPE LOCATION: Riverside County, California; approximately 800 feet east, 400 feet south of NW corner section 16. T.3 S., R.2 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature at a depth of 20 inches is 60 to 65 degrees F and the soil temperature usually is not below 47 degrees F at any time. Soil between the depths of about 8 and 15 inches is dry all of the time from April or May until late October to early December and is moist in some or all parts all the rest of the year. The soil is coarse sandy loam, sandy loam, fine sandy loam, silt loam, or loam to a depth of 40 inches or more. Rock fragments, mostly fine pebbles, range to 15 percent, the amount tends to be greater in the lower part of the profile. The 10 to 40 inch control section averages less than 18 percent clay. There is weak to strong stratification and the organic matter decreases irregularly with depth.
The A horizon has dry color of 10YR 5/3, 5/4, 6/2, 6/3 or 6/4; 2.5Y 6/2 or 7/2. Moist colors are 10YR 3/3, 3/4, 4/3, 4/4; 2.5Y 4/2, 3/2. The organic matter is 0.5 to 1.5 percent. It is mildly to moderately alkaline.
The C horizon has dry color of 10YR 6/3, 6/4, 6/6 or 7/6; 2.5Y 6/2, 7/2, 7/3, 7/4; moist colors are 10YR 4/3, 4/4, 4/6, 5/3, 5/4 or 5/6. When moist values are 3, dry values are 6 or more. Lime is disseminated throughout and many pedons have small amounts of fine segregated lime.
COMPETING SERIES: San Emigdio is the only series in this family. Similar soils are in the Anthony, Docas, Gila, Hanford, Honcut, Ireteba, Maywood, Pico, Ramada, and Reiff series. Anthony, Gila, and Ireteba soils have an aridic moisture regime. Docas soils have a fine-silty control section. Hanford and Honcut soils are noncalcareous and have a regular decrease in organic matter. Maywood, Ramada, and Reiff soils are noncalcareous in the upper part or in all parts of the profile. Pico soils have a mollic epipedon.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: San Emigdio soils are on alluvial fans, floodplains, and in narrow valleys at elevations of 100 to 2,000 feet. Slopes are 0 to 15 percent. The soils formed in moderately coarse textured alluvium dominantly from sedimentary formations. The climate is dry subhumid mesothermal with hot dry summers and cool moist winters. Mean annual precipitation, all in the form of rain, is 10 to 20 inches. Average January temperature is about 50 to 52 degrees F, average July temperature is about 70 to 74 degrees F, and the mean annual temperature is about 60 to 65 degrees F. The frost-free season is about 200 to 280 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Hanford, Metz, and San Timoteo soils. Metz soils have an average texture of loamy sand in the 10 to 40 inch control section. San Timoteo soils have a paralithic contact at depths of 20 to 40 inches.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; negligible to low runoff; moderately rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used for growing citrus fruit, alfalfa, truck crops, dryland grain, and some areas are in homesites. Uncultivated areas are annual grasses and forbs.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Intermountain valleys in the western part of southern California, MLRA 14, 17, and 19. The soil is of moderate extent. (See Remarks).
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Bakersfield Area, California, 1940.
REMARKS: The San Emigdio series was initially mapped extensively in an area now recognized as having an aridic moisture regime and later was mapped in a xeric moisture regime. In future mapping, the Anthony series will probably replace soils placed in the San Emigdio series in the aridic regime.
Last revised by the state on 2/91.