LOCATION SAUCITO CAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, thermic Lithic Haploxeralfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Saucito sandy loam - on a south facing slope of 30 percent under buckwheat, yucca and red brome at 1960 feet elevation. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated. When described on May 31, 1984, the soil was slightly moist below 3 inches.)
A--0 to 3 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/4) sandy loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; very hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and fine roots; common very fine interstitial pores; 10 percent pebbles; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear wavy boundary. (1 to 3 inches thick)
Bt--3 to 18 inches; reddish brown (5YR 4/4) very cobbly clay loam, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/4) moist; massive; hard, friable, sticky and plastic; few very fine interstitial pores; few thin clay films on fractures and in pores; 25 percent pebbles and 35 percent cobbles; strongly effervescent with lime disseminated in spots; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); gradual wavy boundary. (9 to 17 inches thick)
R--18 inches; hard sandstone.
TYPE LOCATION: San Luis Obispo County, California; about 1.2 miles north of highway 166 on Carrizo Canyon Road, then about 1 mile east on jeep trail into Johnson Flat and about .5 miles north of the windmill. Go up the slope about 1,900 feet north and 700 feet east of the southwest corner of section 32, T.32 S., R.19 E. USGS Taylor Canyon Topographic Quadrangle; lat. 35 gegrees, 5 minutes, 37 seconds N. and long. 119 degrees, 57 minutes, 59 seconds W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Thickness of the solum and depth to a lithic contact is 8 to 20 inches. The soil between the depths of 8 and 20 inches is moist in all parts for 60 consecutive days between mid January and April. It is also moist in some part from December to May and is dry in all parts for about 180 days from June to December. The mean annual soil temperature ranges from 60 degrees to 68 degrees F. The soil is slightly or moderately alkaline throughout.
The A horizon is 7.5YR 5/4; 5YR 5/4 or 6/4. Moist colors are 7.5YR 3/2, 3/4 or 4/4; 5YR 4/4. It has 10 to 18 percent clay, 5 to 15 percent gravels and 0 to 10 percent cobbles.
The Bt horizon is 7.5YR 4/4 or 5/4; 5YR 4/4, 5/4 or 6/4. Moist colors are 7.5YR 4/3, 3/4 or 4/4; 5YR 3/3, 3/4 or 4/4. It is very cobbly clay loam or very gravelly clay loam with 27 to 35 percent clay, 25 to 35 percent gravels and 10 to 35 percent cobbles. It is slightly to strongly effervescent. Some pedons are noneffervescent.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Millerton, Stonyford and Pardee series in other families. Stonyford and Millerton soils average less than 35 percent by volume coarse fragments in the textural control section. Pardee soils have A horizons greater than 4 inches thick.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Saucito soils are on hills and mountains and have slopes of 30 to 75 percent. The soils formed in material weathered from sandstone. Elevations are 1,800 to 2,900 feet. The climate is semiarid with hot dry summers and cool moist winters. Mean annual precipitation is 10 to 12 inches. Mean January temperature is 49 degrees F, the mean July temperature is 77 degrees F. The mean annual temperature is 58 degrees to 62 degrees F. Frost-free season ranges from 175 to 200 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Beam (T), Gaviota, Hillbrick, Kilmer and Panoza (T) soils. Beam, Hillbrick and Gaviota soils are on similar topographic position as the Saucito soils but do not have argillic horizons. Kilmer and Panoza soils are moderately deep and also are on similar landscape as the Saucito soils.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; high runoff; moderately slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used for livestock grazing. Vegetation is buckwheat, yucca and red brome.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Central California in the Caliente Range, MLRA 15. These soils are not extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California
SERIES PROPOSED: San Luis Obispo County, California, Carrizo Plain SSA, 1985.
REMARKS: Major Diagnostic Horizons:
Ochric Epipedon:
Argillic Horizon: (see range in characteristics)
Other Diagnostic Horizons or Soil Characteristics:
Xeric Moisture Regime:
Lithic contact: (see range in characteristics)