LOCATION SOLANO CA

Established Series
Rev. LAB/GMK/LCL
08/2017

SOLANO SERIES

The Solano series is a member of the fine-loamy, mixed, thermic family of Typic Natrixeralfs. Typically, Solano soils have light brownish gray and light gray, strongly acid and very strongly acid, loam A2 horizons, and brown and light yellowish brown, neutral and strongly alkaline clay loam Bt horizons.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, thermic Typic Natrixeralfs

TYPICAL PEDON: Solano loam - pasture (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)

A1--0 to 4 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; few fine distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) mottles, yellowish red (5YR 4/8) moist; massive; hard, friable, nonsticky, slightly plastic; many very fine and fine random roots; many very fine tubular and common fine tubular pores; very strongly acid (pH 5.0); clear wavy boundary. (2 to 5 inches thick)

A2--4 to 9 inches; light gray (10YR 7/2) loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; few fine distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) mottles, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/4) moist; massive; hard, friable, sticky, slightly plastic; many very fine roots; many very fine tubular pores; strongly acid (pH 5.5); abrupt wavy boundary. (O to 7 inches thick)

Btn--9 to 21 inches brown (10YR 5/3) clay loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) faces of peds moist; strong coarse columnar structure; extremely hard, firm, sticky, plastic; common very fine roots; many very fine tubular pores; many thin clay films on faces of peds and lining pores; neutral (pH 7.0); gradual wavy boundary. (7 to 14 inches thick)

Btnss1--21 to 32 inches; light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) clay loam, olive brown (2.5Y 4/4) moist, dark reddish brown (5YR 2/2) stains moist; weak medium and coarse prismatic and weak medium angular blocky structure; extremely hard, firm, sticky, plastic; few very fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; many moderately thick clay films on faces of peds; common Fe and Mn concretions; few slickensides; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); clear wavy boundary. (8 to 12 inches thick)

Btnss2--32 to 48 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) clay loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) moist, light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) faces of peds moist with dark reddish brown (5YR 2/2) stains; weak medium and coarse prismatic and weak medium angular blocky structure; very hard, friable, slightly sticky, plastic; few very fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; many moderately thick clay films on faces of peds; strongly effervescent, medium soft bodies and concretions of lime; many Fe and Mn concretions; few slickensides; strongly alkaline (pH 8.6); gradual wavy boundary. (10 to 18 inches thick)

Btck--48 to 62 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) silty clay loam, light olive brown (2.5Y 5/6) moist; light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) faces of peds moist with dark reddish brown (5YR 2/2) stains; weak fine angular blocky structure; very hard, friable, sticky, plastic; common very fine tubular pores; continuous moderately thick clay films on faces of peds; strongly effervescent, large soft bodies and concretions of lime; many Fe and Mn concretions; strongly alkaline (pH 8.8).

TYPE LOCATION: Solano County, California- 4 1/2 miles east, 1 mile south of Fairfield; NE corner of sec. 3, T.4N., R.lW., Mount Diablo Base Meridian. 38 degrees North latitude,13 minutes, 9 seconds, 121 degrees West longitude 57 minutes, 14 seconds.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The mean annual soil temperature at a depth of 20 inches is 60 degrees to 65 degrees F. The soil between the depths of about 4 and 12 inches is usually dry in all parts by some time in May and remains dry until some time in October. Some or all of this part of the profile is moist all the rest of the time. The A horizon is light gray or light brownish gray in 10YR hue and has yellowish brown mottles in some pedons. It is loam or silt loam and is very strongly to medium acid. The B horizon is brown, pale brown, yellowish brown, or light yellowish brown. It has medium or strong columnar structure in the upper part. The structure and appearance of the upper B horizon gives the impression of being clay texture, but laboratory data show the texture to be a clay loam. Exchangeable sodium percentage is 15 to 50 in all parts of the Bt horizon.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Antioch, Orestimba, Ortigalita, Pond, and Waukena soils. Antioch soils have more than 35 percent clay in the natric horizon. Orestimoa, Ortigalita, and Pond soils lack the columnar or prismatic structure of natric horizons and the Orestimba and Ortigalita soils have more than 35 percent clay. Waukena soils are neutral to strongly alkaline in the A horizons and calcareous in all parts of the B horizon.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Solano soils are on nearly level low terraces and in valley plains with slightly irregular or hummocky surface at elevation of less than 100 feet. The soils formed in mixed, moderately fine textured, sedimentary alluvium. The climate is mesothermal with hot dry summers and cool moist winters. Mean annual precipitation is 16 to 22 inches. Mean annual temperature is about 60 degrees F., average January temperature is about 46 degrees F., and average July temperature about 76 degrees F. Frost- free season averages about 260 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the competing Antioch soils and the Pescadero and San Ysidro soils. Pescadero soils are in basins and have natric horizons with more than 40 percent clay. San Ysidro soils are on slightly higher terraces and have less than 15 percent exchangeable sodium.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat poorly drained; very slow or slow runoff; very slow permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: The soils are used mainly for dryland pasture. Some areas have been leveled and planted to irrigated pasture. Vegetation is salt and alkali tolerant grasses and forbs.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: West side of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Valleys in central California. The soils are of moderate extent in MLRAs 14 and 17.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Reconnaissance, Sacramento Valley, California, 1913.

REMARKS: Solano soils were formerly classified as Solonetz soils.

OSED scanned by SSQA. Last revised by state on 5/72.

OCR errors corrected 8/2017. - DEB

ADDITIONAL DATA: NSSL pedons: S71CA-059-007 (sampled as Solano but out of typical MLRA); S64CA-095-004 (range in characteristics) and S64CA-095-007 (type location).

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.