LOCATION TRAY CA

Established Series
Rev. GAW/LCL
12/2015

TRAY SERIES

The Tray series is a member of the coarse-loamy, mixed, thermic family of Typic Haplargids Typically, Tray soils have light yellowish brown, very strongly alkaline, sandy loam A horizons, yellowish brown, very strongly alkaline, heavy sandy loam B2t horizons grading to light yellowish brown, very strongly and strongly alkaline, sandy loam C horizon.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, thermic Typic Haplargids

TYPICAL PEDON: Tray sandy loam - native shrubs (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)

A1--0 to 8 inches; Light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) sandy loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; common very fine, few fine roots; common very fine interstitial, few very fine tubular pores; slightly effervescent, disseminated lime; very strongly alkaline (pH 9.2); clear smooth boundary. (6 to 16 inches thick)

B2t--8 to 20 inches; Yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) heavy sandy loam near loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; massive; hard, firm, slightly sticky, nonplastic; common very fine roots; many very fine, common fine tubular pores; common moderately thick and many thin clay films line pores and as bridges; strongly effervescent, disseminated lime; very strongly alkaline (pH 9.5); gradual smooth boundary. (12 to 16 inches thick)

B3--20 to 32 inches; Light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) sandy loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; massive; hard, friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; few very fine roots; many very fine interstitial, common very fine and fine tubular pores; few thin clay films line pores and as bridges; strongly effervescent, disseminated lime; very strongly alkaline (pH 9.5); diffuse smooth boundary. (10 to 14 inches thick)

C1--32 to 55 inches; Light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) coarse sandy loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; massive; hard, friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; few very fine roots; many very fine interstitial and few very fine and fine tubular pores; strongly effervescent, disseminated lime; very strongly alkaline (pH 9.5); diffuse smooth boundary. (20 to 24 inches thick)

C2ca--55 to 70 inches; Light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) coarse sandy loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; massive; hard, friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; few very fine roots; many very fine interstitial and tubular pores; about 2 to 3 percent of horizon is made up of very thin lime- cemented plates; violently effervescent, disseminated lime and some lime as threads; strongly alkaline (pH 8.6).

TYPE LOCATION: Los Angeles County, California; 90 feet north of Avenue H and 225 feet east of 50th Street West in SW1/4SW1/4 sec. 1, T.7N., R.12W.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Thickness of solum is 28 to 46 inches. The mean annual soil temperature is about 65 degrees. The soil between depths of about 8 and 25 inches is dry most of the year and is not moist for as long as 60 consecutive days in winter and spring. Rock fragments are in the form of fine gravel and they are less than 10 percent of all horizons. The soils are calcareous in all parts. Distinct lime segregations do not occur within 40 inches of the surface. The A horizon is grayish brown to light yellowish brown (10YR 5/2, 6/2, 6/3, 6/4; 2.5Y 6/2, 6/4). It is dominantly sandy loam, but in some pedons or parts of some pedons the upper few inches are loamy sand or sand, especially under shrubs. This horizon is soft or slightly hard and is massive or has weak platy structure in the upper part. The B2t horizon is grayish brown to light gray (10YR 5/2, 5/3, 5/4, 6/4; 2.5Y 6/2, 7/2). It is sandy loam or heavy sandy loam with about 14 to 18 percent clay and has 3 to 6 percent more clay absolute than the A horizon. The B2 horizon is strongly or very strongly alkaline and has 15 to 30 percent exchangeable sodium in all parts. This horizon is massive or has weak coarse angular or subangular blocky structure. The C horizon is grayish brown to light olive brown (10YR 5/2, 6/2, 6/3, 6/4; 2.5Y 6/2, 6/4, 5/4). It is sandy loam or loamy sand and is uniform in texture or has some stratification.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Barstow, Lost Hills, Onite, and Sonoita series. Barstow soils have 5YR hue in the argillic horizon. Lost Hills soils have prismatic structure in the argillic horizon. (See Remarks). Onite and Sonoita soils have 7.5YR and 5YR hues in the argillic horizon. Onite soils are dominantly noncalcareous in the A and B horizons.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Tray soils are nearly level and are along the rim or in basins at elevations of 2,300 to 2,400 feet. They formed in alluvium dominantly from granitic sources. The climate is arid with long hot summers and cool somewhat moist winters. Mean annual precipitation is 4 to 9 inches. Average January temperature is 44 degrees., average July temperature is 82 degrees., and mean annual temperature is 63 degrees. The freeze-free season is 240 to 260 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Oban, Pond, Rosamond, and Sunrise soils. Oban soils have fine textured natric horizons. Pond soils have 18 to 35 percent clay in the argillic horizon. Rosamond soils lack argillic horizons. Sunrise soils lack argillic horizons and have distinct calcic horizons within a depth of 40 inches.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Moderately well-drained; very slow runoff; moderate permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: Used mostly for desert range. A few areas used for growing alfalfa and irrigated pasture. Vegetation is fourwing saltbush and a few related shrubs and grasses.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: High desert areas of southern California and possibly in adjoining states. The soils are of moderate extent.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: PHOENIX, ARIZONA

SERIES PROPOSED: Los Angeles County, California, 1973.

REMARKS: The Tray soils were formerly classified as Solonetz soils. The Lost Hills series has not been correlated in recent years and conclusion on major soil properties has not been made. Strong differentiae from the Tray series should be no problem.

OSED scanned by SSQA. Last revised by state on 10/73.

Responsibility for this series was transferred from Davis to Phoenix 12/2015. ET

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.