LOCATION SARALEGUI CA+ID NV

Established Series
Rev. JEB/JBF
06/2017

SARALEGUI SERIES

The Saralegui series consists of deep, well drained soils that formed in alluvium derived from mixed rocks. Saralegui soils are on lake terraces, stream terraces and alluvial fans. Slopes range from 0 to 60 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 230 mm and the mean annual temperature is about 9 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Xeric Haplargids

TYPICAL PEDON: Saralegui sandy loam - rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted).

A--0 to 10 cm: gray (10YR 6/1) sandy loam, dark gray (10YR 4/1) moist; moderate thin platy structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; many very fine, fine and few medium roots; common very fine and fine vesicular pores; moderately acid (pH 6.0); abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 13 cm thick)

Bt1--10 to 30 cm; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine, fine and few medium roots; many very fine, fine and medium tubular and interstitial pores; few faint clay films in pores and bridging mineral grains; neutral (pH 6.6); gradual smooth boundary. (15 to 25 cm thick)

Bt2--30 to 56 cm; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine, fine and medium roots; common very fine, fine and medium tubular and interstitial pores; few faint clay films in pores and bridging mineral grains; neutral (pH 6.6); clear smooth boundary. (15 to 38 cm thick)

Bt3--56 to 91 cm; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) and light gray (10YR 7/2) sandy loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; moderate medium angular blocky structure; very hard, firm, moderately sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine, fine and few medium roots; few very fine and fine tubular and interstitial pores; common faint clay films in pores and bridging mineral grains; neutral (pH 7.0); clear wavy boundary. (25 to 40 cm thick)

BCt--91 to 130 cm; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) and light gray (10YR 7/2) gravelly sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak coarse angular blocky structure; very hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine and fine tubular and interstitial pores; few faint clay films in pores and bridging mineral grains; neutral (pH 7.0); clear wavy boundary. (38 to 50 cm thick)

C--130 to 155 cm; light gray (10YR 7/2) sandy loam, olive brown (2.5Y 4/3) moist; massive; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine and fine roots; common very fine interstitial and few very fine tubular pores; slightly effervescent, carbonates disseminated; slightly alkaline (pH 7.5).

TYPE LOCATION: Sierra County, California; about 1 1/4 miles northwest of Plant Quarantine Station; about 2,400 feet north and 1,200 feet west of the southwest corner of sec. 22, T. 22 N., R. 17 E.; USGS Evans Canyon 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle; latitude 39 degrees 44 minutes 35 seconds N and longitude 120 degrees 3 minutes 36 seconds W; WGS84 Decimal Degrees 39.7430556 latitude, -120.0600000 longitude.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Usually dry, moist in winter and early spring; aridic soil moisture regime bordering on xeric.
Depth to carbonates: 100 to 150 cm or more.

Particle-size control section - Clay content: percent.
Rock fragments: Average 5 to 25 percent, mainly gravel.

A horizon
Value: 5 or 6 dry.
Chroma: 1 or 2.

Bt horizons
Value: 5 through 7 dry, 3 or 4 moist.
Chroma: 2 through 4.
Texture: Coarse sandy loam, sandy loam, or gravelly sandy loam.
Structure: Massive or has weak or moderate subangular or angular blocky structure.
Reaction: Neutral or slightly alkaline.

BCt and C horizon
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y.
Value: 6 or 7 dry.
Chroma: 2 or 3.
Texture: Sandy loam, loamy sand or sand.
Reaction: Neutral through strongly alkaline.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Deadyon, Rattleflat and Tarloc series.

Deadyon soils are calcareous within a depth of 100 to 150 cm. Rattleflat soils have very gravelly textures within a depth of 38 to 76 cm and are moist 10 to 20 days cumulative between July and October. Tarloc soils have bedrock below a depth of 50 cm.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Saralegui soils are on lake terraces, stream terraces and alluvial fans at elevations of 1,375 to 1,830 meters. Slopes are 0 to 60 percent. The soils formed in alluvium derived from mixed rocks. The climate is semiarid with warm dry summers and cold dry winters. Mean annual precipitation is about 200 to 300 mm. Mean annual temperature is 9 to 10 degrees C. Frost-free season is 90 to 120 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Galeppi, Haw, Lolalita, Reba and Reno soils. Galeppi and Haw soils have more than 18 percent clay in the Bt horizon and have a mollic epipedon. Lolalita soils lack a Bt horizon. Reba and Reno soils have more than 35 percent clay in the Bt horizon.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Well drained; medium runoff; high saturated hydraulic conductivity.

USE AND VEGETATION: Used mostly for grazing as unimproved range. The vegetation is Wyoming big sagebrush, antelope bitterbrush, Sandberg bluegrass, Indian ricegrass and bottlebrush squirreltail.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Intermountain valleys of northeastern California, northern Nevada and southwestern Idaho. These soils are of moderate extent. MLRA 26.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Payette County, Idaho, 1971.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - The zone from the surface to 10 cm (A horizon)
Argillic horizon - The zone from 10 to 91 cm (Bt1, Bt2 and Bt3 horizons)
Particle-size control section - The zone from 10 to 60 cm (Bt1, Bt2 and part of the Bt3 horizons).

ADDITIONAL DATA: Previous authors and editors include: PGN-GMK-RCH.

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.