LOCATION SARALEGUI CA+ID NVEstablished Series
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 4 inches: light gray (10YR 6/1) sandy loam, dark gray (10YR 4/1) moist; moderate thin platy structure; soft, friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; many very fine, fine and few medium roots; common very fine and fine vesicular pores; medium acid (pH 6.0); abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 5 inches thick)
Bht--4 to 12 inches; 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 thin clay films in pores and bridging mineral grains; neutral (pH 6.6); gradual smooth boundary. (6 to 10 inches thick)
Bt1--12 to 22 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; hard, slightly firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine, fine and medium roots; common very fine, fine and medium tubular and interstitial pores; few thin clay films in pores and bridging mineral grains; neutral (pH 6.6); clear smooth boundary. (6 to 15 inches thick)
Bt2--22 to 36 inches; 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, sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine, fine and few medium roots; few very fine and fine tubular and interstitial pores; common thin clay films in pores and bridging mineral grains; neutral (pH 7.0); clear wavy boundary. (10 to 16 inches thick)
BCt--36 to 51 inches; 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, sticky and plastic; few thin clay films in pores and bridging mineral grains; neutral (pH 7.0); clear wavy boundary. (15 to 20 inches thick)
C--51 to 61 inches; light gray (10YR 7/2) sandy loam, dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/3) moist; massive; hard, friable, slightly sticky; few very fine and fine roots; common very fine interstitial and few very fine tubular pores; slightly effervescent, lime disseminated; mildly alkaline (pH 7.5).
TYPE LOCATION: Sierra County, California; 600 feet east of highway 395 on a fan in Long Valley, 1 1/4 miles northwest of Plant Quarantine Station; 1/4 miles northwest from the center of sec. 1, T. 21 N., R. 17 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The solum is dry July through October. Rock fragments, mainly gravel range from 5 to 25 percent. Depth to carbonates is 40 to 60 inches or more.
The A1 horizon has color of 10YR 6/1, 5/2 or 6/2.
The Bt horizon has colors of 10YR 5/2, 5/3, 5/4, 4/2, 6/2, 6/3, or 7/2. It is coarse sandy loam, sandy loam, or gravelly sandy loam and contains more clay than the a horizon. This horizon is massive or has weak or moderate subangular or angular blocky structure. It is neutral or mildly alkaline.
The BCt and C horizon has colors of 10YR 6/2, 6/3 or 7/2. It is sandy loam, loamy sand or sand. Reaction is neutral to strongly alkaline (pH 6.6 to 9.0).
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Deadyon, Portmount, Rattleflat (T) and Tarloc series. Deadyon soils are calcareous within a depth of 20 to 40 inches. Portmount soils have a calcic horizon below a depth of 26 inches. Rattleflat soils have very gravelly textures within a depth of 15 to 30 inches and are moist 10 to 20 days cumulative between July and October. Tarloc soils have bedrock below a depth of 20 inches.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Saralegui soils are on lake terraces and alluvial fans at elevations of 4,500 to 6,000 feet. Slopes range from nearly level to steep. The soils formed in moderately coarse textured alluvium. The climate is semiarid with warm dry summers and cold dry winters. Mean annual precipitation is about 6 to 12 inches. Mean annual temperature is 48 to 50 degrees F, mean January temperature is 28 degrees F, and mean July temperature is 68 degrees F. Frost-free season is 90 to 120 days. Slopes range from 0 to 60 percent.
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 PERMEABILITY: Well drained; medium runoff; moderately rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used mostly for grazing as unimproved range. The vegetation is dominantly sagebrush, some bitterbrush, with an understory of Sandberg bluegrass, Indian ricegrass and squirreltail.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Intermountain valleys of northeastern California, northern Nevada and southwestern Idaho. These soils are of moderate extent.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Reno, Nevada
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Payette County, Idaho, 1971.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
ochric epipedon: 0 to 4 inches (A)
argillic horizon: 12 to 36 inches (Bt1, Bt2)
Last revised by the state on 2/91.