Soil Types
It pays to know what type of soil you are working with.
Soils are classified and named by the USDA-Soil Conservation Service Surveys into individual soil series. In the Coachella Valley there are only 5 distinct soils of horticultural significance but their soil-water characteristics vary drastically. Note that the water holding capacity may vary as much as 6 times across the 5 major soil types within the Coachella Valley while the permeability rate can vary by a factor of 33. For this reason, it is important that local landscapers be aware of the soil type that makes up their site.
In many instances, irrigation problems can be attributed to the soil that is receiving water, rather than the irrigations system hardware that is delivering it. Furthermore, many of the solutions to these variations in water holding capacity, permeability rate and rooting depth can be found in creative scheduling techniques made possible by computer controlled irrigation system.
Soils are classified and named by the USDA-Soil Conservation Service Surveys into individual soil series. In the Coachella Valley there are only 5 distinct soils of horticultural significance but their soil-water characteristics vary drastically. Note that the water holding capacity may vary as much as 6 times across the 5 major soil types within the Coachella Valley while the permeability rate can vary by a factor of 33. For this reason, it is important that local landscapers be aware of the soil type that makes up their site.
In many instances, irrigation problems can be attributed to the soil that is receiving water, rather than the irrigations system hardware that is delivering it. Furthermore, many of the solutions to these variations in water holding capacity, permeability rate and rooting depth can be found in creative scheduling techniques made possible by computer controlled irrigation system.
Carsitas
Myoma
Coachella
Gilman
Indio
- Soil permeability rate: 6-20"
- Available water holding capacity: 0.4-0.8"
- Drainage characteristics: high
- Stratification layers present: rare
Myoma
- Soil permeability rate: 6-20"
- Available water holding capacity: 0.7-1.1"
- Drainage characteristics: moderate
- Stratification layers present: unlikely
Coachella
- Soil permeability rate: 2-6"
- Available water holding capacity: 0.4-1.8"
- Drainage characteristics: moderate
- Stratification layers present: possible
Gilman
- Soil permeability rate: 0.6-2"
- Available water holding capacity: 0.8-2.5"
- Drainage characteristics: slow
- Stratification layers present: likely
Indio
- Soil permeability rate: 0.6-2"
- Available water holding capacity: 1.6-2.4"
- Drainage characteristics: restrictive
- Stratification layers present: likely