SOIL SURVEY OF THE REDDING AREA, CALIFORNIA. 31 



The soils of the stream bottoms consist of four types of the Sacra- 

 mento series and of one nonagricultural type — Riverwash. They 

 consist of recent alluvial stream sediments occuppnn^ the lower parts 

 of the valleys. 



Riverwash is a mixture of fine to coarse sands, cobbles, and gravels, 

 occupjang old or present stream channels. It is a relatively inexten- 

 sive soil type, is subject to overflow, and is of no agricultural impor- 

 tance. 



The Sacramento gravelly sandy loam occurs as inextensive bodies 

 in the vicinity of the Sacramento River and as narrow strips in 

 gulches and in the valleys of intermittent streams. It is usually 

 devoted to grazing and is of minor agricultural importance, although 

 fruit is produced to a small extent in favorable localities, and alfalfa 

 might be grown under copious irrigation. 



The Sacramento fine sandy loam occurs as small bodies in the 

 vicinity of the Sacramento River and its tributary creeks. While 

 under irrigation it is fairly well adapted to alfalfa and to fruits, it is 

 usually devoted to grazing and is of secondary agricidtural importance. 



The Sacramento silt loam is easily maintained in a fine condition of 

 tilth and is well adapted to the production of prunes, peaches, pears, 

 grapes, vegetables, and alfalfa. It is the leading soil type of the area 

 in the production of prunes, and is in point of extent and agricultural 

 value the most important soil of the stream bottoms. 



The Sacramento loam is friable imder cultivation, occurring only 

 as rather small bodies near the center of the area. While it is 

 usually devoted only to pasture or to dry farming to grains, it is 

 excellently adapted to irrigation and to the culture of alfalfa, sugar 

 beets, or other irrigated crops, as well as to fruits. 



The development of irrigation has, owing to natural difficulties, 

 been somewhat slow. In the valley districts irrigation is usually 

 unnecessary in the production of fruits, but upon the upland jiart of 

 the area it is essential to successful and jirofitable fruit culture. 



The Happy Valley district is the most extensively irrigated section 

 of the area, but the present system is inadequate and the cost of water 

 is high. The extension of irrigation S3^stems in this district will be 

 costly, but as the profits realized from the intensive production of 

 choice fruits will be large, further development of irrigation should 

 be undertaken. 



In other upland districts of the area water resources are limited 

 and the development of irrigation improbable. 



In the valley sections there are a few small irrigation systems 

 operated by gravity or by pumping, but the production of vegetables 

 and alfalfa could be greatly increased by their extension. 



o 



