LOCATION WHEELERPASS NVEstablished Series
The Wheelerpass series consists of shallow, well drained soils that formed in residuum and colluvium from quartzite. Wheelerpass soils are on back slopes of mountains. Slope ranges from 30 to 75 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 16 inches and the mean annual air temperature is about 43 degrees F.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, frigid Aridic Lithic Argiustolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Wheelerpass very gravelly loam, forest and wildlife habitat. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.) The soil surface is covered by approximately 60 percent pebbles and 5 percent cobbles.
A--0 to 1 inch; brown (7.5YR 5/2) very gravelly loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; common very fine and many fine roots; many very fine and common fine tubular pores; 40 percent pebbles and 5 percent cobbles; slightly acid (pH 6.2); abrupt smooth boundary. (1 to 3 inches thick)
Bt1--1 to 7 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/2) very gravelly loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine, common fine through coarse roots; common very fine and many fine tubular pores; 25 percent, discontinuous, faint, clay films on faces of peds and rock fragments; 55 percent pebbles and 1 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 7.0); clear wavy boundary.
Bt2--7 to 11 inches; brown (7.5YR 4/4) very gravelly loam, brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; moderately hard, very friable, slightly sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine through very coarse roots; common very fine and few fine tubular pores; 35 percent, discontinuous, faint, clay films on faces of peds and rock fragments; 55 percent pebbles and 1 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 7.0); very abrupt wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bt horizons is 9 to 18 inches)
R--11 inches; indurated quartzite bedrock.
TYPE LOCATION: Clark County, Nevada; about 8 miles west and 11 miles south of Indian Springs, Nevada; approximately 0.75 miles due south of Wheeler Peak in the north end of the Spring Mountains; in a tentatively sectioned area, 1290 feet north and 1390 feet east of the southwest corner of section 4, T. 18 S., R. 55 E.; USGS Willow Peak, NV, 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle; 36 degrees, 24 minutes, 39.4 seconds north latitude and 115 degrees, 48 minutes, 36.5 seconds west longitude; UTM 11, 0606683e 4030186n; NAD83.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture - usually dry, moist in late winter, early spring and intermittently moist in the upper part following summer thunderstorms; aridic soil moisture regime bordering on ustic.
Soil temperature: 43 to 46 degrees F.
Mollic epipedon thickness: 7 to 20 inches, includes all or part of the argillic horizon.
Depth to argillic horizon: 1 to 3 inches.
Depth to lithic contact: 10 to 20 inches.
Control section - Rock fragments: Averages 50 to 80 percent, mainly gravel.
Clay content: Averages 15 to 25 percent.
A horizon - Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR.
Value: 3 or 4 dry, 2 or 3 moist.
Chroma: 1 or 2 dry or moist.
Clay content: 7 to 14 percent.
Texture: Sandy loam or loam.
Reaction: Slightly acid or neutral.
Organic matter: 1 to 2 percent.
Bt horizons Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR.
Value: 3 through 5 dry, 2 through 4 moist.
Chroma: 1 through 4 dry or moist.
Clay content: 15 to 25 percent.
Rock fragments: 50 to 80 percent, mainly gravel.
Structure: Very fine or fine, subangular blocky or granular.
Consistence: Slightly hard or moderately hard, very friable through firm, slightly sticky or moderately sticky, slightly plastic or moderately plastic.
Reaction: Slightly acid or neutral.
Organic matter: 0.5 to 1.5 percent.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Fletcherpeak series. Fletcherpeak soils are effervescent throughout and have limestone parent material.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Wheelerpass soils are on back slopes of mountains. Slope ranges from 30 to 75 percent. These soils formed in residuum and colluvium from quartzite. Elevations are 7,000 to 9,000 feet. The climate is semi-arid with warm, dry summers and cool, moist winters. The mean annual precipitation is 14 to 18 inches; mean annual air temperature is 41 to 44 degrees F., and the frost-free period is 60 to 95 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Wheelerwell soils. Wheelerwell soils have a mesic soil temperature regime.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; very high runoff; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for forest and wildlife habitat. The present vegetation is mainly singleleaf pinyon pine, Gambels oak, curlleaf mountainmahogany, Utah serviceberry and bluegrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southern Nevada, U.S.A.; MLRA 30. These soils are not extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California.
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Clark County Area, Nevada, 2006. Proposed in Clark County Area, Nevada, 2003. The name is from Wheeler Peak located in the Spring Mountains.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in the profile are:
Mollic epipedon - 0 to 7 inches (A and Bt1 horizons).
Argillic horizon - 1 to 11 inches (Bt1 and Bt2 horizons).
Lithic contact - 11 inches (upper boundary of the R layer).
Particle-size control section - 0 to 11 inches (A, Bt1 and Bt2 horizons).