LOCATION BIRDSPRING              NV

Established Series
Rev. LJL/TM/ET
04/2015

BIRDSPRING SERIES

The Birdspring series consists of very shallow, somewhat excessively drained soils that formed in residuum and colluvium derived from limestone and dolomite. Birdspring soils are on mountains. Slope ranges from 4 to 75 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 150 millimeters (6 inches) and the mean annual air temperature is about 16 degrees C. (60 degrees F.).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, carbonatic, thermic Lithic Torriorthents

TYPICAL PEDON: Birdspring extremely gravelly fine sandy loam - livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted. The soil surface is covered by approximately 70 percent gravel, 5 percent cobbles, 1 percent stones.

A--0 to 3 centimeters (0 to 1 inch); very pale brown (10YR 7/3) extremely gravelly fine sandy loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; moderate thick platy structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine roots; many very fine and fine vesicular and tubular pores; 70 percent gravel, 5 percent cobbles, 1 percent stones; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); abrupt wavy boundary. (3 to 8 centimeters thick)

Bk--3 to 10 centimeters (1 to 4 inches); very pale brown (10YR 7/3) very gravelly fine sandy loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and few fine roots; many very fine and fine vesicular and tubular pores; 50 percent gravel; common thin lime coats and pendants on the undersides of rock fragments; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); abrupt wavy boundary. (8 to 20 centimeters thick)

R--10 centimeters (4 inches); hard limestone bedrock.

TYPE LOCATION: Clark County, Nevada; approximately 13.6 kilometers (8.5 miles) north of Jean and 5.6 kilometers (3.5 miles) northeast of Bird Spring; about 395 meters (1300 feet) north and 215 meters (700 feet) west of the southeast corner of sec. 31, T. 23 S., R. 60 E.; USGS Bird Spring, NV 7.5 minute quadrangle; 35 degrees, 53 minutes, 58 seconds north latitude and 115 degrees, 17 minutes, 58 seconds west longitude; UTM 11, 653480e, 3974143n; NAD 83.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:

Soil moisture: Usually dry, moist in some part for short periods during winter and early spring and for less than 10 to 20 days cumulative between July to September following summer convection storms. The soils have a typic-aridic moisture regime.

Soil temperature: 15 to 18 degrees C. (59 to 65 degrees F.).

Mean winter temperature: 4 to 7 (40 to 45 degrees F.). The upper portion is frozen for short periods during most winters.

Depth to lithic contact: 10 to 25 centimeters (4 to 10 inches).

Control section
Clay content: 6 to 12 percent.
Rock fragments: Averages 50 to 70 percent.
Calcium carbonate equivalent in the less than 20 millimeter fraction: 40 to 60 percent.

A horizon:
Value: 6 or 7 dry, 4 or 5 moist.
Chroma: 3 or 4.
Calcium carbonate equivalent in the fine earth fraction: 15 to 25 percent.

Bk horizon:
Value: 5 or 6 moist.
Texture: Fine sandy loam or silt loam.
Rock fragments: 50 to 70 percent, mainly gravel.
Structure: Weak or moderate, fine or medium subangular blocky.
Calcium carbonate equivalent in the fine earth fraction: 15 to 25 percent.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Dozer (NM), Saguaro (AZ), St. Thomas (NV) and Umberci (CA) series. Dozer soils have 18 to 35 percent clay and moist more than 20 days in the soil moisture control section from June through August. Saguaro soils are moist more than 20 days in the soil moisture control section from June through August and are typical of the Sonoran desert and MLRA 40. St. Thomas soils have mean winter temperature of 8 to 13 degrees C. (47 to 55 degrees F.). The upper part of the soil profile does not freeze during the winter. Umberci soils have 35 to 55 percent rock gragments in the particle-size control section and are moist for 10 to 20 days cumulative between July to September following summer convection storms.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Birdspring soils are on mountains. These soils formed in residuum and colluvium derived from limestone and dolomite. Slope ranges from 8 to 75 percent. Elevations are 795 to 1,840 meters (2,600 to 6,040 feet). The climate is hot and arid with warm, moist winters and hot, dry summers. The mean annual precipitation is 125 to 178 millimeters (5 to 7 inches); mean annual air temperature is 14 to 17 (57 to 63 degrees F.), mean winter temperature ranges from 4 to 7 degrees C. (40 to 45 degrees F.), and the frost-free season is 180 to 270 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the St. Thomas and Zeheme series. St. Thomas and Zeheme soils have 10 to 20 days summer moisture between July and September. Zeheme soils have a calcic horizon.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Somewhat excessively well drained; very high runoff; moderately rapid permeability; high saturated hydraulic conductivity.

USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for rangeland and wildlife habitat. The present vegetation is mainly shadscale, ephedra, desert needlegrass, big galleta and spiny menodora.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southern Nevada. MLRA 30. These soils are not extensive.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: PHOENIX, ARIZONA

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Clark County Area, Nevada, 2006. Proposed in Clark County, Nevada, 1994. The name is coined from the Bird Spring Range

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:

Ochric epipedon - 0 to 10 centimeters (0 to 4 inches). (A and Bk horizons).
Lithic contact - 10 centimeters (4 inches). (R layer).
Particle-size control section - 0 to 10 centimeters (0 to 4 inches). (A and Bk horizons).

Responsibility for this series was transferred from Davis to Phoenix 4/2015. The last revision to the series was 6/2011. ET

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.