LOCATION BRAWLEY                 NV

Established Series
Rev: EWB/WED/JBF
12/2022

BRAWLEY SERIES

The Brawley series consists of moderately deep, well drained soils that formed in residuum and colluvium from altered volcanic rocks with additions of volcanic ash. The Brawley soils are on hills and mountains. Slopes are 8 to 50 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 300 mm and the mean annual temperature is about 6 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Clayey-skeletal, smectitic, frigid Vitrandic Palexeralfs

TYPICAL PEDON: Brawley gravelly fine sandy loam, woodland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.) The soil surface is covered with 5 percent stones, 10 percent cobbles and 20 percent gravel. There is also 2 cm of pine needle duff.

A1--0 to 5 cm; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) gravelly fine sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine roots; many very fine interstitial pores; 20 percent gravel and 10 percent cobbles; noneffervescent; neutral (pH 7.0); abrupt smooth boundary. (3 to 8 cm thick)

A2--5 to 18 cm; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) gravelly fine sandy loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable; slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine through medium, and few coarse roots; common very fine interstitial and tubular pores; 15 percent gravel and 10 percent cobbles; noneffervescent; neutral (pH 6.8); abrupt smooth boundary. (5 to 15 cm thick)

Bt1--18 to 33 cm; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) very gravelly clay, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; strong fine angular blocky structure; hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common fine through coarse roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; 45 percent gravel and 5 percent cobbles; common prominent clay films on ped faces and lining pores; noneffervescent; neutral (pH 6.8); clear wavy boundary. (13 to 20 cm thick)

Bt2--33 to 69 cm; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) very gravelly clay, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; strong fine angular blocky structure; very hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few fine roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; 55 percent gravel; many distinct and few prominent clay films on ped faces and lining pores; noneffervescent; neutral (pH 7.0); gradual wavy boundary. (25 to 40 cm thick)

Cr--69 to 86 cm; weathered andesite, with clay films extending into paralithic material.

TYPE LOCATION: Mineral County, Nevada; about 200 feet north and 200 feet east of the southwest corner of Section 11, T. l0 N., R. 28 E.; USGS Copper Canyon 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle; 38 degrees, 44 minutes, 2.8 seconds north latitude and 118 degrees, 49 minutes, 52.9 seconds west longitude; WGS84 Decimal Degrees 38.8174444 latitude, -118.8313611 longitude.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: Moist in winter, spring and early summer, dry in summer and fall, but intermittently moist July through October due to convection storms. Dry in all parts of soil moisture control section for at least 45 consecutive days following the summer solstice, xeric soil moisture regime that borders on aridic.
Soil temperature: 7 to 8 degrees C.
Depth to bedrock: 50 to 76 cm.

Particle-size control section - Percent clay: 35 to 50 percent.
Rock fragments: 35 to 60 percent, mostly pebbles.

A horizon
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist, with moist value of 3 in the upper part.
Chroma: 2 or 3 dry or moist.

Bt horizon
Hue: l0YR, 7.5YR.
Value: 5 or 6 dry.
Chroma: 3 or 4.
Texture: Clay loam, clay.
Clay content: 35 to 50 percent.
Rock fragments: 35 to 60 percent.

COMPETING SERIES: There are currently no other series in the family. Pedee soils have a mesic soil temperature regime.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Brawley soils are on mountains and hills. These soils formed in residuum and colluvium from altered volcanic rocks. Slopes are 8 to 50 percent. Elevations are 1.890 to 2,560 meters. The climate is cool, continental with cool, moist winters and warm, dry summers. The mean annual precipitation is 300 to 350 mm, the mean annual temperature is 6 to 7 degrees C, and the frost-free season is 80 to l00 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: This is the Wassit series. Wassit soils have hard bedrock within 35 cm.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Well drained. Medium to rapid runoff; very slow saturated hydraulic conductivity.

USE AND VEGETATION: Woodland. The present vegetation is mainly pinyon pine, low sagebrush and pine bluegrass.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: West-central Nevada. These soils are not extensive.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Mineral County Area, Nevada, l984.

REMARKS: The name is from a local mine. The presence of ash in the A horizon results in the high color values. All other criteria of a mollic epipedon are met.

Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - The zone from the soil surface to 18 cm (A1 and A2 horizons).
Argillic horizon - The zone from about 18 to 69 cm (Btl, Bt2 horizons).
Abruptic textural change - The point at about 18 cm.
Paralithic contact - The point at about 69 cm.
Particle-size control section - The zone from about 18 to 68 cm (Bt1 and part of the Bt2 horizons).

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.