LOCATION CAVANAUGH               NV+ID

Established Series
Rev. AM/MD/RLB/JBF
11/2018

CAVANAUGH SERIES

The Cavanaugh series consists of moderately deep, well drained soils that formed in alluvium and colluvium derived from rhyolite and rhyolitic tuff. Cavanaugh soils are on side slopes of hills. Slopes are 15 to 50 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 380 mm and the mean annual temperature is about 7 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Clayey-skeletal, smectitic, frigid Ultic Argixerolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Cavanaugh loam--rangeland. (Colors are for dry soils unless otherwise noted.) The soil surface is partially covered with approximately 3 to 5 percent stones.

A1--0 to 13 cm; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure parting to moderate fine subangular blocky; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; 10 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.2); clear wavy boundary. (5 to 28 cm thick)

A2--13 to 30 cm; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) cobbly clay loam; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky and moderate medium granular structure; slightly hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine and fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; 10 percent gravel, l5 percent cobbles; slightly acid (pH 6.3); gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 20 cm thick)

Bt1--30 to 53 cm; brown (10YR 5/3) cobbly clay loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; strong coarse granular structure; hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine and few fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; common faint and distinct clay films on faces of peds; 10 percent gravel, l5 percent cobbles; slightly acid; (pH 6.3); gradual wavy boundary. (5 to 28 cm thick)

Bt2--53 to 81 cm; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) extremely cobbly clay, brown (10YR 4/3) moist, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; moderately fine and medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, very sticky and very plastic; few very fine and fine roots; few very fine interstitial pores; common faint clay films on faces of peds; 10 percent gravel, 50 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 7.0); clear wavy boundary. (20 to 38 cm thick)

R--81 cm; fractured bedrock.

TYPE LOCATION: Elko County, Nevada; about 5 miles south and 2 miles west of Owyhee, about 2,000 feet north and 2,400 feet west of the southeast corner of section 2l, T. 46 N., R. 52 E.; USGS Dry Creek Reservoir 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle; longitude, 41 degrees 52 minutes 20 seconds north and latitude 116 degrees 8 minutes 24 seconds W; WGS84 Decimal Degrees 41.8722222 latitude, -116.1400000 longitude.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: Usually moist, dry late July through mid-October; xeric soil moisture regime.
Mean annual soil temperature: 7 to 8 degrees C.
Thickness of solum and depth to bedrock: 50 to 100 cm.
Base saturation; (In part or all of the upper 75 cm) by sum of cations: 50 to 75 percent.

Particle-size control section - Clay content: 35 to 50.
Rock fragments: Average 35 to 65 percent.

A horizon
Chroma: 2 or 3, moist or dry.
Reaction: Slightly acid or neutral.

Bt1 horizon
Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR.
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist.
Chroma: 2 through 4 moist, 2 through 4 dry.
Texture: Cobbly clay loam or cobbly clay.
Structure: Granular, subangular blocky or massive.
Reaction: Slightly acid through slightly alkaline.

Bt2 horizon
Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR.
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist.
Chroma: 2 through 4 moist, 2 through 4 dry.
Texture: Very cobbly clay or very gravelly clay loam in the lower subhorizons.
Structure: Granular, subangular blocky or massive.
Reaction: Slightly acid through slightly alkaline.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Elksel, Howcree and Stash series.

Elksel, Howcree and Stash soils are more than 100 cm to bedrock.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Cavanaugh soils are on convex side slopes of hills. These soils formed in colluvium and alluvium derived from rhyolite and rhyolitic tuff. Slopes are l5 to 50 percent. Elevations are 1,650 to 2,045 meters. The climate is cool, semiarid with warm, dry summers and cold, moist winters. The mean annual precipitation is 330 to 410 mm, mean annual temperature is 5 to 7 degrees C, and the frost-free season is 50 to 100 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Dranyon, Obray, Sattley, and Tusel soils. Dranyon and Sattley soils are on concave hill slopes and have less than 35 percent clay in the control section. Obray soils are more than 100 cm deep and have less than 35 percent rock fragments. Tusel soils are more than 100 cm to bedrock and have less than 35 percent clay in the control section.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Well drained; medium or rapid runoff; moderately low saturated hydraulic conductivity.

USE AND VEGETATION: Livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. Vegetation is mainly low sagebrush, Idaho fescue, bluebunch wheatgrass, Douglas rabbitbrush and arrowleaf balsamroot.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: North-central Nevada and southwestern Idaho. MLRA 25. Cavanaugh soils are moderately extensive.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Elko County, Nevada, Duck Valley Indian Reservation, Idaho and Nevada, 1984.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - The zone from the soil surface to 30 cm (A1 and A2 horizons).
Argillic horizon - The zone from 30 to 81 cm (Bt1 and Bt2 horizons).
Lithic contact - The boundary at 81 cm (R layer).
Particle-size control section - The zone from 30 to 80 cm (Bt1 and part of the Bt2 horizons).

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.