LOCATION CAVEROCK NVEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, isotic, frigid Humic Dystroxerepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Caverock sandy loam on a north facing (360 degree), 11 percent slope at an elevation of 2273 meters. When described on 07/15/2004 the soil was dry throughout. Colors are for dry soils unless otherwise noted.
Oi--0 to 2 cm; slightly decomposed plant material; (0 to 13 cm thick)
Oe--2 to 5 cm; moderately decomposed plant material; (0 to 8 cm thick)
A--5 to 10 cm; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) sandy loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; 5 percent clay; weak fine granular and weak very fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine and common very fine roots throughout; many fine and very fine irregular pores; 10 percent gravel; slightly acid, pH 6.2 by Bromthymol blue; clear smooth boundary. (3 to 25 cm thick)
BA--10 to 27 cm; brown (10YR 5/3) sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; 7 percent clay; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine, fine and medium roots throughout; many very fine and fine irregular pores; 10 percent gravel; slightly acid, pH 6.2 by Bromthymol blue; gradual smooth boundary. (0 to 25 cm thick)
Bw1--27 to 47 cm; brown (10YR 5/3) cobbly sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; 10 percent clay; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very through coarse roots throughout; many very fine and fine irregular pores; 5 percent gravel, 5 percent stones and 10 percent cobbles; slightly acid, pH 6.5 by Bromthymol blue; gradual smooth boundary.
Bw2--47 to 67 cm; brown (10YR 5/3) sandy loam, light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) moist; 12 percent clay; weak coarse subangular blocky and weak medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine through medium and few coarse roots throughout; many very fine and fine irregular pores; 10 percent gravel; slightly acid, pH 6.5 by Bromthymol blue; abrupt wavy boundary. (the combined thickness of the Bw horizons is 25 to 76 cm thick)
Cr--67 to 92 cm;, Moderately cemented latite bedrock; few fine and medium roots in cracks greater than 10 cm apart; neutral, pH 7.0 by Bromthymol blue;
TYPE LOCATION: Douglas County, Nevada, on the ridge south of Captain Pomin Rock., 1715 ft. south and 978 ft. west of Section 11, Township 14 N, Range 18 E, 39 degrees, 5 minutes, 37 seconds North latitude and 119 degrees, 55 minutes, 15 seconds West longitude, NAD83 - U.S.G.S Quad: Glenbrook, Nevada.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture - Usually moist in the moisture control section during late fall, winter, and spring; dry from mid-July to early October for 60 to 80 consecutive days in the four months following the summer solstice; Typic xeric moisture regime.
Depth to paralithic contact ranges from 50 to 100 cm from the mineral soil surface
Surface rock fragment content:
0 to 5 percent consisting of: 0 to 5 percent cobbles and 0 to 5 percent stones
Organic matter: as high as 8 percent in the surface and dropping off to less than 1 in the lower part of the Bw
Reaction: moderately acid to neutral
Base saturation: 35 to 60 percent. (By amonium acetate)
Control section:
Rock fragments: 5 to 25 percent, with 2 to 20 percent gravel, 0 to 15 percent
cobbles, and 0 to 10 percent stones.
Clay content: averages 5 to 18 percent clay
Mineralogy: isotic
A horizon:
Hue: 10YR
Value: 4 or 5 dry; 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3 dry; 2 or 3 moist
Texture of the fine earth fraction: Coarse sandy loam or sandy loam
Clay content: 5 to 18 percent
Rock fragments: 5 to 15 percent
2 to 20 percent gravels
0 to 10 percent cobbles
Reaction: moderately acid to neutral
BA horizon:
Hue: 10YR
Value: 4 or 5 dry; 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3 dry; 2 or 3 moist
Texture of the fine earth fraction: Coarse sandy loam or sandy loam
Clay content: 5 to 18 percent
Rock fragments: 5 to 20 percent
2 to 20 percent gravels
0 to 10 percent cobbles
Reaction: moderately acid to neutral
Bw horizons:
Hue: 10YR
Value: 4 through 6 dry; 3 through 6 moist
Chroma: 3 or 4 dry; 2 through 4 moist
Texture of the fine earth fraction: Sandy loam
Clay content: 5 to 18 percent
Rock fragments: 5 to 35 percent
2 to 20 percent gravels
0 to 15 percent cobbles
0 to 10 percent stones
Reaction: pH moderately acid to neutral
COMPETING SERIES: There are no other series in this family at this time.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Caverock soils are on side slopes of hills. Slopes range from 9 to 50 percent. These soils formed in colluvium over residuum weathered from latite. Elevation is 1900 to 2380 meters. The climate is subhumid with warm dry summers and cold wet winters. The mean annual precipitation is 580 to 790 millimeters and the mean annual air temperature is 5 to 8 degrees C. The frost free season is 40 to 90 days
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Cassenai, Cagwin and Deerhill soils. The Cassenai and Deerhill soils are deeper than 100 cm to soft bedrock and the Cagwin soil are sandy in the control section.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat excessively drained, high runoff, moderate permeability above the bedrock. Caverock soils are not flooded or ponded.
USE AND VEGETATION: This soil is used for recreation and wildlife. Vegetation is manzanita and mahala mat with scattered Jeffrey pine and white fir.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Caverock is of minor extent in Nevada in MLRA 22A -- Sierra Nevada Mountains
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Douglas County, (Tahoe Basin area), Nevada. The source of the name is from a local landmark.
REMARKS:
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Particle Size Control Section for this pedon: 30 to 67 cm Bw1, Bw2
Umbric epipedon: 5 to 27 centimeters (the A, BA horizons)
Cambic horizon: 27 to 67 centimeters (the Bw1, Bw2 horizons)
Paralithic contact: 67 cm Cr