LOCATION CAVIN                   NV+CA

Established Series
Rev. SES-JBF-TM-JVC
12/2019

CAVIN SERIES

The Cavin series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in volcanic ash and colluvium derived from volcanic and pyroclastic rocks. Cavin soils are on mountains. Slopes are 4 to 50 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 360 mm and the mean annual temperature is about 7 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Ashy-skeletal, glassy, frigid Vitritorrandic Haploxerolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Cavin very gravelly ashy sandy loam--rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.) The soil surface is partially covered with 45 percent gravel and 5 percent cobbles.

A1--0 to 5 cm; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) very gravelly ashy sandy loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure parting to moderate very fine granular; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine roots; many very fine tubular and interstitial pores; 40 percent gravel; moderately acid (pH 6.0); abrupt wavy boundary. (3 to 8 cm thick)

A2--5 to 18 cm; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) very gravelly ashy sandy loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine, common fine and few medium roots; many very fine and few fine tubular pores; 40 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.4); clear wavy boundary. (10 to 18 cm thick)

A3--18 to 28 cm; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) very gravelly ashy sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine, common fine and medium roots; many very fine and few fine tubular pores; 35 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.6); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 13 cm thick)

Bq--28 to 46 cm; pale brown (10YR 6/3) very gravelly ashy sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; common very fine and fine, few medium roots; many very fine tubular pores; 40 percent gravel and 10 percent cobbles; 20 percent very weakly cemented brittle masses; neutral (pH 6.6); abrupt wavy boundary. (15 to 40 cm thick)

C1--46 to 61 cm; pale brown (10YR 6/3) very gravelly ashy sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; common very fine, fine and medium roots; many very fine interstitial and tubular pores; 40 percent gravel and 15 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 6.6); gradual wavy boundary. (15 to 76 cm thick)

2C2--61 to 152 cm; light gray (10YR 7/2) extremely cobbly ashy very fine sandy loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; no roots observed; common very fine and fine tubular pores; 35 percent gravel, 30 percent cobbles, and 2 percent stones; neutral (pH 7.2)

TYPE LOCATION: Washoe County, Nevada; on the south flank of Fox Mountain; approximately 1,400 feet east and 2,250 feet south of the northwest corner of section 7, T. 36 N., R. 22 E.; USGS Fox Mountain 7.5 minute quadrangle; latitude 41 degrees 00 minutes 56.7 seconds N and longitude 119 degrees 33 minutes 11.6 seconds W; WGS84 Decimal Degrees 41.0157778 latitude, -119.5533056 longitude.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: Moist in winter and spring, dry from July through October; aridic soil moisture regime that borders on xeric.
Mean annual soil temperature: 7 to 8 degrees C.
Mollic epipedon thickness: 25 to 40 cm.
Depth to 2C horizon: 50 to 76 cm.
Volcanic glass content: 60 to 95 percent in the very fine and fine sand fractions.

Particle-size control section - Clay content: 8 to 15 percent.
Rock fragments: Average 40 to 60 percent volcanic gravel and cobbles. Lithology of fragments is volcanic rocks such as andesite.

A horizons
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist.
Chroma: 2 or 3.
Reaction: Moderately acid or slightly acid in the A1 and A2 horizons.

Bq horizons
Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR.
Value: 5 or 6 dry.
Chroma: 2 or 3.
Rock fragments: 40 to 60 percent gravel and cobbles.
Cementation: 20 to 30 percent very weakly cemented brittle masses.

C1 horizon
Value: 6 or 7 dry, 3 or 4 moist.
Chroma: 3 or 4.
Rock fragments: 40 to 60 percent gravel and cobbles.

2C2 horizon
Value: 6 or 7 dry, 4 or 5 moist.
Chroma: 2 through 4.
Texture: Extremely gravelly ashy sandy loam, extremely cobbly ashy sandy loam, or ashy very fine sandy loam.
Rock fragments: 60 to 80 percent gravel and cobbles.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Cinderfall, Crackedground, Nutzan, and Wildcatbutte series.

Cinderfall soils are dominated by gravel-size basaltic cinders in the lower part of the particle-size control section and have identifiable secondary carbonates at depths of 50 to 76 cm from the soil surface. Crackedground soils are deep to lithic contacts. Nutzan soils are moderately deep to paralithic contacts. Wildcatbutte soils have soil reaction of neutral or slightly alkaline throughout the epipedon and have horizons with identifiable secondary carbonates at depths of 60 to 100 cm from the soil surface.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Cavin soils are on mountains. They typically occur on shoulder and backslope positions with dominantly south-facing aspects. They formed in volcanic ash and colluvium derived from volcanic and pyroclastic rocks. Slopes are 4 to 50 percent. Elevations range from 1,460 to 2,445 meters. The mean annual precipitation is 360 to 460 mm, the mean annual temperature is 6 to 7 degrees C, and the frost-free period is 60 to 80 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Ashtre, Hutchley, and Zorromount soils and the competing Nutzan soil. Ashtre soils are moderately deep to paralithic contacts and have argillic horizons. Hutchley soils are shallow to lithic contacts. Zorromount soils are cryic.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Well drained; medium or high surface runoff; high saturated hydraulic conductivity.

USE AND VEGETATION: Cavin soils are used for livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. The present vegetation is dominantly mountain big sagebrush, Idaho fescue, needlegrass, bluegrass, and bluebunch wheatgrass.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northwestern Nevada and northeastern California. These soils are moderately extensive. MLRA 23.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Surprise Valley-Home Camp Area, California and Nevada, 2006. The name is from nearby Cavin Place.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - The zone from the soil surface to 28 cm (The A1, A2 and A3 horizons).
Vitrandic intergrade feature - The zone from the soil surface to 76 cm (The A1, A2, A3, Bq and C1 horizons and part of the 2C2 horizon).
Particle-size control section and ashy substitute class with glassy mineralogy - The zone from 25 to 100 cm (The Bq and C1 horizons and parts of the A3 and 2C2 horizons).

ADDITIONAL DATA: Volcanic glass content determined locally by optical grain counts using a polarizing petrographic microscope.

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.