LOCATION CHARKILN                NV

Established Series
DJM/ET/TM
04/2015

CHARKILN SERIES

The Charkiln series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in alluvium dominated from quartzite. Charkiln soils are on fan remnants. Slope ranges from 4 to 15 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 16 inches, and the mean annual temperature is about 47 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Aridic Argiustolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Charkiln gravelly fine sandy loam, forest and wildlife habitat. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted). The soil surface is covered by approximately 20 percent gravel and 2 percent cobbles.

Oi--0 to 1 inches; slightly decomposed plant material, pine duff; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; slightly acid (pH 6.4); abrupt wavy boundary. (1/4 to 1 inch thick)

A--1 to 5 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) gravelly fine sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium platy structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine and fine roots; common very fine tubular and many very fine interstitial pores; 30 percent pebbles; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); clear smooth boundary. (1 to 5 inches thick)

ABt--5 to 9 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) very gravelly fine sandy loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; strong medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common fine, medium and many coarse roots; common very fine tubular and many very fine interstitial pores; 3 percent faint clay films on faces of peds; 45 percent pebbles; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear wavy boundary. (4 to 5 inches thick)

Bt1--9 to 14 inches; brown (7.5YR 5/3) loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/3) moist; strong fine and medium angular blocky structure; very hard, extremely firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; many very fine through coarse roots; many fine and medium tubular and common very fine interstitial pores; 30 percent distinct strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) clay films on bottom of rock fragments and on all faces of peds; 10 percent pebbles; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear wavy boundary. (5 to 11 inches thick)

Bt2--14 to 46 inches; brown (7.5YR 4/4) loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) moist; strong medium and coarse angular blocky structure; very hard, extremely firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common fine, and coarse roots, many medium; common very fine and fine tubular pores; 50 percent distinct strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) clay films on bottom of rock fragments and on faces of peds; 10 percent pebbles; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear wavy boundary.

Bt3--46 to 65 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; massive; moderately hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common fine and medium roots; common fine tubular and many very fine interstitial pores; 3 percent faint dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) clay films coating mineral grains and on rock fragments; 5 percent pebbles; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2). (Combined thickness of the Bt horizons is 48 to 54 inches)

TYPE LOCATION: Clark County, Nevada; about 1.2 miles south on the dirt road from Wheeler Well and approximately 3 miles south of Wheeler Well Pass on the dirt road on the west flank of the Spring Mountains; 190 feet north and 1,540 feet west of the southeast corner of section 20, T. 18, R. 55; USGS Wheeler Well, NV 7.5 minute quadrangle; 36 degrees, 21 minutes, 58 seconds north latitude and 115 degrees, 49 minutes, 14 seconds west longitude; UTM 11s, 605803e, 4025205n; NAD 83.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:

Soil moisture - usually dry, moist in late winter and early spring and intermittently moist in the upper part following summer convection storms; aridic soil moisture regime bordering on ustic.

Soil temperature: 47 to 52 degrees F.

(Depth of the diagnostic horizons is from the mineral soil surface.)

Depth to the base of mollic epipedon: 14 to 22 inches, includes upper part of argillic horizon.
Depth to argillic horizon: 6 to 10 inches.

Control section Clay content: 20 to 35 percent.

Rock fragments: Averages 2 to 20 percent, dominantly gravel.

A horizon - Chroma: 2 to 3 dry.

ABt horizon - Value: 2 or 3 moist.
Chroma: 2 or 3.
Texture: Loam, sandy loam
Clay content: 12 to 18 percent.
Rock Fragments: 35 to 50 percent.
Reaction: Slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline.
Organic matter: 1.0 to 2.0 percent.

Bt1 horizons - Chroma 2 or 3 dry and moist.
Texture: Loam, clay loam.
Clay content: 20 to 35 percent.
Rock fragments: 5 to 20 percent gravel.
Structure: Fine, medium or course angular blocky.
Consistence: Extremely firm or firm, very sticky or moderately sticky.
Organic matter: 0.5 to 1.0 percent.

Bt2 and Bt3 horizons Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR.
Value: 4 to 5 dry.
Chroma: 4 through 6 dry and moist.
Texture: Loam or clay loam.
Clay content: 20 to 35 percent.
Rock fragments:0 to 15 percent gravel, 0 to 10 percent cobbles.
Consistence: Very sticky or moderately sticky.
Organic matter: 0.5 to 1.0 percent.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Ascalon, Asparas, Belfon, Bresser, Cedak, Critchell, Dagflat, Datil, Featherlegs, Forgan, Hargreave, Harlan, Hemingford, Hiarc, Kirtley, Layate, Loarc, Moskee, Palmer Canyon, Recluse, Shalona, Sitcan, Sugardee, Wages, and Wolf series. The Ascalon, Datil, Palmer Canyon, Recluse, Sugardee, Wages, and Wolf soils have calcium carbonate within 20 inches. The Asparas, Belfon, Forgan, Moskee, Shalona and Sitcan soils have calcium carbonate within 40 to 60 inches. The Bresser, Critchell, Featherlegs, Layate, and Loarc soils have C horizons above 60 inches. The Cedak, Dagflat, Hargreave, Hemingford, Hiarc, and Kirtley soils have a paralithic or lithic contact above 60 inches. Harlen soils have a hue of 5YR or 2.5YR in the argillic horizon and are not derived from parent materials dominated by quartzite.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Charkiln soils are on fan remnants. Slope ranges from 4 to 15 percent. These soils formed in alluvium dominated from quartzite. Elevations are 6,500 to 7,800 feet. The climate is sub-humid continental, with cool, moist winters and occasional summer convection storms. The mean annual precipitation is 14 to 18 inches; mean annual air temperature is 45 to 50 degrees F., and the frost-free season is 90 to 130 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Buckspring, Troughspring and Woodspring series. Buckspring soils have a base in the argillic horizon above 20 inches and are shallow to limestone bedrock. Troughspring soils are moderately deep to a petrocalcic horizon. Woodspring soils lack an argillic horizon.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; medium runoff; moderate permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for forest and wildlife habitat. The present vegetation is singleleaf pinyon, Utah juniper, Gambels oak, mountain big sagebrush, and prickly pear cactus.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Mojave Desert of 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; Clark County Soil Survey, 2005. The name is coined from historical charcoal kilns nearby.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in the profile are:
Mollic epipedon - 1 to 14 inches (A, ABt, and Bt1 horizons).
Argillic horizon - 9 to 65 inches (Bt1, Bt2, and Bt3 horizons).
Particle size control section - 9 to 29 inches (Bt1 and part of the Bt2 horizons)

ADDITIONAL DATA: Sampled on October 7, 2004, by NRCS Nevada staff, samples sent to NSSL, Lincoln, NE. Pedon ID is S04NV-003-008.

Responsibility for this series was transferred from Davis to Phoenix 4/2015. The last revision to the series was 7/2006. ET

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.