LOCATION DESERTMANN CA

Established Series
Rev. AMB-EWB-TM-JBF
03/2017

DESERTMANN SERIES

The Desertmann series consists of moderately deep,to a duripan well drained soils that formed in alluvium derived from volcanic and metamorphic rock with granitic influence. Desertmann soils are on fan remnants and fan piedmonts. Slopes are 2 to 8 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 300 mm and the mean annual temperature is about 9 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, mesic Argidic Durixerolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Desertmann gravelly fine sandy loam --Rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.) The soil surface is covered with 40 percent gravel, 5 percent cobbles, 3 percent stones and 1 percent boulders.

A1--0 to 5 cm; brown (10YR 5/3) gravelly fine sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine roots; common very fine tubular and many very fine interstitial pores; 25 percent subangular gravel and 5 percent subangular stones; neutral (pH 6.8); clear smooth boundary. (5 to 10 cm thick)

A2--5 to 28 cm; brown (10YR 5/3) gravelly loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; common fine to coarse roots and many very fine roots; common very fine interstitial and common very fine tubular pores; 15 percent subangular gravel and 5 percent subangular stones; neutral (pH 7.0); clear wavy boundary. (15 to 30 cm thick)

Btq1--28 to 46 cm; reddish brown (2.5YR 5/4) very gravelly clay loam, reddish brown (2.5YR 4/4) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine to coarse roots; common very fine interstitial and common very fine tubular pores; 25 percent distinct clay films on surfaces along pores and 25 percent distinct clay films on all faces of peds; 1 to 2 mm thick silica pendants on under sides of rock fragments; 25 percent subangular gravel and 10 percent subangular cobbles; neutral (pH 7.2); clear wavy boundary. (15 to 36 cm thick)

Btq2--46 to 64 cm; light reddish brown (2.5YR 6/4) very gravelly clay loam, reddish brown (2.5YR 4/4) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine to medium roots; common very fine interstitial and common very fine tubular pores; 25 percent distinct clay films on all faces of peds and 25 percent distinct clay films on surfaces along pores; 1 to 2 mm thick silica pendants on under sides of rock fragments; 25 percent subangular gravel and 10 percent subangular cobbles; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); clear wavy boundary. (15 to 25 cm thick)

Bq--64 to 89 cm; light reddish brown (2.5YR 7/3) very gravelly loam, reddish brown (2.5YR 5/4) moist; massive; very hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots; few very fine interstitial pores; 1 to 2 mm thick silica pendants on under sides of rock fragments; 40 percent subangular gravel, 10 percent subangular cobbles and 5 percent subangular stones; slight effervescence; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear wavy boundary. (15 to 25 cm thick)

Bkqm--89 to 99 cm; cemented material; violent effervescence; clear wavy boundary. (10 to 38 cm thick)

Bkq--99 to 152 cm; light reddish gray (2.5YR 7/1) very cobbly ashy fine sandy loam, reddish gray (2.5YR 5/1) moist; massive; very hard, firm, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine roots; few very fine interstitial pores; 5 percent black (10YR 2/1) moist, manganese masses and 20 percent medium and coarse dark reddish brown (5YR 3/4) moist, masses of reduced iron; 5 percent fine carbonate masses; 25 percent subangular gravel, 15 percent subangular cobbles and 5 percent subangular stones; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2).

TYPE LOCATION: Mono County, California; in Little Antelope Valley about 3.47 kilometers southeast of Coleville; about 1,670 feet north and 700 feet of the southwest corner, sec. 18, T. 8 N., R. 23 E.; Coleville USGS 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle; latitude 38 degrees 32 minutes 08.4 seconds N and longitude 119 degrees 30 minutes 00.6 seconds W; WGS84 Decimal Degrees 38.5356667 latitude, -119.5001667 longitude.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: Usually moist winter and spring; usually dry summer through fall; aridic moisture regime, bordering on xeric.
Mean annual soil temperature: 8 to 10 degrees C.
Mollic epipedon thickness: 25 to 36 cm.
Depth to duripan: 76 to 100 cm
Depth to bedrock: More than 152 cm.

Particle-size control section - Clay content: Averages 27 to 35 percent.
Rock fragments: Averages 35 to 60 percent, mainly gravel. Lithology of rock fragments is dominantly volcanic and metamorphic rock, with some granitic.

A horizons
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist.
Chroma: 2 or 3 dry or moist.
Organic matter content: 1 to 3 percent
Reaction: Neutral or slightly acid

Btq1 and Btq2 horizons
Value: 5 or 6 dry
Texture: Very gravelly clay loam
Clay content: 27 to 35 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 60 percent, mainly gravel.

Bq horizon
Value: 6 or 7 dry, 5 or 6 moist
Chroma: 3 or 4 dry or moist
Texture: Very gravelly loam
Clay content: 12 to 18 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 60 percent
Reaction: Slightly alkaline to moderately alkaline
Secondary silica: 5 to 10 percent as 1 to 2 mm thick coats on the bottom of rock fragments.

Bqkm horizon
Moderate cementation: 1-3 mm thick strongly cemented horizontal lenses.

Bqk horizon
Value: 6 or 7 dry, 5 or 6 moist
Hue: 1 or 2 dry or moist
Texture: Very cobbly ashy fine sandy loam
Clay content: 12 to 18 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 60 percent
Reaction: Slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline
Identifiable secondary carbonates: 2 to 5 percent masses
Secondary silica: 10 to 20 percent 1 to 5 mm thick moderately cemented lenses

COMPETING SERIES: There are currently no other series in this family.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Desertmann soils are on fan remnants. They typically occur on summit positions. They formed in alluvium derived from metamorphic and volcanic rock with granitic influence. Slopes are 2 to 8 percent. Elevations range from 1,524 to 1,829 meters. The climate is semi-arid with cool, moist winters and warm, dry summers. The mean annual precipitation is 250 to 360 mm, mean annual temperature is 7 to 8 degrees C., and the frost-free period is 80 to 100 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Koontz, Lonecabin and Oest soils. Koontz soils are shallow with paralithic contacts at depths of 20 to 50 cm.Lonecabin soils have a xeric moisture regime, a frigid soil temperature regime and do not have a duripan. Oest soils have 18 to 25 percent clay in its particle-size control section and do not have a duripan.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Well drained; low surface runoff; moderate permeability; moderately high saturated hydraulic conductivity.

USE AND VEGETATION: Desertmann soils are used for livestock grazing, watershed and wildlife habitat. The native vegetation is mainly mountain big sagebrush, antelope bitterbrush, desert peachbrush, Thurber's needlegrass and basin wildrye.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Eastern California, east of the Sierra Nevada Range. These soils are not extensive. MLRA 26.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Mono County (Coleville-Bridgeport Area), California, 2010.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - The zone from soil surface to 28 cm (A1 and A2 horizons).
Argillic horizon - The zone from 28 to 64 cm (Btq1 and Btq2 horizons).
Identifiable secondary carbonates - The zone from 89 to 152 cm (Bqkm and Bqk horizons).
Strongly cemented duripan - The zone from 89 to 99 cm (Bqkm horizon).
Particle-size control section - The zone from 28 to 64 cm (Btq1 and Btq2 horizons).

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.