LOCATION DEVAMINE CA

Established Series
LJL/MEB/NS
02/2025

DEVAMINE SERIES

The Devamine series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in alluvium derived from granitoid. The Devamine soils are on fan remnants. Slopes range from 2 to 15 percent. The mean annual precipitation is 200 mm and the mean annual temperature is about 14 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, thermic Ustic Haplargids

TYPICAL PEDON: Devamine gravelly sandy loam, on a north facing, , 11 percent slope under rangeland at an elevation of 1462 meters. (Colors are for dry soils unless otherwise noted. 10/31/2012 actual site observation date) The soil surface is covered by approximately 30 percent fine gravel, 45 percent medium and coarse gravel, 2 percent cobbles, 2 percent stones.

A--0 to 3 cm (0 to 1 inches); brown (10YR 5/3) gravelly sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine roots throughout; few fine tubular and many very fine tubular pores; 12 percent fine gravel, 8 percent medium and coarse gravel, 2 percent cobbles, 1 percent stones; slightly alkaline, pH 7.8; abrupt smooth boundary. (3 to 10 cm, 1 to 4 inches thick)

Bk--3 to 18 cm (1 to 7 inches); brown (10YR 5/3) gravelly sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate coarse subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine roots throughout; few fine tubular and many very fine tubular pores; 3 percent prominent white (10YR 8/1), dry, carbonate coats on bottom surfaces of rock fragments; 9 percent fine gravel, 6 percent medium and coarse gravel, 2 percent cobbles, 1 percent stones; slightly alkaline, pH 7.8; abrupt wavy boundary. (0 to 40 cm, 0 to 16 inches thick)

Bt--18 to 39 cm (7 to 15 inches); brown (7.5YR 4/4) gravelly coarse sandy loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) moist; moderate coarse subangular blocky structure; moderately hard, very friable, moderately sticky and nonplastic; few fine roots throughout and few medium roots throughout and common very fine roots throughout; few fine tubular and many very fine tubular pores; 5 percent distinct strong brown (7.5YR 5/6), dry, clay films between sand grains and 20 percent distinct strong brown (7.5YR 5/6), dry, clay films on rock fragments; 20 percent fine gravel, 5 percent medium and coarse gravel, 3 percent cobbles, 1 percent stones; slightly alkaline, pH 7.4; clear wavy boundary. (20 to 120 cm, 8 to 47 inches thick)

BCt--39 to 67 cm (15 to 26 inches); brown (7.5YR 5/4) gravelly loamy sand, weak red (7.5R 4/4) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; moderately hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine roots throughout and few medium roots throughout and common very fine roots throughout; few fine tubular and common very fine irregular pores; 5 percent distinct strong brown (7.5YR 5/6), dry, clay films between sand grains and 20 percent distinct strong brown (7.5YR 5/6), dry, clay films on rock fragments; 20 percent fine gravel, 10 percent medium and coarse gravel, 2 percent cobbles; slightly alkaline, pH 7.4; gradual wavy boundary.

Ctkq--67 to 134 cm (26 to 53 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) very gravelly coarse sand, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine roots throughout and few medium roots throughout and few coarse roots throughout and common very fine roots throughout; common fine irregular and few medium irregular and common very fine irregular pores; 5 percent distinct very pale brown (10YR 8/2), dry, silica coats on bottom surfaces of rock fragments and 5 percent faint yellowish brown (10YR 5/6), dry, clay films on rock fragments and 70 percent prominent white (10YR 8/1), dry, carbonate coats on bottom surfaces of rock fragments; 20 percent fine gravel, 25 percent medium and coarse gravel, 7 percent cobbles; slightly alkaline, pH 7.4; clear wavy boundary.

Ctk--134 to 165 cm (53 to 65 inches); light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) very gravelly coarse sand, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; massive; moderately hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine roots throughout and few very fine roots throughout; few fine tubular and common very fine irregular pores; 3 percent prominent white (10YR 8/1), dry, carbonate coats on bottom surfaces of rock fragments and 5 percent faint yellowish brown (10YR 5/6), dry, clay films on rock fragments; 40 percent fine gravel, 10 percent medium and coarse gravel; strong effervescence; slightly alkaline, pH 7.6. (Combined thickness of the BC and C horizons is 50 to 150 cm, 20 to 59 inches.)

TYPE LOCATION: San Bernardino County, California; about 5 miles east of Cima, and 3 miles east and 1 mile north of Death Valley Mine; 800 feet west and 2,240 south of the northeast corner of section 6, T. 13 N., R. 15 E., San Bernardino Baseline and Meridian; USGS Mid Hills, California 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle; 35 degrees, 14 minutes, 25.00 seconds north latitude and 115 degrees, 24 minutes, 20.00 seconds west longitude; UTM zone 11 645076e, 3900855n (DTM: NAD83).

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: Usually dry, moist in some part from December to March and intermittently moist for 10 to 20 days during July to September following summer convection storms; aridic moisture regime that borders on ustic.

Soil temperature: 15 to 17 degrees C.
Depth to argillic horizon: 3 to 50 cm.

Control section
Clay content: averages 10 to 18 percent.
Rock fragments: 5 to 35 percent, dominantly gravel with 0 to 10 percent cobbles or stones.

A horizon
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist.
Chroma: 3 or 4 moist.
Texture of the fine earth fraction: loamy coarse sand or sandy loam.
Clay content: 2 to 12 percent.
Rock fragments: 5 to 35 percent, dominantly gravel.

Bk or Bw horizon (when present)
Value: 4 to 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist.
Chroma: 3 or 4 dry, 2 to 4 moist.
Texture of the fine earth fraction: loamy sand, coarse sandy loam or sandy loam.
Clay content: 3 to 10 percent.
Rock fragments: 5 to 25 percent, dominantly gravel with 0 to 10 percent cobbles or stones.
Effervescence: none effervescent to very slightly effervescent.

Bt horizon(s)
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR.
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 3 or 4 moist.
Chroma: 3 or 4, dry or moist.
Texture of the fine earth fraction: coarse sandy loam or sandy loam.
Clay content: averages 10 to 18 percent, ranges from 10 to 25.
Rock fragments: 5 to 35 percent, dominantly gravel with 0 to 10 percent cobbles or stones.
Effervescence: none effervescent to slightly effervescent.

BCt or Ctkq horizon(s)
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR.
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 3 to 5 moist.
Chroma: 3 to 6, dry or moist.
Texture of the fine earth fraction: coarse sand, sand or loamy sand.
Clay content: 2 to 7 percent.
Rock fragments: 10 to 60 percent, dominantly gravel with 0 to 7 percent cobbles or stones.
Effervescence: none effervescent to strongly effervescent.
Other: most pedons have clay films, calcium carbonate, or silica coats present.

COMPETING SERIES: This is the Diaspar and Summerford series. Diaspar soils have a MAST of 17 to 22 degrees C and the lower part of the argillic horizon has loamy sand textures. Summerford soils have a moisture control section with more than 20 days of moisture between July and September and the lower part of the argillic horizon has loamy sand textures.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Devamine soils are on fan remnants. Slopes range from 2 to 15 percent. The soils formed in alluvium from granitoid. Elevation ranges from 1300 to 1550 meters (4300 to 5100 feet). The mean annual precipitation is 175 to 225 mm (7 to 9 inches). The mean annual air temperature is about 13 to 15 degrees C. The frost free period is 250 to 280 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Boomerang (T) and Grottohill (T) series. Boomerang soils are on fan aprons and inset fans, and have sandy particle size control sections. Grottohill soils are on fan aprons and have a cambic horizon.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDROLIC CONDUCTIVITY: Well drained; very low runoff on gentle slopes and medium runoff on steeper slopes; moderately high saturated hydraulic conductivity.

USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for recreation, wildlife habitat, and rangeland. The present vegetation is black brush and black grama.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Mojave Desert of southeastern California; MLRA 30. These soils are of small extent.

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

SERIES PROPOSED: San Bernardino County, California, Soil Survey of Mojave National Preserve Area, California, 2015. The name is coined from Death Valley Mine.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features in this pedon include:

Ochric epipedon - the zone from 0 to 18 cm (A and Bk horizons)
Argillic horizon - the zone from 18 to 39 cm (Bt horizon)
Particle size control section - the zone from 18 to 39 cm (Bt horizon)

ADDITIONAL DATA: NASIS User Site/Pedon ID: 2013CA7953012.

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.