LOCATION ELBOWCANYON             NV

Established Series
REV: MRS/LJL/CAH/ET
04/2015

ELBOWCANYON SERIES

The Elbowcanyon series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in alluvium derived from limestone. The Elbowcanyon soils are on fan aprons. Slopes range from 2 to 8 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 150 millimeters and the mean annual air temperature is about 19 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, carbonatic, thermic Typic Torriorthents

TYPICAL PEDON: Elbowcanyon very gravelly fine sandy loam, on a northeast facing (42 degree), 5 percent slope at an elevation of 776 meters. When described on 1/14/2011 the soil was slightly moist to 100 centimeters and dry below. Colors are for dry soils unless otherwise noted. The soil surface is covered by 10 percent fine gravel, 75 percent medium and coarse gravel, 3 percent cobbles, 2 percent stones.

A--0 to 6 centimeters (0 to 2 inches); light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) very gravelly fine sandy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; moderate very thick platy structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine roots throughout; many fine and many very fine vesicular pores; 10 percent fine gravel, 25 percent medium and coarse gravel, 2 percent cobbles, 1 percent stones; strongly effervescent (25 percent calcium carbonate equivalence in the fine earth fraction); moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); abrupt smooth boundary. (3 to 7 centimeters thick)

Bk1--6 to 24 centimeters (2 to 9 inches); pale brown (10YR 6/3) extremely gravelly fine sandy loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common medium, fine and very fine roots throughout; common very fine interstitial and common very fine dendritic tubular pores; 70 percent prominent white (10YR 8/1), dry, calcium carbonate coats on bottom surfaces of rock fragments; 10 percent fine gravel, 40 percent medium and coarse gravel, 10 percent cobbles, 1 percent stones; strongly effervescent (35 percent calcium carbonate equivalence in the fine earth fraction); moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear smooth boundary. (15 to 55 centimeters thick)

Bk2--24 to 150 centimeters (9 to 60 inches); very pale brown (10YR 7/3) extremely gravelly sandy loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common fine and common medium and common very fine roots throughout; common very fine dendritic tubular and common very fine interstitial pores; 40 percent prominent white (10YR 8/1), dry, calcium carbonate coats on bottom surfaces of rock fragments; 5 percent fine gravel, 50 percent medium and coarse gravel, 15 percent cobbles, 1 percent stones; strongly effervescent (35 percent calcium carbonate equivalence in the fine earth fraction); moderately alkaline (pH 8.2).

TYPE LOCATION: Clark County, Nevada; approximately 3.6 kilometers south of US Hwy 93 and State Hwy 168 junction; located in the south end of Coyote Springs Valley and east of the Elbow Range; about 30 meters north and 15 meters east of the southwest corner of sec. 33, T. 13 S., R. 63 E.; USGS Wildcat Wash SW, Nevada 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle; 36 degrees, 46 minutes, 1.0 seconds north latitude and 114 degrees, 56 minutes, 43.6 seconds west longitude; UTM 11S 683374e 4070989n; (DATUM: NAD83).

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:

Soil moisture control section: usually dry, moist in some part for short periods during winter and early spring. The soils have a typic-aridic soil moisture regime.

Soil temperature: 19 to 22 degrees C. (66 to 72 degrees F.)

Control section
Rock fragments: 60 to 85 percent mainly gravel, with 0 to 20 percent cobbles and 0 to 10 percent stones.
Clay content: 6 to 12 percent.

A horizon
Chroma: 3 or 4, dry or moist.
Rock fragments: 35 to 60 percent, mainly gravel with 0 to 10 percent cobbles and 0 to 5 percent stones.
Effervescence: strong or violent.
Calcium carbonate equivalence of the fine earth: 20 to 30 percent.

Bk or Bkq horizons
Value: 6 or 7 dry, 4 or 5 moist.
Chroma: 3 or 4 dry, 3 or 4 moist.
Structure: weak or medium, moderate, subangular blocky or massive.
Consistence: soft or slightly hard, nonsticky or slightly sticky.
Rock fragments: 60 to 85 percent, mainly gravel with 0 to 20 percent cobbles and 0 to 10 percent stones.
Effervescence: strong or violent.
Calcium carbonate equivalence of the fine earth: 30 to 50 percent.
Other features: 0 to 15 percent discontinuous lenses of extremely gravelly coarse sand or extremely gravelly loamy coarse sand. Some pedons have few, distinct, light reddish brown (2.5YR 6/4), silica coats, on bottom of rock fragments.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Dalian (NM), Isom (UT) and Threelakes (NV) series. Dalian soils have 35 to 60 percent rock fragments and are moist in the moisture control section for more than 20 days cumulative in summer. Isom soils have a mean annual soil temperature of 15 to 19 degrees C. and 1 to 5 percent gypsum in the lower part of the profile. Threelakes soils have SAR of 13 to 45 in the lower part of the soil profile.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Elbowcanyon soils are on fan aprons. Slopes range from 2 to 8 percent. These soils formed in alluvium derived from limestone. Elevations are 860 to 1080 meters (2820 to 3540 feet). The climate is arid with warm, dry winters and hot, dry summers. The mean annual precipitation is 152 to 178 millimeters; mean annual air temperature is 17 to 18 degrees C., and the frost-free season is 210 to 250 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are Wechech soil. Wechech soils occur on fan remnants and are shallow to a petrocalcic horizon.

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

USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for rangeland and wildlife habitat. The present vegetation is mainly white ratany, creosote bush, and Fremont's dalea.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Mojave Desert of Southeastern Nevada, U.S.A.; MLRA 30. These soils are not extensive.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: PHOENIX, ARIZONA

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Virgin River Area, Nevada and Arizona, 2011. The name is coined from Elbow Canyon located 5 kilometers to the southwest.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in the profile are:

Ochric epipedon - 0 to 6 centimeters (0 to 2 inches) (A horizon).
Particle-size control section - 25 to 100 centimeters (10 to 40 inches) (Part of the Bk2 horizon).

ADDITIONAL DATA: The USER PEDON ID is 11NV757200MS and was described on 1/14/2011. The ecological site is Cobbly Fan 5-7 P.Z. (R030XB139NV).

Responsibility for this series was transferred from Davis to Phoenix 4/2015. The last revision to the series was 6/2011. ET

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.