LOCATION ELEMENTS AZEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, mesic Ustic Haplargids
TYPICAL PEDON: Elements very stony sandy loam on a northwest facing slope at 5,400 feet elevation - rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted).
A--0 to 5 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) very stony sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak fine granular structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine roots; many fine tubular pores; 15 percent stones, 15 percent cobble and 20 percent gravel; noneffervescent; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); abrupt smooth boundary. (2 to 5 inches thick)
Bw--5 to 11 inches; brown (10YR 4/3) very cobbly sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak very fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine roots; many fine tubular pores; 20 percent gravel and 15 percent cobble; noneffervescent; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); clear wavy boundary. (4 to 7 inches thick)
Bt1--11 to 52 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) very cobbly loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine roots; many fine tubular pores; common faint clay films on ped faces and lining pores; 20 percent gravel, 20 percent cobble and 5 percent stones; noneffervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear wavy boundary. (21 to 45 inches thick)
Bt2--52 to 60 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) extremely cobbly sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; common medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine roots; many fine tubular pores; few faint clay films on ped faces and lining pores; 35 percent gravel, 30 percent cobble and 10 percent stones; noneffervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0).
TYPE LOCATION: Mohave County, Arizona; about 3 miles north of Chloride; 1400 feet east and 900 feet south of the northwest corner of section 23, T. 24 N., R. 18 W. 114 degrees, 10 minutes, 40 seconds north latitude, 35 degrees, 27 minutes, 35 seconds west longitude.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: Moist in some part of the epipedon less than 3 months cumulative. Intermittently moist in some part of the soil moisture control section during July - September and December - February. Driest during May and June. Ustic aridic soil moisture regime.
Soil Temperature: 54 to 57 degrees F.
Rock fragments: 15 to 35 percent cobble, 0 to 20 percent stones, 35 to 60 percent gravel
Reaction: slightly or moderately alkaline
Organic matter: 1 to 2 percent
Clay content: averages less than 18 percent in the control section
A horizon
Hue: 10YR, 7.5YR
Value: 4 or 5 dry
Chroma: 2 or 3 moist
B horizons
Hue: 10YR, 7.5YR
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 3 or 4 moist
Chroma: 3 or 4, dry or moist
Texture: loam, sandy loam. Commonly less than 1/2 of the profile is loam. (Less than 20 percent clay)
Colors are lithochromic.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Romberg (CO), Saemo (AZ), Sed (NV), and Tacan (UT) soils. Romberg soils have free carbonates in the B horizons. Sed soils have bedrock at depths of 20 to 40 inches. Saemo soils average more than 18 percent clay in the control section. Tacan soils have hue of 2.5YR and 5YR in the argillic horizon and are calcareous below 40 inches.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Elements soils are on mountains and hills at elevations of 5,000 to 7,000 feet. Slopes range from 30 to 65 percent. They formed in mixed igneous and metamorphic alluvium and colluvium. The mean annual precipitation is 12 to 16 inches. The mean annual air temperature is 52 to 55 degrees F. The frost-free period is 150 to 165 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: This is the Vock soil. It is shallow to a paralithic contact.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; very high runoff; moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Elements soils are used for livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. Present vegetation is turbinella oak, desert ceanothus, yellowleaf silktassel, needlegrass and singleleaf pinyon.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northwestern Arizona. This series is of moderate extent. MLRA is 38.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Phoenix, Arizona
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Mohave County, Arizona. Soil survey of Mohave County, AZ, Central Part; 2005. The name is taken from a local mine.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - The zone from 0 to 5 inches (A horizon). When mixed, the epipedon does not meet the requirements for a mollic in regard to color, organic carbon, and moisture.
Argillic horizon - The zone from 11 to 60 inches (Bt1, Bt2 horizons)
Classified according to Keys to Soil Taxonomy Ninth Edition, 2003.