LOCATION ICEETAX                 CA

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

ICEETAX SERIES

The Iceetax series consists of shallowto a duripan, well drained soils that formed in alluvium derived from igneous rocks. Iceetax soils are on fan piedmont remnants. Slopes are 4 to 15 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 280 mm and the mean annual temperature is about 9 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Clayey-skeletal, smectitic, mesic, shallow Abruptic Xeric Argidurids

TYPICAL PEDON: Iceetax extremely cobbly loamy sand-Rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.) The soil surface is covered with 35 percent gravel, 20 percent cobbles, 20 percent stones and 5 percent boulders.

A1--0 to 3 cm; brown (10YR 5/3) extremely cobbly loamy sand, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; single grain; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine roots; many very fine interstitial pores; 15 percent stones, 30 percent cobbles and 30 percent gravel; neutral, (pH 6.8); clear wavy boundary. (3 to 5 cm thick)

A2--3 to 13 cm; brown (10YR 5/3) extremely cobbly sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common fine and medium roots and many very fine roots; common very fine tubular and many very fine interstitial pores; 15 percent stones, 30 percent cobbles and 30 percent gravel; neutral, (pH 7.0); abrupt wavy boundary. (0 to 10 cm thick)

Bt--13 to 48 cm; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) extremely cobbly clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist; strong fine and medium angular blocky structure; very hard, very firm, very sticky and very plastic; few very fine and fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; 50 percent prominent pressure faces on all faces of peds and 90 percent prominent clay films on surfaces along pores and 90 percent prominent clay films on all faces of peds; 10 percent stones, 25 percent gravel and 30 percent cobbles; neutral, (pH 7.3); abrupt wavy boundary. (23 to 36 cm thick)

2Bqkm--48 to 66 cm; very strongly silica cemented duripan with common 1 mm thick silica laminae on upper surface; 30 percent carbonate masses; clear wavy boundary. (15 to 50 cm thick)

2Bqk--66 to 152 cm; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) extremely cobbly sandy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; 30 percent moderately cemented by silica that is slightly hard and extremely hard, and friable and very firm; common very fine interstitial pores; 5 percent stones, 30 percent cobbles and 30 percent gravel; strong effervescence; moderately alkaline, (pH 8.3)

TYPE LOCATION: Mono County, California; on the east side of Antelope Valley about 5.6 kilometers north of the Town of Walker; about 1,800 feet north and 1,900 feet east of the southwest corner section 4, T 8 N., R. 23 E.; Risue Canyon USGS 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle; latitude 38 degrees 33 minutes 56.1 seconds N and longitude 119 degrees 27 minutes 35.1 seconds west; WGS84 Decimal Degrees 38.5655833 latitude, -119.4597500 longitude.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: Usually dry in the moisture control section; moist fall, winter and spring; usually dry July through early October; aridic moisture regime, bordering on xeric.
Mean annual soil temperature: 8 to 11 degrees C.
Ochric epipedon thickness: 3 to 13 cm.
Depth to base of argillic horizon: 36 to 50 cm.
Depth to strongly cemented duripan: 36 to 50 cm.

Particle-size control section - Clay content: Averages 35 to 45 percent.
Rock fragments: Averages 50 to 80 percent. Lithology of rock fragments is igneous rock.

A horizon
Chroma: 2 or 3 dry or moist.
Reaction: Neutral or slightly alkaline.

Bt horizons
Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR.
Value: 4, 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist.
Chroma: 3 or 4 dry or moist.
Texture: Extremely cobbly clay loam or very gravelly clay.
Clay content: Averages 35 to 45 percent.
Rock fragments: Averages 50 to 80 percent.

2Bqkm horizon
Cementation: Very strongly cemented, but broken in some places by burrowing animals.

2Bqk horizons
Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR.
Texture: Very cobbly sandy loam, extremely cobbly sandy loam or extremely gravelly sand.
Clay content: Averages 5 to 15 percent.
Rock fragments: 50 to 85 percent.
Silica cementation: 30 to 50 percent moderately cemented durinodes or lenses.
Identifiable secondary carbonates: Occur as filaments, masses or coats on bottoms of rock fragments.
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 0 to 5 percent.

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

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Iceetax soils are on fan piedmont remnants. They typically occur on summit positions. They formed in alluvium derived from igneous rocks. Slopes are 4 to 15 percent. Elevations range from 1,590 to 1,740 meters. The climate is semi-arid with cool, moist winters and warm, dry summers. The mean annual precipitation is 250 to 300 mm, mean annual temperature is 9 to 11 degrees C., and the frost-free period is 90 to 110 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Holbrook and Leviathan series. Holbrook soils do not have an argillic horizon or duripan. Leviathan soils have less than 35 percent clay in their particle-size control section and do not have a duripan.

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

USE AND VEGETATION: Iceetax soils are used for livestock grazing, recreation, watershed and wildlife habitat. The native vegetation is mainly low sagebrush, desert needlegrass and bluegrass.

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:
Ochric epipedon - The zone from the soil surface to 13 cm (A1 and A2 horizons).
Abrupt texture change - The boundary at 13 cm (Bt horizon).
Argillic horizon - The zone from 13 to 48 cm (Bt horizon).
Duripan - The zone from 48 to 66 cm (2Bqkm horizon).
Particle-size control section - The zone from 13 to 48 cm (Bt horizon).

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.