LOCATION INPENDENCE              NV

Established Series
Rev. PWB/RLB/JVC/JBF
02/2016

INPENDENCE SERIES

The Inpendence series consist of very deep, moderately well drained soils that formed in colluvium derived from welded tuff, chert, shale, and quartzite. Inpendence soils are on mountains and plateaus. Slopes are 15 to 50 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 610 mm and the mean annual temperature is about 4 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, frigid Pachic Humixerepts

TYPICAL PEDON: Inpendence gravelly loam--rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)

Oi--0 to 5 cm; slightly decomposed plant material composed of aspen leaves and twigs.

Oe--5 to 10 cm; moderately decomposed plant material. (5 to 15 cm combined thickness of O horizons)

A1--10 to 33 cm; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) gravelly loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many fine to coarse roots; few very fine tubular pores; 30 percent gravel; strongly acid (pH 5.2); clear wavy boundary. (13 to 25 cm thick)

A2--33 to 71 cm; brown (10YR 5/3) very gravelly loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many medium, coarse and common very fine and fine roots; few very fine and fine tubular pores; 40 percent gravel; strongly acid (pH 5.1); clear wavy boundary. (25 to 64 cm thick)

C1--71 to 112 cm; pale brown (10YR 6/3) extremely gravelly loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine and fine and common medium roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; 40 percent gravel, 15 percent cobbles, and 5 percent stones; strongly acid (pH 5.1); clear wavy boundary. (36 to 50 cm thick)

C2--112 to 163 cm; pale brown (10YR 6/3) extremely gravelly sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; massive; hard, firm, moderately sticky and slightly plastic; few medium and coarse roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; few very thin silt films lining pores; 60 percent gravel; very strongly acid (pH 5.0).

TYPE LOCATION: Elko County, Nevada; on the Humboldt National Forest about 36 miles north of Elko; approximately 2,100 feet north and 970 feet east of the southwest corner of section 25, T. 40 N., R. 53 E.; USGS Mahala Creek West 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle; latitude 41 degrees 19 minutes 37 seconds N and longitude 115 degrees 57 minutes 47 seconds W; WGS84 Decimal Degrees 41.3269445 latitude,-115.9630556 longitude.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: Usually moist; dry September and October; additional moisture is supplied by lateral water movement in lower control section or substratum; typic xeric soil moisture regime.
Mean annual soil temperature: 3 to 6 degrees C.
Mean summer soil temperature: 9 to 12 degrees C.
Base saturation: 10 to 30 percent; highest in the surface layer and decreases with depth.
Umbric epipedon thickness: 50 to 100 cm.
Reaction: Very strongly acid to moderately acid; usually remains relatively constant throughout the profile.

Particle-size control section - Clay content: 10 to 18 percent.
Rock fragments: Averages 40 to 60 percent, mainly gravel with 0 to 15 percent cobbles or stones usually occurring below 20 cm.

A1 horizon
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist.
Chroma: 2 or 3, dry or moist.
Structure: Weak subangular blocky, occasionally granular in upper part.
Organic matter content: 4 to 7 percent.

A2 horizon
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist.
Chroma: 2 or 3, dry or moist.
Organic matter content: 1 to 3 percent.
Other features: An AC horizon is present in some pedons.

C1 horizon
Value: 6 or 7 dry, 4 or 5 moist.
Chroma: 3 or 4.
Texture: Very gravelly loam, extremely gravelly loam, very gravelly sandy loam, or extremely gravelly sandy loam.

C2 horizon
Other features: In most pedons, pores are lined with very thin silt coats or uncoated sand grains.

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

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Inpendence soils are on mountains and plateaus. They typically occur on concave backslope positions. These soils formed in colluvium derived from chert, shale, welded tuffs, and quartzite. Slopes are 15 to 50 percent. Elevations range from 2,015 to 2,595 meters. The climate is subhumid with cold, moist winters and cool, dry summers. The mean annual precipitation is 610 to 710 mm derived mostly from snow. The mean annual temperature is 3 to 6 degrees C and the frost-free period is 50 to 80 days. Frost may occur in any month at the higher elevations.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Gando, Bullump and Wrenza soils. Gando soils are shallow to hard bedrock. Bullump soils have argillic horizons and are deep to hard bedrock. Wrenza soils lack a consistant O horizon, are moderately deep, average less than 3 percent organic matter throughout A horizons, and have reactions that are slightly acid in some parts of the umbric epipedon.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Moderately well drained; high surface runoff; high saturated hydraulic conductivity.

USE AND VEGETATION: Inpendence soils are used for rangeland and wildlife habitat. The vegetation is principally low growing quaking aspen with an understory of snowberry, mountain brome, slender wheatgrass, and Idaho fescue.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northeastern Nevada. These soils are not extensive with about 900 acres of the series mapped to date. MLRA 25.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Elko County, Nevada, Central Part, 1986.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Umbric epipedon - The zone from the mineral soil surface to 71 cm (A1 and A2 horizons).
Particle-size control section - The zone from 35 to 135 cm (C1 horizon and parts of the A2 and C2 horizon).

Revision of January 2016 updated the taxonomic class from Typic Humicryepts based on evaluation of the landscape and more current climate data.
The revision of December 2006 updated the taxonomic class from Humic Dystrocryepts based on the tenth edition of the Keys to Soil Taxonomy, 2006.

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.