LOCATION INYO CA

Established Series
Rev. ET-MAV
06/2016

INYO SERIES

The Inyo series consists of very deep, excessively drained soils formed in mixed alluvium and windblown deposits. Inyo soils are on alluvial fans, fan terraces, and stabilized dunes on stream terraces, and have slopes of 0 to 15 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 130 mm and the mean annual temperature is about 15 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Mixed, thermic Xeric Torripsamments

TYPICAL PEDON: Inyo sand, on an alluvial fan under shadscale, white bursage and desert needlegrass at an elevation of 1,450 meters. (When described on May 29, 1986, the soil was dry throughout; colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated).

A--0 to 8 cm; pale brown (10YR 6/3) sand, olive brown (2.5Y 4/4) moist; single grain; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine through coarse roots; many very fine interstitial pores; 5 percent gravel, neutral (pH 7.2); clear smooth boundary. (3 to 15 cm thick).

C1--8 to 41 cm; pale brown (10YR 6/3) sand, olive brown (2.5Y 4/4) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine through coarse roots; many very fine interstitial pores, few very fine through medium tubular pores; 5 percentgravel, neutral (pH 7.2); gradual smooth boundary. (30 to 46 cm thick).

C2--41 to 107 cm; pale brown (10YR 6/3) sand, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine through coarse roots; many very fine interstitial pores, few very fine through medium tubular pores; 10 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.2); diffuse smooth boundary. (50 to 71 cm thick).

C3--107 to 152 cm; pale brown (10YR 6/3) sand, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine through medium roots; many very fine interstitial, few very fine through medium tubular pores; slightly effervescent; 8 percent gravel; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0).

TYPE LOCATION: Inyo County, California; about 4 miles southwest of the town of Lone Pine; 1,300 feet east and 1,100 feet south of the northwest corner of Sec. 36, T. 15 S., R. 35 E., Lone Pine quadrangle.; latitude 36 degrees 35 minutes 27 seconds N and longitude 118 degrees 07 minutes 31 seconds W; WGS84 Decimal Degrees 36.5908333 latitude, -118.1252778 longitude.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The thickness of the solum is 8 to 51 cm. The mean annual soil temperature is below 8 degrees C. from about December 15 to March 1, and is below 41 degrees F from about January 1 to February 1. The mean annual soil temperature is 15 to 18 degrees C. The soil between the depths of 28 and 104 cm is dry throughout for 190 to 210 days from about April 30 to November 30. It is moist throughout for 30 to 60 days from about January 1 to March 1 and is moist in some or all parts for 45 to 60 consecutive days from about March 1 to April 30 when the soil is above 8 degrees C. Aridic moisture regime bordering on xeric. The surface is covered with 0 to 2 percent rock fragments. Soil reaction is neutral to moderately alkaline.

The A horizon colors is 2.5Y 6/2, 7/2; 10YR 5/2, 5/3, 6/2, 6/3 or 6/4. Moist color is 2.5Y 4/2, 4/4; 10YR 3/2, 3/3, 4/2 or 4/4. Textures are sand or loamy sand averaging 2 to 8 percent clay. It contains 0 to 15 percent rock fragments. Reaction is neutral or slightly alkaline.

The C horizon has dry colors of 5Y 6/3, 7/2; 2.5Y 6/2; 10YR 5/2, 5/3, 5/4, 6/2, 6/3 or 6/4. Moist color is 5Y 4/2, 4/3, 2.5Y 4/2, 4/4, 5/2; 10YR 4/2, 4/3 4/4, 5/3 or 5/4. Textures are sand, fine sand, loamy sand, gravelly sand, or gravelly loamy sand averaging 2 to 8 percent clay. It contains 0 to 30 percent rock fragments. Reaction is neutral through moderately alkaline.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Cinco and Whitewolf series. The Cinco soils are well drained and have 50 to 75 percent slopes. The Whitewolf series have a MAST of 16.7 to 21 degrees C. and a FFS of 200 to 300 days and slopes of 0 to 5 percent.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Inyo soils are on alluvial fans, fan terraces, and stabilized dunes on stream terraces. Slopes are 0 to 15 percent. The soils are formed in alluvium and windblown deposits from mixed sources. Elevations are 1,160 to 1,525 meters. The climate is arid with hot dry summers and cool moist winters. The mean annual precipitation is 100 to 150 mm. The mean annual temperature is 13.9 to 18.1 degrees C. Mean July temperature is about 22.2 degrees C., and mean January temperature is about 1.7 degrees C. The frost-free season is 140 to 220 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS ARE: Cartago (T), Lubkin (T), Tinemaha (T) and Westguard (T) soils. Cartago soils have strata that contain more than 35 percent rock fragments. Lubkin and Tinemaha soils have a skeletal control section and an argillic horizon. Westguard soils have an argillic horizon and silica cementation.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Excessively drained; slow runoff; rapid permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: Inyo soils are used for rangeland and wildlife habitat. Vegetation is shadscale, white bursage and desert needlegrass.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Owens Valley of eastern California. The series is not extensive in MLRA 29.

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

SERIES PROPOSED: Benton-Owens Valley Area, Inyo County, California, 1988. The name is coined.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizon and features recognized in this pedon are:

1. Ochric epipedon -- 0 to 18 cm (A horizon and part of the Ci horizon).

2. Thermic temperature regime -- mean annual soil temperature is 59 to 64 degrees F.

3. Mineralogy -- assumed mixed.

4. Particle size class -- sandy - based on field estimates.

5. Moisture regime - aridic bordering on xeric.

5.1 The moisture control section is dry throughout from April 30 to November 30. It is moist throughout from December 1 to February 1. Runoff from higher grounds increases the number of days the moisture control section is moist in some or all parts.

5.2 The soil temperature exceeds 41 degrees F from February 1 to January 1 (335 days). Within this time period, the MCS is dry from April 30 to November 30 (210 days).

5.3 The soil temperature exceeds 47 degrees F from March 1 to December 15 (270 days). Within this time period the moisture control section is dry from April 30 to November 30.

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.