LOCATION IZAMATCH NV+UT

Established Series
Rev. JVC/JBF
03/2012

IZAMATCH SERIES

The Izamatch series consists of very deep, somewhat excessively drained soils that formed in re-worked alluvium derived from mixed rocks influenced by calcareous loess. Izamatch soils are on beach plains, fan skirts, and dissected lake plains. Slopes are 2 to 30 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 150 mm and the mean annual temperature is about 11 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy-skeletal, mixed, mesic Typic Torriorthents

TYPICAL PEDON: Izamatch gravelly sandy loam--rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.) The surface is partially covered by approximately 50 percent gravel.

A--0 to 8 cm; light gray (10YR 7/2) gravelly sandy loam, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine roots; few very fine interstitial pores; 15 percent gravel; violently effervescent; strongly alkaline (pH 8.6); clear smooth boundary. (5 to 13 cm thick)

Bk--8 to 33 cm; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) gravelly sandy loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine roots; many very fine interstitial pores; few thin (1 to 2 mm) secondary calcium carbonate coats on the bottom of rock fragments; 15 percent gravel; violently effervescent; strongly alkaline (pH 8.8); clear smooth boundary. (13 to 38 cm thick)

2Ck1--33 to 56 cm; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) very gravelly loamy sand, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine roots; few very fine interstitial pores; common thin (1 to 2 mm) secondary calcium carbonate coats on the bottom of rock fragments; 50 percent gravel; violently effervescent; very strongly alkaline (pH 9.2); clear smooth boundary. (18 to 30 cm thick)

3Ck2--56 to 152 cm; very pale brown (10YR 7/3) extremely gravelly coarse sand, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine roots; common thin (1 to 2 mm) secondary calcium carbonate coats on the bottom of rock fragments; stratified with thin bands of weak secondary calcium carbonate cementation, slightly hard and very friable; 70 percent gravel; violently effervescent; strongly alkaline (pH 8.6).

TYPE LOCATION: Elko County, Nevada; about 12 miles south-southwest of Wendover; approximately 1,500 feet east and 800 feet north of the southwest corner of section 36, T. 32 N., R. 69 E.; USGS Wendover SE 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle; latitude 40 degrees 35 minutes 53 seconds N and longitude 114 degrees 07 minutes 37 seconds W; NAD 83.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: Usually dry, moist in some part for short periods during winter and early spring and for 10 to 20 days cumulative between July and October following convection storms; typic aridic soil moisture regime.
Mean annual soil temperature: 11 to 15 degrees C.
Depth to 2Ck horizon: 25 to 50 cm.

Particle-size control section - Clay content: Averages 0 to 8 percent.
Rock fragments: 35 to 75 percent, dominantly gravel.

A horizon
Value: 5 through 7 dry, 3 through 5 moist.
Chroma: 2 through 4, dry or moist.
Reaction: Moderately alkaline or strongly alkaline.
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 20 to 30 percent.
Sodicity (SAR): 0 to 5.

Bk horizon
Value: 5 through 7 dry, 3 through 5 moist.
Chroma: 2 through 4, dry or moist.
Texture: Gravelly sandy loam or very gravelly sandy loam.
Clay content: 8 to 18 percent.
Rock fragments: 15 to 50 percent.
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 20 to 30 percent.
Sodicity (SAR): 0 to 5.

C horizon (when present)
Value: 5 through 7 dry, 3 through 5 moist.
Chroma: 2 through 4, dry or moist.
Texture: Very gravelly loam or gravelly loam.
Clay content: 8 to 18 percent.
Rock fragments: 15 to 50 percent.

2Ck horizon
Value: 6 through 8 dry, 5 or 6 moist.
Chroma: 2 through 4, dry or moist.
Texture: Very gravelly loamy sand, very gravelly sand, or very gravelly loamy coarse sand.
Rock fragments: 35 to 60 percent.
Structure: Massive or single grain.
Reaction: Moderately alkaline to very strongly alkaline (up to pH 9.6).
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 20 to 30 percent.
Sodicity (SAR): 5 to 12.

3Ck horizon
Value: 6 through 8 dry, 4 through 6 moist.
Chroma: 2 or 3, dry or moist.
Texture: Very gravelly or extremely gravelly sand, loamy sand, loamy coarse sand or coarse sand.
Rock fragments: 35 to 75 percent, mainly gravel.
Structure: Massive or single grain.
Reaction: Strongly alkaline to very strongly alkaline (up to pH 9.6).
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 30 to 40 percent.
Sodicity (SAR): 13 to 30.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Bluewing, Gynelle, Inmo, Ioka, Itme, Izo, Leo, Nepalto, Wardenot, and Willwood series.

Bluewing soils are not moist for 10 to 20 days during the summer. Gynelle soils are dry in the lower part of the moisture control section throughout the year in most years and have calcium carbonate equivalent of less than 20 percent. Inmo and Itme soils are dominated by fine gravel (2 to 5 mm diameter). Ioka and Leo soils lack carbonate coats on rock fragments. Izo soils have thin stratification throughout the profile and are subject to occasional flooding. Nepalto soils have hue of 5YR. Wardenot soils have silica coats in the Bqk horizon. Willwood soils are not moist for 10 to 20 days during the summer and have a mean annual soil temperature of 8 to 10 degrees C.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Izamatch soils are on beach plains, fan skirts, and dissected lake plains. These soils formed in re-worked mixed alluvium influenced by calcareous loess. Slopes are 2 to 30 percent. Elevations range from 1,280 to 1,895 meters. The climate is arid with cool, moist winters and hot, dry summers. The mean annual precipitation is 130 to 200 mm, the mean annual temperature is 10 to 13 degrees C, and the frost-free period is 130 to 170 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Luning and Smaug soils. Luning soils are sandy and Smaug soils are coarse-silty.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Somewhat excessively drained; low to medium surface runoff; high saturated hydraulic conductivity.

USE AND VEGETATION: Izamatch soils are used for rangeland and wildlife habitat. The present vegetation is mainly shadscale, bud sagebrush, Indian ricegrass, and galleta.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northeastern Nevada and northwestern Utah. These soils are extensive with about 138,000 acres of the series mapped to date. The series concept and main acreage is in MLRA 28A, while other acreage occurs in MLRA 28B.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Phoenix, Arizona.

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Elko County (Southeast Part), Nevada, 1990.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - The zone from the soil surface to 18 cm (A and part of the Bk horizons).
Identifiable secondary carbonates - The zone from 8 to 152 cm (Bk, 2Ck1, and 3Ck2 horizons).
Particle-size control section - The zone from 25 to 100 cm (2Ck1 horizon and parts of the A2 and 3Ck2 horizons).

ADDITIONAL DATA: Previous authors and editors include: LJL-PWB-GAM.

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.