LOCATION KITGRAM                 NV

Established Series
REV: LJL/TM/ET
09/2015

KITGRAM SERIES

The Kitgram series consists of moderately deep, well drained soils that formed in residuum and colluvium derived from limestone. Kitgram soils are on backslopes of mountains. Slopes range from 30 to 75 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 510 millimeters (20 inches) and the mean annual air temperature is about 6 degrees C. (43 degrees F.).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, carbonatic, frigid Pachic Calciustolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Kitgram very gravelly loam - forest and wildlife habitat. Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted. The soil surface is covered by approximately 65 percent gravel, 10 percent cobbles, 1 percent stones.

A--0 to 5 centimeters (0 to 2 inches); dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) very gravelly loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate coarse subangular blocky structure; moderately hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; 30 percent gravel, 5 percent cobbles; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); abrupt smooth boundary. (2 to 8 centimeters thick)

Bk1--5 to 33 centimeters (2 to 13 inches); dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) extremely gravelly fine sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; moderately hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine, coarse and very coarse and few fine and medium roots; common very fine and fine tubular pores; 40 percent, prominent, light gray (10YR 7/2) calcium carbonate films on the undersides of rock fragments; 45 percent gravel, 20 percent cobbles; very slightly effervescent (40 percent calcium carbonate equivalent in the fine earth fraction); moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear smooth boundary.

Bk2--33 to 59 centimeters (13 to 23 inches); dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) very gravelly fine sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; few very fine through very coarse roots; common very fine and few fine tubular pores; 45 percent, very fine, prominent, white (10YR 8/1), irregular, hard, clear, carbonate pendants on undersides of rock fragments; 40 percent, prominent, light gray (10YR 7/2) calcium carbonate films on undersides of rock fragments; 40 percent gravel, 15 percent cobbles; slightly effervescent (60 percent calcium carbonate equivalent in the fine earth fraction); moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); abrupt smooth boundary. (The combined thickness of the Bk horizons is 48 to 94 centimeters)

R--59 to 66 centimeters (23 to 26 inches); hard limestone bedrock.

TYPE LOCATION: Clark County, Nevada; about 6.4 kilometers (4 miles) north and 29.6 kilometers (18.5 miles) west of Pahrump, Nevada in Wallace Canyon in the Spring Mountain Range; 440 meters (1,450 feet) north and 265 meters (870 feet) east of the southwest corner of sec. 29, T. 19 S., R. 56 E.; USGS Charleston Peak, Nevada 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle; 36 degrees, 15 minutes, 55.7 seconds north latitude and 115 degrees, 43 minutes, 24.0 seconds west longitude; UTM 11N, 614680e 4014149n; NAD 83.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:

Soil moisture: Usually dry, moist in late winter and spring, and periodically moist in the upper part following summer convection thunderstorms. The soils have an ustic soil moisture regime.

Soil temperature: 5 to 8 degrees C. (41 to 46 degrees F.).

Depth to calcic horizon: 2 to 8 centimeters (1 to 3 inches).

Depth to lithic contact: 51 to 102 centimeters (20 to 40 inches).

Control section:
Clay content: 6 to 18 percent.
Rock fragments: 50 to 80 percent; 35 to 60 percent gravel and 10 to 25 percent cobbles and stones.

A horizon:
Value: 4 or 5 dry.
Chroma: 1 through 3 dry, 2 or 3 moist.
Structure: Weak or moderate, fine or medium.
Consistence: Soft through moderately hard, nonplastic or slightly plastic.
Organic matter: 2 to 5 percent.
Calcium carbonate equivalent of the fine earth fraction: 0 to 5 percent.

Bk horizons:
Value: 4 or 5 dry.
Chroma: 1 through 3 dry and moist.
Structure: Weak or moderate, medium or coarse, subangular blocky or massive.
Consistence: Soft through moderately hard, nonsticky or slightly sticky, nonplastic or slightly plastic.
Organic matter: 1 to 3 percent.
Effervescence: Very slightly effervescent through strongly effervescent.
Calcium carbonate equivalent of the fine earth fraction: 30 to 70 percent.
Other features: Noneffervescent in the upper 18 centimeters (7 inches) of the soil profile.

COMPETING SERIES: This is the Maryjane series. Maryjane soils are more than 153 centimeters (60 inches) deep.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Kitgram soils are on backslopes of mountains. Slopes range from 30 to 75 percent. These soils formed in residuum and colluvium derived from limestone. Elevations are 2,170 to 3,180 meters (7,120 to 9,910 feet). The climate is sub-humid continental, cool, with moist winters and common summer thundershowers. The mean annual precipitation is 460 to 560 millimeters (18 to 22 inches); mean annual air temperature is 4 to 7 degrees C. (40 to 45 degrees F.), and the frost-free season is 50 to 90 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Maryjane and Rosespring soils. Maryjane soils have a calcic horizon and a very deep soil depth. Rosespring soils have a deep soil depth and do not have mollic epipedon.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Well drained; high runoff; moderately high saturated hydraulic conductivity.

USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for forest and wildlife habitat. The present vegetation is mainly Rocky Mountain bristlecone pine, white fir, limber pine, common juniper, currant, Rocky Mountain maple and muttongrass.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Spring Mountain Range in southern Nevada; MLRA 30. These soils are not extensive.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: PHOENIX, ARIZONA

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Clark County Area, Nevada, 2006. Proposed in Clark County, Nevada; Clark County Soil Survey, 2004. The name is coined. Name change from Tuffhike to Kitgram during field assist.

REMARKS: Reclassified from Loamy-skeletal, carbonatic, frigid Pachic Haplustolls to Loamy-skeletal, carbonatic, frigid Pachic Calciustolls, January 31, 2006.

Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in the profile are:

Mollic epipedon - 0 to 59 centimeters (0 to 23 inches) (A, Bk1 and Bk2 horizons).
Calcic horizon - 5 to 59 centimeters (2 to 23 inches) (Bk1 and Bk2 horizons).
Lithic contact - 59 centimeters (23 inches) (R layer).
Particle-size control section - 25 to 59 centimeters (10 to 23 inches) (Part of the Bk1 and Bk2 horizons).

Responsibility for this series was transferred from Davis to Phoenix 9/2015. The last revision to the series was 6/2011. ET

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.