LOCATION LOVAMP                  NV

Established Series
BKP/PWB/JBF/ET
06/2019

LOVAMP SERIES

The Lovamp series consists of deep, somewhat excessively well drained soils that formed in loess over glacial moraine deposits from metamorphic and volcanic rocks. Lovamp soils are on upper elevation mountain backslopes. Slopes are 30 to 50 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 750 mm and the mean annual temperature is about 5 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive Xeric Haplocryolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Lovamp gravelly very fine sandy loam-wildlife habitat and rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted) The soil surface is partially covered by 20 percent gravel.

Oa--0 to 6 cm; dark brown (10YR 3/3) highly decomposed sagebrush leaves, twigs, forbs, and grass, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 6 cm thick)

A1--6 to 11 cm; brown (10YR 4/3) gravelly very fine sandy loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; weak very coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; many fine and very fine roots; many very fine irregular pores; 20 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.8); abrupt smooth boundary. (4 to 12 cm thick)

A2--11 to 27 cm; brown (10YR 4/3) gravelly very fine sandy loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; moderate coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; common medium and many very fine roots; many very fine irregular and common very fine tubular pores; 25 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.8); clear smooth boundary. (13 to 28 cm thick)

C--27 to 152 cm; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) extremely gravelly very fine sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine and medium roots; common very fine irregular pores; 50 percent gravel and 8 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 6.8).

TYPE LOCATION: Elko, Nevada; Ruby Mountains up Long Canyon, about 750 feet north of Ruby Crest Trail on the downhill slope; 2,276 feet directly south of the northeast corner of section 9, T. 30 N., R. 58 E; USGS Franklin Lake Northwest 7.5 minute quadrangle; latitude 40 degrees 29 minutes 49.91 seconds N and longitude 115 degrees 25 minutes 48.48 seconds W; WSG84 Decimal Degrees 40.4971972 latitude, -115.4301333 longitude.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: Moist in late fall, winter and spring, dry late July through early October; Additional moisture occurs as late summer thunderstorms; typic xeric moisture regime.
Mean annual soil temperature: 3 to 5 degrees C.
Mean summer soil temperature: 7 to 8 degrees C.
Mollic epipedon thickness: 18 to 38 cm.
Reaction: Slightly alkaline through slightly acid.

Particle-size control section - Clay content: Average 10 to 18 percent.
Rock fragments: 40 to 60 percent, mainly gravel.

A1 horizon
Chroma: 2 or 3 dry, 1 or 2 moist.

A2 horizon and AB horizon (when present)
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist.
Chroma: 2 or 3 dry, 1 through 3 moist.
Clay content: 5 to 18 percent.
Texture: Very fine sandy loam, sandy loam, or loam.
Rock fragments: 25 to 60 percent.
Structure: weak or moderate, medium or coarse.
Reaction: Slightly acid through slightly alkaline.
Base saturation: 50 to 75 percent in upper part.

C horizon
Value: 5 or 6 dry.
Chroma: 3 or 4 dry.
Texture: very fine sandy loam or sandy loam.
Structure: Subangular blocky or massive.
Reaction: Slightly alkaline or neutral.

COMPETING SERIES: These are Basinpeak, Berrycreek, Decram, Fairydell, Foxmount, Gaia, Jackmill, Klug, Krackle, Lag, Middlehill, Rockabin, Steepshrub, Sup, Timmercrek, and Wareagle series.

Basinpeak, Gaia, Steepshrub, and Timmercrek soils average greater than 60 percent rock fragments in the particle-size control section.
Basinpeak, Berrycreek, Decram, Fairydell, Krackle, and Wareagle soils average greater than 18 percent clay in the particle-size control section.
Berrycreek, Klug, Middlehill, Steepshrub, and Wareagle soils have a cambic horizon.
Decram, Foxmount, Krackle, Middlehill, and Rockabin soils have a lithic contact at 50 to 100 cm.
Fairydell and Jackmill soils have secondary silica accumulations in the lower profile.
Fairydell and Middlehill soils have secondary calcium carbonate accumulations in the lower profile.
Foxmount soils contain high amounts of vitric pyroclastic material throughout the profile.

Sup soils have an annual soil temperature greater than 5 degrees C and a mollic epipedon that averages greater than 50 cm.
Timmercrek soils have an albic horizon.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Lovamp soils are on broad linear to slightly concave upper elevation mountain backslopes of all aspects. They formed in loess over glacial moraine deposits from metamorphic and volcanic rocks. Slopes are 30 to 50 percent. Elevations range from 2,590 to 3,350 meters. Climate is cold, semiarid with cold, wet winters and cool, dry summers. The mean annual precipitation is 600 to 900 mm that occurs largely as winter snow. Snow load is persistent from late October through mid-June. Additional moisture occurs as late summer thunderstorms. The mean annual temperature is 2 to 5 degrees C and the frost-free period is 30 to 50 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are Cleavage, Daphsue, Jackmore, and Lowemar series. Cleavage soils have a lithic contact at 36 to 50 cm, a clay content of 20 to 35 percent in the particle-size control section, and an aridic soil moisture regime that borders xeric. Daphsue soils have a mollic epipedon that is 18 to 36 cm thick and averages 18 to 35 percent clay in the particle-size control section. Jackmore soils have a clay content of 2 to 10 percent and an ochric epipedon. Lowemar soils average a clay content of 5 to 10 percent in the particle-size control section, have a base saturation of 15 to 45 percent, and an umbric epipedon that is 50 to 100 cm thick.

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

USE AND VEGETATION: Lovamp soils are used mainly for wildlife habitat. Vegetation consists mainly of mountain big sagebrush, Colombia needlegrass, and lupine.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northeastern Nevada. These soils are not extensive. MLRA 25.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Humboldt National Forest, Nevada north part, 2017.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - The zone from 6 to 27 cm (A1 and A2 horizons).
Particle-size control section - The zone from 31 to 106 cm (C horizon).

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.