LOCATION LOWEMAR                 NV

Established Series
Rev. BKP/PWB/JBF
06/2019

LOWEMAR SERIES

The Lowemar series consists of moderately deep, excessively drained soils that formed in residuum and colluvium derived from metamorphic rocks. Lowemar soils are on upper mountain backslopes. Slopes are 50 to 75 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 650 mm and the mean annual temperature is about 5 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy-skeletal, mixed Xeric Humicryepts

TYPICAL PEDON: Lowemar gravelly loamy sandy -- rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.) The soil surface is partially covered with 28 percent gravel and 10 percent cobble.

A1--0 to 2 cm; brown (10YR 5/3) gravelly loamy sand, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine roots; few very fine and fine interstitial pores; 20 percent gravel and 5 percent cobbles; moderately acid (pH 5.6); abrupt smooth boundary. (2 to 10 cm thick)

A2--2 to 12 cm; brown (10YR 5/3) gravelly loamy sand, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; moderate coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine roots; few very fine and fine interstitial pores; 15 percent gravel and 2 percent cobbles; moderately acid (pH 5.6); abrupt smooth boundary. (5 to 40 cm thick)

A3--12 to 50 cm; brown (10YR 5/3) very cobbly fine sandy loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine and very few medium roots; few very fine and fine interstitial pores; 18 percent gravel and 20 percent cobbles; moderately acid (pH 5.6); clear smooth boundary. (30 to 60 cm thick)

C--50 to 152 cm; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) extremely cobbly loamy fine sand, dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine roots; few very fine and fine interstitial pores; 14 percent gravel and 50 percent cobbles; moderately acid (pH 5.6).

TYPE LOCATION: Elko County, Nevada; Below Secret Peak near Secret Pass; approximately 940 feet south and 1035 feet west of the northeast corner of section 31, T. 35 N., R. 61 E.; USGS Tent Mountain 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle; latitude 40 degrees 52 minutes 36.2 seconds N and longitude 115 degrees 7 minutes 31.2 seconds W; WGS 84 Decimal degrees latitude 40.8767222, longitude -115.1253333.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: Usually moist in winter through mid-summer, dry from late August through October; typic xeric soil moisture regime.
Mean annual soil temperature: 4 to 7 degrees C.
Mean summer soil temperature: 10 to 13 degrees C.
Depth to base of Umbric epipedon: 50 to 100 cm.
Base saturation: 15 to 45 percent.

Particle-size control section - Clay content: averages 5 to 10 percent.
Rock fragments: averages 35 to 60 percent cobbles and some gravel.

A1 horizon
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 3 moist.
Chroma: 2 or 3, dry or moist.

A2 horizon
Texture: Loamy sand, fine sandy loam, and loam.
Clay content: 10 to 18 percent.
Rock fragments: Averages 15 to 35 mostly gravel, may have sub-horizons that range up to 60 percent fragments in some pedons.
Structure: Weak or moderate subangular blocky.
Consistence: slightly hard or soft and nonsticky or slightly sticky.

A3 horizon
Clay content: Averages 5 to 10 percent.
Texture: Fine sandy loam and very fine sandy loam.
Rock fragments: Averages 30 to 60 percent gravel and cobbles.
Structure: Weak or moderate subangular blocky.

Bw or ABw horizon (when present)
Clay content: Averages 10 to 18 percent.
Texture: Fine sandy loam and very fine sandy loam.
Rock fragments: Averages 30 to 60 percent gravel and cobbles.
Structure: Weak or moderate subangular blocky, or massive.
Reaction: Slightly acid or moderately acid.

C horizon
Value: 5 or 6 dry.
Chroma: 4 or 5, dry or moist.
Clay content: Averages 5 to 10 percent.
Texture: Loamy find sand and sandy loam.
Rock fragments: Averages 35 to 75 percent cobbles and some gravel.
Structure: Subangular blocky or massive.

COMPETING SERIES: There are currently no competing soils.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Lowemar soils are on mountains. They typically occur on linear/slightly concave, steeply sloping upper mountain backslopes below rock outcrop on all aspects of upper elevations and northern aspects at lower elevations. These soils formed in loess over colluvium derived from metamorphic parent material. Slopes are 50 to 75 percent. Elevations are 2,680 to 3,050 meters. The climate is cold. Snow load in the area is thinned due to high velocity winds but persists until June. Summer moisture derives from regular summer thunderstorms in July and August. The mean annual precipitation is 600 cm to 710 mm, and the mean annual temperature is 3 to 6 degrees C. Frost may occur at the higher elevations during any of the summer months.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are Longhike, Inpendence, Tusel, Shively, and Hapgood soils. Longhike soils have an ochric epipedon and a lithic contact at 75 to 100 cm. Inpendence soils are frigid with a consistent O horizon development. Tusel soils average greater than 25 percent clay in the particle size control section. Shively soils average less than 35 percent rock fragments in the particle size control section. Tusel, Shively and Hapgood soils have a lithic contact at 100 cm or more and a reaction of neutral to slightly acidic with a base saturation greater than 50 percent.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Excessively drained; moderate surface runoff; very high saturated hydraulic conductivity.

USE AND VEGETATION: Lowemar soils are used for rangeland and wildlife habitat. The present vegetation is mainly lupine, Letterman needlegrass, rabbitbrush and mountain snowberry. Subalpine knotweed is present at the typical location and has a visible presence on the landscape in the fall.

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, 2016.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Umbric epipedon - The zone from the soil surface to 47 cm (A, A2 and Bw horizons).
Particle-size control section - The zone from 25 to 100 cm (lower part of Bw and C horizons).

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.