LOCATION LYKAL                   NV

Established Series
Rev. PWB-RLB-JVC-JBF
11/2016

LYKAL SERIES

The Lykal series consists of very deep, somewhat poorly drained soils that formed in alluvium derived from mixed rocks. Lykal soils are on stream terraces. Slopes are 0 to 4 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 230 mm and the mean annual temperature is about 8 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-silty, carbonatic, mesic Fluventic Aquicambids

TYPICAL PEDON: Lykal silt loam--rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)

A1--0 to 13 cm; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) silt loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; weak medium platy structure parting to fine granular; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine, common fine, medium and few coarse roots; many very fine interstitial pores; violently effervescent; strongly alkaline (pH 8.6); clear smooth boundary. (8 to 15 cm thick)

A2--13 to 30 cm; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) silt loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; weak very thin platy structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine, few fine, medium and coarse roots; many very fine interstitial pores; violently effervescent; strongly alkaline (pH 8.6); clear smooth boundary. (13 to 23 cm thick)

Bw1--30 to 46 cm; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) silt loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine, few fine, medium and coarse roots; many very fine, few fine and medium interstitial and tubular pores; violently effervescent; strongly alkaline (pH 8.6); gradual smooth boundary. (13 to 20 cm thick)

Bw2--46 to 104 cm; light gray (10YR 7/2) silt loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine, fine and medium roots; many very fine, few fine, medium and coarse interstitial and tubular pores; few medium prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) moist masses of iron accumulation; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear smooth boundary. (46 to 64 cm thick)

Ab1--104 to 117 cm; dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) silt loam, very dark grayish brown (2.5Y 3/2) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few very fine roots; common very fine, few fine, few medium, and few coarse tubular pores; few fine prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) moist masses of iron accumulation; 5 percent gravel; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear smooth boundary. (8 to 15 cm thick)

Ab2--117 to 130 cm; grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) loam, dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine, few fine, few medium, and few coarse tubular pores; 5 percent gravel; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); clear smooth boundary. (8 to 15 cm thick)

2C1--130 to 147 cm; pale yellow (2.5Y 8/2) gravelly clay loam, light gray (2.5Y 7/2) moist; massive; slightly hard, friable, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine, fine and medium interstitial and tubular pores; common fine prominent reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/6) moist masses of iron accumulation; 25 percent gravel; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); clear smooth boundary. (13 to 23 cm thick)

2C2--147 to 152 cm; white (10YR 8/1) gravelly sandy loam, pale brown (10YR 6/3) moist; massive; hard, friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; common very fine and fine interstitial and few fine tubular pores; common fine prominent reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/6) moist masses of iron accumulation; 25 percent gravel; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4).

TYPE LOCATION: Elko County, Nevada; in Ruby Valley about 10 kilometers south of the Ruby Valley Forest Service Station; approximately 335 meters north and 975 meters west of the southeast corner of section 18, T. 32 N., R. 60 E.; USGS Ruby City Creek 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle; latitude 40 degrees 39 minutes 00 seconds N and longitude 115 degrees 14 minutes 55 seconds W; WGS84 Decimal Degrees 40.6497222 latitude, -115.2486111 longitude.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: Usually saturated with aquic conditions in the lower part of the moisture control section in mid-spring; water table drops to below 152 cm in summer; seasonal periods of aquic moisture regime between March and May during saturation with ground water and anaerobic conditions; an aridic moisture regime exists during the growing season in normal years after ground water levels drop below the moisture control section.
Mean annual soil temperature: 8 to 11 degrees C.
Ochric epipedon thickness: 20 to 38 cm.
Depth to redoximorphic features: 46 to 91 cm to redox concentrations.
Other features: There is an irregular decrease in organic matter between 25 and 152 cm.

Particle-size control section - Clay content: 12 to 18 percent.

A horizons
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 35 to 45 percent.

Bw horizons
Value: 6 or 7 dry, 3 through 6 moist. Some subhorizon within 76 cm of the surface has value of 5 or less moist.
Structure: Weak or moderate, medium or coarse subangular blocky.
Reaction: Moderately alkaline or strongly alkaline.
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 60 to 70 percent.

Ab horizons
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 3 or 4 moist.
Texture: Silt loam or loam.
Clay content: 12 to 18 percent.
Reaction: Slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline.
Effervescence: Strongly effervescent or violently effervescent.
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 35 to 45 percent.

2C horizons
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y.
Value: 6 or 7 moist.
Chroma: 1 or 2 dry, 2 or 3 moist.
Reaction: Slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline.
Texture: Stratified gravelly sandy loam to gravelly clay loam.
Clay content: Averages 20 to 27 percent.
Rock fragments: 20 to 30 percent gravel.
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 35 to 45 percent.
Effervescence: Strongly effervescent or violently effervescent.

COMPETING SERIES: There are currently no other series in this family.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Lykal soils are on stream terraces. These soils formed in alluvium derived from mixed rocks. Slopes are 0 to 4 percent. Elevations range from 1,768 to 1,859 meters. The climate is semiarid with cool, moist winters and warm, dry summers. The mean annual precipitation is 200 to 250 mm, the mean annual temperature is 7 to 10 degrees C, and the frost-free period is 90 to 120 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the James Canyon and Wendane soils. James Canyon soils are fine-loamy, poorly drained, and have thick mollic epipedons. Wendane soils are fine-silty, have sodium adsorption ratio of 13 to 99 in the upper 50 cm, and horizons with durinodes.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Somewhat poorly drained; high surface runoff; moderately high or high saturated hydraulic conductivity. Endosaturation is present with an apparent seasonal high water table between 46 and 91 cm (shallow and moderately deep free water occurrence classes) between March and May. Cumulative annual duration class is Transitory. These soils are susceptible to rare flooding for very brief periods year-round.

USE AND VEGETATION: Lykal soils are used for rangeland and wildlife habitat. The present vegetation is mainly shrubby cinquefoil, purple reedgrass, and western wheatgrass.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northeastern Nevada. These soils are not extensive with about 1,300 acres of the series mapped to date. MLRA 28B.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Elko County (Southeast Part), Nevada, 1994.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - The zone from the soil surface to 18 cm (A1 and part of the A2 horizons).
Cambic horizon - The zone from 30 to 104 cm (Bw1 and Bw2 horizons).
Endosaturation feature - The condition of ground water with an upper boundary between 46 and 91 cm at certain times during normal years (parts of the C2 horizon).
Particle-size control section - The zone from 25 to 100 cm (Bw1 and parts of the A2 and Bw2 horizons).

The revision of December 2007 updated the taxonomic class from Coarse-silty, carbonatic, mesic Aeric Fluvaquents based on the recognition of a cambic horizon and an aridic moisture regime.

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.