LOCATION MOTTSKEL                NV+CA

Established Series
Rev. EWB-JVC-JBF
04/2017

MOTTSKEL SERIES

The Mottskel series consists of very deep, excessively drained soils that formed in alluvium derived from granitic rocks. Mottskel soils are on alluvial fans. Slopes are 4 to 15 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 280 mm and the mean annual temperature is about 9 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy-skeletal, mixed, mesic Torriorthentic Haploxerolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Mottskel very bouldery loamy coarse sand--rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)

A1--0 to 20 cm; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) very bouldery loamy coarse sand, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and fine roots; many fine interstitial pores; 20 percent boulders and 30 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.3); clear smooth boundary. (15 to 30 cm thick)

A2--20 to 46 cm; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) very bouldery loamy coarse sand, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine, fine and medium roots; many fine interstitial pores; 15 percent boulders and 25 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.4); clear wavy boundary. (10 to 30 cm thick)

C1--46 to 76 cm; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) very stony loamy coarse sand, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; massive, soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine, fine and medium roots; many fine interstitial pores; 25 percent stones and 25 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.5); gradual wavy boundary. (18 to 50 cm thick)

C2--76 to 150 cm; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) very stony loamy coarse sand, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine and fine, common medium roots; many fine interstitial pores; 25 percent stones and 25 percent gravel; neutral (pH 6.6).

TYPE LOCATION: Douglas County, Nevada; between the Carson Range and Carson Valley north of Luther Creek; approximately 550 feet south and 950 feet east of the northwest corner of section 36, T. 12 N., R. 19 E.; USGS Woodfords 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle; latitude 38 degrees 51 minutes 55.5 seconds N and longitude 119 degrees 48 minutes 12 seconds W;
WGS84 Decimal Degrees 38.8653167 latitude, -119.8034833 longitude.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: Usually moist in the moisture control section in winter and spring, dry in summer and fall; aridic moisture regime that borders on xeric.
Mean annual soil temperature: 9 to 12 degrees C.
Mollic epipedon thickness: 25 to 50 cm.

Particle-size control section - Clay content: 3 to 10 percent.
Rock fragments: 35 to 60 percent, about half of which are stones or boulders and half are fine gravel. Lithology of fragments are granitic rocks such as granite and granodiorite.

A horizons
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist.
Chroma: 2 or 3, dry or moist.
Organic matter content: 1 to 3 percent.
Reaction: Slightly acid or neutral.

C horizons
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 3 through 5 moist.
Chroma: 2 or 3, dry or moist.
Texture: Very bouldery loamy coarse sand, very stony loamy coarse sand, very bouldery coarse sand, or very stony coarse sand.
Rock fragments: 35 to 60 percent.
Organic matter content: 0.25 to 0.6 percent.
Reaction: Slightly acid or neutral.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Brockliss, Deadfoot, and Linhart series.

Brockliss soils have endosaturation between 122 1nd 150 cm from the soil surface. Deadfoot soils are moderately deep to paralithic contacts. Linhart soils are dominated by fine gravel and have less than 5 percent stones or boulders in the particle-size control section.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Mottskel soils are on alluvial fans. They formed in alluvium derived from granitic rocks. Slopes are 4 to 15 percent. Elevations range from 1,425 to 2,015 meters. The climate is semiarid with cool, moist winters and warm, dry summers. The mean annual precipitation is 250 to 360 mm, mean annual temperature is 8 to 11 degrees C., and the frost-free period is 80 to 110 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Holbrook, Mottsville, and Ophir soils. Holbrook soils are loamy-skeletal. Mottsville soils are sandy. Ophir are sandy and have aquic conditions at depths of 50 to 75 cm during certain times in normal years.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Excessively drained; low surface runoff; very rapid permeability; very high saturated hydraulic conductivity. These soils are susceptible to rare flooding for extremely brief periods throughout the year.

USE AND VEGETATION: Mottskel soils are used for urban development and livestock grazing. The native vegetation is mainly mountain big sagebrush, antelope bitterbrush, Anderson's peachbrush, and needlegrasses.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Western Nevada and eastern California. These soils are not extensive. MLRA 26.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Toiyabe National Forest Area, California, 2006. The series was proposed in Douglas County, Nevada, 2000.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - The zone from the soil surface to 46 cm (A1 and A2 horizons).
Particle-size control section - The zone from 25 to 100 cm (C1 horizon and parts of the A2 and C2 horizons).

ADDITIONAL DATA: User Pedon ID: 2006NV005917.

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.