LOCATION NELLAKE CA

Established Series
REV: LA/PBF/ET
12/2015

NELLAKE SERIES

The Nellake series consists of very deep, well drained soils formed in dominantly granitic alluvium and colluvium. Nellake soils are found on fan remnants. Slope ranges from 4 to 15 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 4 inches and the mean annual temperature is about 67 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, thermic Typic Haplargids

TYPICAL PEDON: On Nellake-Arizo association, 4 to 15 percent slopes at an elevation of 2,530 feet. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted). The soil surface is covered with 35 percent gravel, 35 percent cobbles, and 20 percent stones.

A -- 0 to 3 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) extremely cobbly loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; strong coarse platy structure; slighty hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine roots throughout; many very fine, few fine vesicular pores throughout; violently effervescent; 20 percent gravel, 35 percent cobbles, and 20 percent stones; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); abrupt smooth boundary. (2 to 8 inches thick)

Bt -- 3 to 9 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) extremely gravelly loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine, common fine roots throughout; few very fine and fine tubular pores throughout; few faint patchy clay films on faces of peds and on sand and gravel; noneffervescent; 45 percent gravel, 20 percent cobbles, and 5 percent stones; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); clear wavy boundary. (5 to 24 inches thick)

Btk -- 9 to 25 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) extremely gravelly coarse sandy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; massive; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine roots throughout; common very fine, few fine interstitial pores throughout; common prominent carbonate coats on lower surfaces of peds or rocks; few faint patchy clay films on sand and gravel; noneffervescent; 60 percent gravel, 10 percent cobbles and 2 percent stones; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear wavy boundary. (15 to 18 inches thick)

BC -- 25 to 60 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) extremely gravelly coarse sandy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; massive; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine roots throughout; common very fine, few fine interstitial pores throughout; very few prominent carbonate coats on lower surfaces of peds or rocks; very few faint patchy clay films on sand and gravel; noneffervescent; 60 percent gravel, 5 percent cobbles, and 2 percent stones; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0).

TYPE LOCATION: San Bernardino County, California; about 2,400 feet south and 450 feet east of the NE corner of sec. 19, T. 14 N., R. 4 E., 35 degrees, 16 minutes, and 47 seconds north latitude, and 116 degrees, 36 minutes, and 15.5 seconds west longitude; Tiefort Mountain 7.5 minute quadrangle. (UTM 11S, 0535975e 3903930n)

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:

Soil moisture control section - usually dry, moist in some part for short periods during the winter and early spring and for 10 to 20 days cumulative between July and October following convection storms. The soils have a Typic-Aridic moisture regime.

Soil temperature: 66 to 72 degrees F.

Organic matter: 0 to 0.5 percent.

Surface rock fragments: 25 to 70 percent gravel, 5 to 40 percent cobbles, and 5 to 30 percent stones.

A horizon
Value: 5 to 8 dry, and 4 to 6 moist

Chroma: 3 or 4, dry or moist

Texture of the fine earth: coarse sandy loam, sandy loam or loam

Clay content: 8 to 15 percent

Rock fragments: 20 to 45 percent gravel, 5 to 45
percent cobbles, and 5 to 20 percent stones; range is
45 to 70 percent

Reaction: slightly to strongly alkaline

Calcium carbonate equivalent: 1 to 5 percent

Bt or Btk horizon

Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR

Value: 5 to 7 dry, and 4 or 5 moist

Chroma: 4 to 6, dry or moist

Texture of the fine earth: coarse sandy loam, sandy loam or loam

Clay content: 12 to 20 percent

Rock fragments: 20 to 70 percent gravel, 10 to 50
percent cobbles, and 0 to 15 percent stones; range is
from 40 to 85 percent

Reaction: slightly to strongly alkaline

Calcium carbonate equivalent: 1 to 5 percent

BC or C horizon
Value: 5 to 7 dry, and 4 or 5 moist

Chroma: 4 to 6, dry or moist

Texture of the fine earth: coarse sandy loam or sandy loam

Clay content: 8 to 15 percent

Rock fragments: 25 to 70 percent gravel, 5 to 60
percent cobbles, and 0 to 15 percent stones; range is
from 60 to 85 percent

Calcium carbonate equivalent: 1 to 5 percent

Reaction: slightly strongly alkaline

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Ashmed (T NV), Bitter (CA), Blind (T AZ), Bluebird (T AZ), Highland (T NV), Khyber (T CA), Pinaleno (AZ), Soledad (NM), Timosea (T CA), Topawa (AZ), Twobitter (T CA), and Werewolf (T CA) series. Ashmed, Bitter and Timosea soils are dry in the moisture control section during the summer months. Blind soils average fewer rock fragments and have higher clay content in the control section. They also receive more total rainfall and have a MAAT of 59 to 64 degrees F. Bluebird soils receive more total precipitation and have higher clay content in the control section. Highland soils have bedrock at 30 to 40 inches. Khyber soils have 40 to 80 percent of the gravel fraction in the 2 to 5 mm range. Pinaleno, Soledad, and Topawa soils are moist in some part of the moisture control section for more than 20 days, cumulative, between July and October. In addition, Pinaleno soils have a calcic horizon, Soledad soils have 8 to 18 percent clay in the control section, and Topawa soils have a MAST of 69 to 72 degrees F. Twobitter soils are on patina surfaces, average fewer rock fragments in the control section, and are underlain by sand. In addition, Twobitter soils have a layer within the argillic which contains visible gypsum crystals. Werewolf soils have a MAST of 64 to 68 degrees F., receive more rainfall, and are formed in dominantly volcanic material.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Nellake soils are on fan remnants. Slope ranges from 4 to 15 percent. The soils formed in material from granitic sources. Elevations are 2,300 to 2,900 feet. The climate is arid, with hot, dry summers and warm winters. Most precipitation comes in the winter but in some areas is sporadic. The mean annual precipitation is 3 to 5 inches. The mean annual temperature is 64 to 70 degrees F. Mean July temperature is about 78 degrees F., and mean January temperature is about 42 degrees F. The frost-free season is 300 to 340 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Arizo, Dalvord, Langwell, and Yermo soils. Arizo soils are found on inset fans and have sandy-skeletal particle size control sections. Dalvord and Langwell soils are found on mountain sideslopes, are shallow or very shallow to a lithic contact, and do not have argillic horizons. Yermo soils are on similar landscape positions but do not have argillic horizons.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; low to medium runoff; moderate permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: Nellake soils are used for military exercises and wildlife habitat. The present vegetation is mainly white bursage, creosotebush, range ratany and desert needlegrass.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Mojave Desert of southeastern California. The series is of small extent in MLRA-30.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: San Bernardino County, California, Fort Irwin Soil Survey Area, 2000. The name is taken from nearby Nelson Lake, a playa.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in the profile are:

1. Ochric epipedon -- 0 to 3 inches (A horizon)
2. Argillic horizon -- 3 to 23 inches (Bt horizon and part
of the Btk horizon)

Responsibility for this series was transferred from Davis to Phoenix 12/2015. The last revision to the series was 6/2000. ET

National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.