LOCATION NOHELP                  CA

Established Series
Rev. EWB-JVC
04/2017

NOHELP SERIES

The Nohelp series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in eolian volcanic ash over alluvium derived from volcanic and metavolcanic rocks. Nohelp soils are on fan remnants. Slopes are 4 to 30 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 380 mm and the mean annual temperature is about 5.6 degrees C.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Clayey-skeletal, smectitic, frigid Vitrandic Palexerolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Nohelp gravelly ashy sandy loam--rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.) The soil surface is covered with 15 percent gravel and 5 percent cobbles.

A--0 to 10 cm; dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) gravelly ashy sandy loam, very dark brown (7.5YR 2.5/2) moist; weak medium platy structure parting to moderate fine granular; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; many very fine and few fine roots; many very fine interstitial pores; 20 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.3); clear smooth boundary. (10 to 15 cm thick)

AB--10 to 28 cm; dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) gravelly ashy sandy loam, very dark brown (7.5YR 2.5/2) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure parting to weak fine granular; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine, common fine and few medium roots; common very fine interstitial and few very fine tubular pores; 20 percent gravel and 5 percent cobbles; slightly acid (pH 6.4); abrupt smooth boundary. (15 to 25 cm thick)

2Bt1--28 to 53 cm; brown (7.5YR 4/2) very gravelly clay loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/3) moist; moderate medium angular blocky structure; hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; common very fine and few fine, medium and coarse roots; few very fine tubular pores; many distinct clay films on faces of peds, lining pores, and coating rock fragments; 40 percent gravel and 15 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 7.0); clear wavy boundary. (25 to 36 cm thick)

2Bt2--53 to 81 cm; brown (7.5YR 5/3) extremely gravelly clay loam, brown (7.5YR 4/3) moist; weak coarse subangular blocky structure parting to moderate medium angular blocky; hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few very fine, fine, medium, and coarse roots; few very fine tubular pores; common distinct clay films on faces of peds, lining pores, and coating rock fragments; 40 percent gravel and 22 percent cobbles; slightly acid (pH 6.5); clear wavy boundary. (23 to 38 cm thick)

2Bt3--81 to 152 cm; brown (7.5YR 5/3) extremely gravelly clay loam, brown (7.5YR 4/3) moist; weak medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, moderately sticky and moderately plastic; few medium roots; few very fine tubular pores; common distinct clay films on faces of peds, lining pores, and coating rock fragments; 45 percent gravel and 15 percent cobbles; slightly acid (pH 6.5).

TYPE LOCATION: Mono County, California; on the Toiyabe National Forest east of the Sweetwater Mountains on Wedertz Flat; in a nonsectionized township near the projected center of section 10, T. 6 N., R. 25 E.; USGS Sweetwater Creek 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle; 38 degrees 22 minutes 56.6 seconds north latitude and 119 degrees 13 minutes 5.3 seconds west longitude, WGS84 Decimal Degrees 38.3823889 latitude, -119.2181389 longitude.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: Usually moist in the moisture control section during late fall, winter, and spring; dry from July through early October for 75 to 90 consecutive days in the four months following the summer solstice; xeric moisture regime that borders on aridic.
Mean annual soil temperature: 6.7 to 8.3 degrees C.
Mollic epipedon thickness: 50 to 76 cm; includes the 2Bt1 horizon.
Depth to base of argillic horizon: More than 152 cm.

Particle-size control section - Clay content: Averages 35 to 45 percent.
Rock fragments: Averages 35 to 60 percent, mainly gravel and cobbles. Lithology of fragments is volcanic rocks such as andesite, tuff, and tuff-breccia or metavolcanic rocks.

A and AB horizons
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR.
Value: 3 through 5 dry, 2, 2.5, or 3 moist.
Chroma: 2 or 3, dry or moist.
Organic matter content: 2 to 4 percent.
Reaction: Slightly acid or neutral.
Volcanic glass content: 15 to 30 percent in coarse silt through fine sand fractions.
Oxalate extractable aluminum plus one-half oxalate iron: 0.2 to 0.4 percent.

2Bt1 horizon
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR.
Value: 4 or 5 dry.
Chroma: 2 or 3, dry or moist.
Texture: Very gravelly clay loam or very cobbly clay.
Clay content: 35 to 45 percent.
Rock fragments: 35 to 60 percent.
Organic matter content: 1 to 3 percent.
Reaction: Slightly acid or neutral.

2Bt2 and 2Bt3 horizons
Hue: 7.5YR or 10YR.
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist.
Chroma: 3 or 4, dry or moist.
Texture: Extremely cobbly clay loam, extremely gravelly clay loam, or very gravelly clay.
Clay content: 35 to 45 percent.
Rock fragments: 50 to 80 percent.
Reaction: Slightly acid or neutral.

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

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Nohelp soils are on fan remnants. They typically occur on summit or shoulder positions. They formed in eolian volcanic ash over alluvium derived from volcanic and metavolcanic rocks. Slopes are 4 to 30 percent. Elevations range from 1,895 to 2,380 meters. The climate is subhumid-continental with cold, moist winters and warm, dry summers. The mean annual precipitation is 360 to 410 mm, the mean annual temperature is 4.4 to 6.7 degrees C., and the frost-free period is 50 to 70 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Joenchris and Ocashe soils. Joenchris soils are fine and have mollic epipedons less than 50 cm thick. Ocashe soils are ashy-skeletal, very shallow and shallow to lithic contacts, and have a mesic temperature regime.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY: Well drained; high surface runoff; slow permeability; moderately low saturated hydraulic conductivity.

USE AND VEGETATION: Nohelp soils are used for rangeland, recreation, watershed, and wildlife habitat. The native vegetation is mainly mountain big sagebrush, antelope bitterbrush, and western needlegrass with some scattered singleleaf pinyon.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Eastern California, along the boundary between the Sierra Nevada Range and the western Great Basin. These soils are not extensive with about 1,150 acres of the series mapped to date. MLRA 26.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Mono County (Toiyabe National Forest Area), California, 2006.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon - The zone from the soil surface to 21 inches (A, AB, and 2Bt1 horizons).

Vitrandic intergrade feature - The zone from the soil surface to 28 cm (A and AB horizons).
Palexerolls great group feature - The clear clay increase of more than 15 percent at 28 cm (between the AB and 2Bt1 horizons).
Argillic horizon - The zone from 28 to 152 cm (2Bt1, 2Bt2, and 2Bt3 horizons).
Particle-size control section - The zone from 28 to 78 cm (2Bt1 horizon and part of the 2Bt2 horizon).

The revision of December 2004 updated the taxonomic class from Clayey-skeletal, smectitic, frigid Pachic Palexerolls based on volcanic glass count data for adjacent soils. Volcanic glass and oxalate aluminum and iron contents are estimated.

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.