LOCATION SUNSTROKE               AZ

Established Series
Rev. WJ/RKS//PDC/HCD
12/2015

SUNSTROKE SERIES

The Sunstroke series consists of moderately deep over hardpan, somewhat excessively drained soils on fan terraces. These soils are formed in alluvium from mixed sources. Slopes range from 3 to 35 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 10 inches. The mean annual air temperature is about 65 degrees F.

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

TYPICAL PEDON: Sunstroke extremely gravelly sandy loam - recreation land. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.)

A--0 to 2 inches; light brown (7.5YR 6/4) extremely gravelly sandy loam, yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) moist; moderate fine granular structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine and fine roots; few very fine irregular pores; 65 percent gravel; strongly effervescent; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8); abrupt smooth boundary. (1 to 3 inches thick)

Bw--2 to 18 inches; light brown (7.5YR 6/4) extremely gravelly sandy loam, brown (7.5YR 4/4) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine roots; few very fine irregular pores; 70 percent gravel; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear wavy boundary. (4 to 20 inches thick)

Bk--18 to 24 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) extremely gravelly sandy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and fine roots; few very fine irregular pores; 70 percent gravel; strongly effervescent, few calcium carbonate threads on ped faces; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); abrupt wavy boundary. (2 to 20 inches thick)

Bkqm--24 to 45 inches; pinkish white (7.5YR 8/2) indurated hardpan.

2R--45 inches; fanglomerate.

TYPE LOCATION: Hualapai Wash, Mohave County, Arizona; Latitude of 35 degrees, 56 minutes, 59 seconds North, and a longitude of 114 degrees, 8 minutes, 52 seconds West. 1,800 feet east and 1,000 feet south of the northwest corner of section 31, T. 30 N., R. 17 W. Gila and Salt River Base Meridian.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:

Soil moisture: Intermittently moist in some part of the soil moisture control section during December - February and for less than 20 days cumulative during July - September. Driest during May and June. Typic Aridic soil moisture regime.

Soil temperature: 59 to 72 degrees F.

Rock fragments: 35 to 75 percent

Depth to hardpan: 20 to 40 inches

Depth to bedrock: 30 to 60 inches

Organic matter content: less than 1 percent in the surface

Reaction: slightly or moderately alkaline

Calcium carbonate: slightly to violently effervescent

Clay content: 5 to 18 percent


A horizon

Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR

Value: 5 or 6, dry or moist

Chroma: 3 or 4, dry or moist


Bw and Bk horizons

Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR

Value: 5 or 6, dry or moist

Chroma: 3 or 4, dry or moist

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Shorim (NV) and Skelon (NV) series. Shorim soils are dry in the soil moisture control section for longer periods of time due to a lower rainfall component of 3 to 5 inches. Skelon soils have a thick hardpan overlying unconsolidated alluvium.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Sunstroke soils are on fan terraces at elevations of 1,600 to 2,700 feet. These soils formed in alluvium from mixed rock sources. Slopes range from 3 to 35 percent. The mean annual precipitation is 9 to 12 inches and occurs as thunderstorms during July to September and as gentle rains during December and January. The mean annual air temperature is 57 to 70 degrees F. The frost-free period is 200 to 280 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Arizo, Bluebird, Deluge, Detrital, Gotchell, Hulda, and Nickel soils. Arizo, Bluebird, Detrital, and Nickel soils are very deep. Gotchel soils are shallow or very shallow to a hardpan overlying bedrock. Hulda soils are very shallow or shallow over bedrock. Deluge soils are moderately deep to a hardpan overlying bedrock.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat excessively drained; slow to high runoff; moderately rapid permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: Sunstroke soils are used for livestock grazing, wildlife habitat and recreation. Vegetation includes creosotebush, white bursage, buckhorn cholla and Mohave yucca.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northwestern Arizona. This series is of minor extent. MLRA is 30.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Mohave County, Arizona. Soil survey of Mohave County, Arizona, Central Part; 2005. The name is from a local mine.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:

Ochric epipedon - The zone from 0 to 2 inches (A horizon)

Duripan - The zone from 24 to 45 inches (Bkqm horizon)

Lithic contact - The boundary at 45 inches (2R horizon)

Classified according to Keys to Soil Taxonomy Ninth Edition, 2003.

Responsibility for this series was transferred from Davis to Phoenix 12/2015. The last revision to the series was 1/2005. ET

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.