LOCATION TENWELL                 NV

Established Series
Rev. DJM/LJL/RLB
12/2015

TENWELL SERIES

The Tenwell series consists of moderately deep to a duripan, well drained soils that formed in alluvium from mixed rock sources. The Tenwell soils are on fan remnants. Slopes are 2 to 8 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 6 inches and the mean annual temperature is about 60 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, thermic Typic Argidurids

TYPICAL PEDON: Tenwell very gravelly loamy coarse sand, rangeland and wildlife habitat. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.) The soil surface is partially covered with approximately 50 percent pebbles.

A1--0 to 1 inch; pale brown (10YR 6/3) very gravelly loamy coarse sand, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; single grained; loose, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine and fine interstitial pores; 50 percent pebbles; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 8.4); abrupt smooth boundary. (1 to 5 inches thick)

A2--1 to 4 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) gravelly sandy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; moderate medium platy structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; few very fine roots; common very fine and fine vesicular pores; 20 percent pebbles; violently effervescent; strongly alkaline (pH 8.6); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 6 inches thick)

Bt--4 to 9 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) sandy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine and fine roots; many very fine and fine interstitial, common fine and medium tubular pores; common distinct clay films on faces of peds; 10 percent pebbles; violently effervescent; strongly alkaline (pH 8.6); clear smooth boundary. (1 to 5 inches thick)

Btk--9 to 22 inches; strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) gravelly sandy clay loam, strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure; hard, firm, sticky and slightly plastic; common distinct clay films on faces of peds and lining pores; common very fine and fine calcium carbonate filaments; 30 percent pebbles; violently effervescent; strongly alkaline (pH 8.6); abrupt wavy boundary. (8 to 20 inches thick)

Bqkm--22 to 60 inches; very pale brown (10YR 8/2) indurated duripan, pale brown (10YR 6/3) moist; 1 to 2 millimeter thick discontinuous laminar cap.

TYPE LOCATION: Clark County, Nevada; about 5.5 miles south southwest of Searchlight, Nevada, located in the north end of Piute Valley; approximately 1,200 feet west and 1,400 feet south of the northeast corner of the section 33, T. 29 S., R. 63 E.; 35 degrees, 22 minutes, 52 seconds north latitude and 114 degrees, 56 minutes, 35 seconds west longitude; USGS Searchlight, NV 7.5 minute topographical quadrangle; UTM 686828e, 3917239n; NAD83.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:

Soil moisture - Usually dry, moist in some part for short periods during winter and early spring and for 10 to 20 days cumulative between July to October following convection storms.

Soil temperature - 59 to 65 degrees F.

Depth to duripan - 20 to 35 inches.

Control section - Percent clay: Averages 18 to 30 percent.

Rock fragments: Averages 15 to 30 percent, mainly pebbles

A horizon - Value: 5 or 6 dry, 2 through 4 moist.

Chroma: 3 or 4.

Bt horizon - Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR.

Value: 4 or 5 dry, 4 moist.

Clay content: 12 to 18 percent.

Rock fragments: 10 to 20 percent, mainly pebbles.

Btk horizon - Value: 4 or 5 dry, 4 moist.

Chroma: 4 through 6.

Clay content: 20 to 30 percent.

Rock fragments: 15 to 30 percent, mainly pebbles.

Structure: Prismatic or subangular blocky.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Cuddeback (CA) and Nealy (T AZ) series. Cuddeback soils are continuously dry in the soil moisture control section during the summer months and have hue of 5YR or 7.5YR in the Bt horizon. Nealy soils have a calcic horizon with 15 to 25 percent calcium carbonate and overlies unconsolidated alluvium at 26 to 60 inches.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Tenwell soils are on fan remnants. These soils formed in alluvium from mixed rock sources. Slopes are 2 to 8 percent. Elevations are 2400 to 3700 feet. The climate is hot and arid with warm, moist winters and hot, dry summers. The mean annual precipitation is 5 to 7 inches; mean annual temperature is 57 to 63 degrees F., and the frost-free season is 200 to 270 days.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Crosgrain and Kidwell series. Crosgrain soils do not have a argillic horizon and are shallow to a duripan. Kidwell soils do not have a duripan but have a calcic horizon.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; slow runoff; moderately slow permeability.

USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for rangeland and wildlife habitat. The present vegetation is mainly big galleta, bush muhly, creosotebush, spiny hopsage and ephedra.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southern Nevada. MLRA 30. These soils are not extensive.

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

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Clark County Area, Nevada, 2006. Proposed in Clark County, Nevada, 1993. The name is coined from Tenmile Well in Piute Valley.

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

Ochric epipedon - 0 to 4 inches (A1 and A2 horizons).

Argillic horizon - 4 to 22 inches (Bt and Btk horizons).

Duripan - 22 to 60 inches (Bqkm horizon).

Particle-size control section - 4 to 22 inches (Bt and Btk horizons).

Responsibility for this series was transferred from Davis to Phoenix 12/2015. The last revision to the series was 7/2006. ET

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National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.